Situated among the Blue Ridge Mountains in the western half of North Carolina, the beautiful town of Boone is the largest incorporated community in Watauga County and the surrounding High County region of the state. Boone covers an area of 6.07 square miles and has an estimated population of almost 19,000 people. It's the home of the Appalachian State University and has been ranked as one of the best small towns in which to reside in North Carolina.
Boone, NC (Boone, NC Elevation)
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The town is named after Daniel Boone, a famous pioneer and explorer who helped to settle the area that would eventually become the state of Kentucky. Daniel Boone stopped off and camped in the area regularly and his nephews settled there and were members of the first church to be built in Boone. The town thrived in its early years thanks to the railroad connections via the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, but a flood in 1940 destroyed the tracks and they were never replaced, which hit the town hard.
Fortunately, the popularity of the Appalachian State University helped to keep people coming to the town and Boone also became well-known for its outdoor drama 'Horn in the West', which tells the tale of British settlers arriving in the area and the subsequent acts of the Revolutionary War, with Daniel Boone himself playing a starring role. As well as the university and show, Boone is also home to various historic buildings and is popular with people looking for a little Appalachian culture.
Elevation of Boone, NC
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Elevation is one of the most important geographical statistics of any town or city. It has an influence on the city's climate conditions and is also an important factor in town planning and architecture. Elevation refers to the height of an area above or below sea level and is measured in feet or meters. The elevation of Boone is 3,333 feet (1,015.9 m), putting it above the national average of 2,500 feet (760 m) and well above the elevations of most major cities around the nation, with most of them being built at elevations of 500 feet (152 m) or less.
The high elevation of Boone is due to its location among the Blue Ridge Mountains, but the state of North Carolina is actually among the lowest in the country in terms of elevation. The mean elevation of the state of North Carolina is just 700 feet (210 m), which puts it a little higher than the lowest states of Delaware, Florida, and Louisiana, but much lower than high elevation states like Colorado and Wyoming. The highest elevation point in North Carolina is Mount Mitchell, part of the Appalachian Mountains, which has an elevation of 6,684 feet (2,037 m), while the state's lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean, which is at sea level.
Compared to the average elevation of the state, Boone’s elevation is over 2,000 feet (609 m) higher. The town is also higher than many of the state’s major cities. The state capital of Raleigh, for example, has an elevation of 315 feet (96 m). Other big cities in North Carolina include Charlotte, which has an elevation of 751 feet (229 m), Greensboro, which has an elevation of 897 feet (272 m), and Durham, which has an elevation of 404 feet (123 m). Boone actually has the unique distinction of being the highest elevation town east of the Mississippi River to have a population of 10,000 people or more, so it's one of the highest inhabited communities in the eastern part of the United States.
Climate and Things to Do in Boone, NC (Boone, NC Elevation)
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The town of Boone has a humid continental climate, with its high elevation resulting in relatively mild temperatures, even in the warmest months of the year. In July, for example, the average highs are quite warm at 78°F (26°C), but the temperatures can also drop to average lows of 58°F (15°C). The coldest month of the year is January, with average lows of 21°F (-6°C) and lots of snow can fall from December through to early March.
The biggest and most well-known attraction in Boone is the 'Horn in the West' outdoor amphitheater drama, which is shown in the summer. Plenty of people visit the city simply to see the show, and many young people to go to Boone due to the Appalachian State University. The town is also associated with Appalachian storytelling culture and art, and features several historic places like the Daniel Boone Hotel and Blair Farm.
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