July 12, 2026
Columnist Keith Parker
Where do you live?
Communities are stable these days in terms of names. Not too many years ago, the county names changed as the populations grew and the need for local management grew accordingly.
For historical research into Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson and earlier county names, one could get lost looking for today’s Transylvania County locations.
Many years ago, some of my ancestors near what is today called See Off and Cedar mountains talked about having lived in South Carolina, Georgia and finally North Carolina without ever moving from their homes.
That would have been during the infamous Walton War when Georgia claimed this part of current Transylvania for collecting taxes and ruling.
In this “orphan strip,” there were skirmishes between Georgia with North Carolina (Buncombe County) authorities and one local man died from such friction between the borders near what is currently referred to as Wilson Bridge until federal intervention finally came to reset the state lines and sent those Georgian tax collectors south.
One of my Raxter ancestors got beaten up by some tax collectors from Georgia; that’s how I know this is true.
Dr. Keith Parker is a pastoral counselor, Jungian analyst and local historian who lives in the Dunn’s Rock community of Transylvania County. His column appears on BrevardBeagle.com when he can find time to write his thoughts down.
Click here to visit the archive of previously published Parker on the Past columns.
Click below to read the latest reflections from local historian Keith Parker:
Parker on the Past: Where do YOU live?
“Not too many years ago, the county names changed as the populations grew and the need for local management grew accordingly.”