TOPOGRAPHY AND MIGRATION PATTERNS
OF MONROE COUNTY




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The Beautiful Bald River Falls near Tellico Plains
Find the person on the rope

Photo of our Court House & Bald River Falls are complements of Joy Locke and Dannie Croft

Monroe lies partly in the Tennessee River Valley and Unaka Mountains. The valley portion includes 50% of sedimentary rocks: limestone, shale, and sandstone. The mountainous part includes sandstone, quartz, granite, and gneisses. Some of the major creeks are: Sweetwater, Pond, Fork, Bat, and Citico. Rivers include Tellico and The Little Tennessee. The 1990 population was 30,541.

Monroe County could be termed as "Gateway to the West" as so many important trails junctioned within the bounds of Monroe County. Many settlers paused a few years in Monroe County and then 'sold out' and pushed westward. By the records, most went to TEXAS. The migration lasted well up into the 1920's. Some of the following counties in North Carolina, CHEROKEE and, GRAHAM along with BLOUNT County, Tennessee helped to settle Monroe County. We also had folks to move to POLK County, Tn. when it was formed.

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