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The New River is the second oldest river in the world and was designated an American Heritage River by President Bill Clinton in 1998.
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Linville Gorge is the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River
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Grandfather Mountain is the highest mountain in the Blue Ridge
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Mt. Mitchell is the highest mountain east of the Rockies (it's in the Black Mountains)
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Construction for the Blue Ridge Parkway began at Cumberland Knob in Alleghany County and ended with the completion of the Linn Cove Viaduct in Avery County (both are in the High Country).
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Several mountains in Ashe County, including Mulatto and Mt. Jefferson, were said to have held hiding places on the Underground Railroad.
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Chang and Eng, the original Siamese twins, settled down in Wilkes County. Each married local sisters and raised 21 children between them!
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The legend of Tom Dooley, made famous by the ballad, "Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley," took place in the Ferguson community in the 1860s. Today the Wilkes Playmakers re-enact the drama each summer.
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Many race car drivers, including Junior Johnson, got their start running moonshine in Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany Counties.
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The Movie, The Green Mile, was partially filmed at Moses Cone Manor on the Parkway in Blowing Rock. The Manor was portrayed as the character's retirement home.
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A short part of the movie, Forrest Gump, was filmed at Grandfather Mountain (part of Forrest's run across America is filmed going up Grandfather).
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Jan Karon, author of the best-selling Mitford Series of books based her novels on the Village of Blowing Rock.
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The fashionable Mayview Manor in Blowing Rock once employed Annie Oakley, herself, to operate their trapshooting range.
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Frank James, brother of bank robber, supposedly buried some of his loot in Avery County.
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The famous Brown Mountain lights can best be seen at milepost 317.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway
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The legend of Frankie Silver took place in Mitchell County
