Beautiful North Carolina speaks to the soul. Spanning 500 miles from east to west, it has a bit of everything you could want. Watch sunrises over the ocean, then fly off to the mountains for unforgettable sunsets. In between beautiful farmlands, lakes, rivers, and forests. With so much territory, it makes sense that the state is divided into a few distinct regions. These North Carolina sections are split into three main regions: the mountain, Piedmont, and coastal plains. Here, we explore each North Carolina region and talk about their history, the origins behind their names, and the exciting cities that give them their character.

The Mountain Region

Western North Carolina has a smaller area than the Piedmont and Coastal Plains Regions, but it’s a popular destination for fun along the eastern seaboard. The Appalachian Mountains run thousands of miles and contain some of the most complex and oldest geographical formations in the world. In North Carolina, it’s primarily the Blue Ridge Mountain range that forms a great wall between the Atlantic Seaboard and the central plains. The Mountain Region was the last area in North Carolina to be reached by the European Settlers.

History

The Cherokee peoples were the most notable Native Americans to have settlements in the present-day North Carolina mountains. The first known contact between the natives and the Europeans occurred in 1540, when Hernando de Soto, a Spanish explorer, and his men came in search of gold. However, contact between the two was limited until the late 1600s, when trade picked up in the 1700s.

Around 1784, the earliest permanent white settlers came to the Swannanoa area, part of today’s Buncombe County. Some of these early settlers were the Pattons, Gudgers, Alexanders, and Davidsons. In the late 1700s, more pioneers migrated into the surrounding areas west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Many of the settlers in the mountains were of Scotch-Irish, German, and English descent, who came to buy, settle and farm the fertile and cheap hillsides and bottomlands of the region.  As a result, migration into present-day Henderson, Transylvania, and Buncombe Counties grew rapidly.

Because new settlers found it hard to travel through the rough, steep, and muddy roads to the county seats in the Wilkes, Burke, and Rutherford Counties to conduct all kinds of business, they asked the legislature to establish new counties closer to their area. The legislature established Buncombe County in 1792 and Ashe County in 1799.

Some settlers had migrated from North Carolina’s coastal plain and Piedmont regions, and came by foot, horseback, or wagon. They entered the area through mountain ridge gaps found in Hickory Nut, Deep Gaps, Gillespie, and Swannanoa. Other Scotch-Irish, German, and English settlers found their way in through Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. These settlers started from the Great Wagon Road, through the Piedmont Region, and then traveled west to the mountains. Parts of the route are on today’s Mountain-to-Sea trail.

NC Mountain Region Cities

Some of the Mountain Region’s largest cities are:

• Asheville: This scenic mountain city is home to around 85,000 people. People appreciate its liberal culture, Art-Deco architecture, and cultural attractions. Many use it as a jumping-off point to appreciate the mountains’ natural resources.
• Cashiers: This city is in the wooden mountainside of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ southernmost part. It’s a charming town surrounded by a scenic green valley. The neighboring mountains rise over 5,000 feet.
• Robbinsville: This mountain retreat in Graham County, where you’ll find Fontana Lake, leisurely drives, Appalachian crafts, hardy hikes, and great history.
• Boone: In the northern mountains, this town has long been a place to go for winter skiing and summer fly-fishing. It’s home to Appalachian State University.
• Hendersonville: South from Asheville, this mountain town charms with its scenic views and outdoor recreation access.
• Other cities include Hickory, West Jefferson, Highlands, and Lenoir.

Piedmont Region

The central region of North Carolina is also known as Piedmont. Its name originates from the French word meaning “foot of the mountain.” Elevations here can range from 300 feet closer to the Western Coastal Plain to around 1,500 feet closer to the mountains. The Piedmont geographical region features hilly terrain and high and flat plateaus. It’s criss-crossed by a network of rivers originating in the mountains, winding east on their way to the ocean. They include the Cape Fear River Basin, Yadkin Rivers, and the Roanoke River Basin.

History

Settlers from Europe remained mainly in the Coastal Plain Regions of North Carolina until about 40 years before the American Revolution. The boundaries separating Piedmont from the Coastal Plains (called the fall line) had many rapids and waterfalls, making traveling more difficult at a time when rivers were the fastest way to move about the fledging country.

At first, this discouraged migration, but once settlers arrived in Piedmont, they came in huge numbers. This resulted in the rapid rise of North Carolina’s population, which doubled in the decade between 1765 to 1775.

With clay soils and limestones that support grasslands and forests, this backcountry is much different from the Coastal Plain Region. Its shallow streams and narrow rivers provided excellent sites for farms and mills, where Scotch-Irish settlers (descendants of Scots who moved to Northern Ireland) cleared for farmland. These settlers had prospered until changes in policies led them to leave Ireland and look for opportunities in America. Most had settled in Pennsylvania but moved to North Carolina during the 1730s.

These Scotch-Irish settlers used these lands to grow wheat and corn for their homes and tobacco for export and use. Additionally, they raised livestock and sold them in the northern markets in large numbers. Settlers built sawmills, tanneries, stores, and gristmills. Many local industries were established, such as carpenters, blacksmiths, coopers, rope makers, potters, wagon makers, and wheelwrights.

Germans from Pennsylvania also arrived in central North Carolina. Many settled next to the Yadkin and Catawba Rivers. In 1753, Moravians, who were also from Germany arrived in present-day Forsyth County, where they started building a strictly controlled congregational community. Within these settlements, pieces of land were held in common, but occupations, crafts, and marriages needed the approval of community boards.

Central North Carolina cities

The Piedmont region is home to many of North Carolina’s well-known and largest cities, most of which connect thanks to Interstate 77. They include:

• Raleigh: The state’s capital city and cultural hotspot with museums and an extensive parks system.
• Durham: Raleigh’s metro neighbor extends the benefits of living in Raleigh with world-famous universities.
• Chapel Hill: The home to the Carolina Tar Heels completes the major cities of the Raleigh-Durham metro.
• Cary: This fast-growing city is right between Raleigh and Research Triangle Park. It hosts SAS, the biggest private software company in the world.
• Greensboro: One of the state’s biggest cities, it is close to the northern center. Families appreciate its excellent schools and recreational amenities geared toward kids.
• Charlotte: The most populated city in the Carolinas is a regional hub for entertainment, culture, and commerce.

Coastal Plains

The Eastern region flows from the Piedmont to the Atlantic Ocean. Geographically, it splits into two parts: the Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer Coastal Plain. The Inner Coastal Plain is a dry and high area with rich, sandy soil and prime farmland. The Outer Coastal Plain further divides into the Outer Banks and Tidewater region. It’s composed of river deltas, salt marshes, and islands.

History

Drastic changes from the 1650s to the 1770s saw European-American settlers arrive. Before then, indigenous peoples had lived here for thousands of years.

By the mid-1720s, many permanent settlers had arrived around the lower parts of the Cape Fear River. This migration is primarily due to the efforts of North Carolina’s governor, George Burrington, and a South Carolina lawyer and judge, Maurice Moore. During this time, settlers from South Carolina were fleeing high taxes, economic depression, and political unrest.

Other settlers came from the colonies of New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, along with immigrants from Scotland, England, and Ireland. In the 1730s, the Scotch-Irish and Welsh started settling in this region, with the Swiss from South Carolina joining them by the time the mid-1730s came. A few more years passed and lowland Scots (many of whom were merchants) also came to the state in an attempt to improve their fortune.

Eventually, highland Scots also made their way here, with the first group arriving in 1739. In the following years, more settlers came, and they developed present-day Anson, Fayetteville, Cumberland, Bladen, Home, Moore, Harnett, Robeson, Richmond, Scotland, and Sampson Counties.

Other peoples from Africa were brought to the region against their will, adding to the influx of people during this time.

The Coastal Plains include the barrier islands of the Outer Banks. These shifting sands have long challenged mariners, leading to lighthouses like Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout. The rustic sandy shores are a popular spot to get away, but by nature of jutting into the Atlantic, they are more prone to hurricane damage and the impacts of climate change.

NC Coastal Region Cities

The Coastal Region is home to many cities, each with unique features.

• Carolina Beach: A few miles from Wilmington, the coastal town has a vintage ocean boardwalk, a beautiful state park, and great fishing.
• Southport: Described as quaint and charming, the mainland side town is at the Cape Fear River mouth.
• Elizabeth City: A historic town on the Pasquotank River in the northern Coastal Plains.
• Fayetteville: More inland, this patriotic town is associated with air bases.
• Jacksonville: At the top where the New River, Jacksonville has two US Marine bases
• Greenville: The inland town developed along the Tar River and. is home to East Carolina University.
• Ocean Isle: Part of the beautiful Grand Strand beaches, this is a popular vacation and fishing area.
• Wilmington: The most populated city sits a few miles from the oceanfront on the Cape Fear River. It’s an affordable coastal option with a famous riverfront Boardwalk and a beautiful historic district.

North Carolina’s regions highlight the many reasons why the Tar Heel state is a great place to call home. Whether you’re looking for culture, places of interest, or outdoor recreation, the Tar Heels state will keep you looking for more. What are you waiting for? North Carolina welcomes you to have the grand adventure you’ve always wanted.

Updated October 2024