Mount Mitchell State Park
This Was The First Of The North Carolina State Parks
Located in the Black Mountains of North Carolina, Mount Mitchell State Park was the very first in the N.C. State Parks system. The park is named for Mount Mitchell, which at 6,684 feet above sea level is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain gets its name from the science professor Elisha Mitchell who calculated its height during the 1830`s, modern science has proved that his calculation was only twelve feet out. He spent many years hiking across the mountains of the region. Unfortunately in 1857 he fell forty feet into a waterfall where he was knocked unconscious and drowned. His grave now lies on the summit of the mountain that bears his name.
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