| Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest | |
|---|---|
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
) Rendezvous Mountain Fire Tower | |
)  Location of Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest in North Carolina | |
| Location | Wilkes, North Carolina, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°13′38″N 81°17′34″W / 36.22722°N 81.29278°W[1] |
| Area | 3,316 acres (13.42 km2)[2] |
| Established | 1926[3] |
| Named for | Rendezvous Mountain |
| Governing body | North Carolina Forest Service |
| Website | Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest |
Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest (RMESF) is a 3,316-acre (13.42 km2) North Carolina State Forest in Purlear, North Carolina.[2]
History
Rendezvous Mountain is popularly rumored to have been an assembly point for the Overmountain Men during the Revolutionary War.[4] Colonel Benjamin Cleveland is said to have called militiamen from around Wilkes County, by blowing a large ox horn from the mountain's summit.[4][5] Cleveland was able to summon over 200 Patriots from the surrounding area to join him on a march to the Battle of Kings Mountain.[4][5] The route they took is now commemorated by the nearby Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.
In 1926, the forest's original 146-acre (0.59 km2) tract was donated to the state by Judge T. B. Finley of North Wilkesboro for inclusion in the State Park System; however, the unit was never opened to the public due to its small size, inaccessible location, and questionable historic significance.[3] The land was transferred to the Division of Forestry in 1956.[3] It was later opened to the public in 1984 as an educational state forest.[2] In the early 2000s, the forest was greatly expanded when large tracts along its western boundary became available.
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rendezvous Mountain
- ^ a b c "NC Forest Service Natural Assets" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. January 23, 2014. p. 13. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
- ^ a b c "History of the North Carolina State Park System" (PDF). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. August 27, 2015. p. 10. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
Rendezvous Mountain was donated in 1926. As its history was questionable and he acreage small, it was transferred to the Division of Forestry in 1956.
- ^ a b c Fay Byrd; Wilkes Community College. Division of Learning Resources (19 October 2010). Wilkes County Bits and Pieces. Wilkesboro, NC: Lulu. pp. 306–310. ISBN 978-0-557-49244-2. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ a b Peter J. Barr (2008). "Rendezvous Mountain". Hiking North Carolina's Lookout Towers. John F. Blair, Publisher. pp. 225–232. ISBN 978-0-89587-433-7.
External links