August 1833: The Beginning of Yancey County

Before Yancey County officially appeared on the map, there was a movement—quiet but determined—led by the people of these mountains.

In August of 1833, residents of what were then the outer reaches of Burke and Buncombe Counties began formally petitioning the North Carolina General Assembly for the creation of a new county.

Their request wasn’t born from politics, but from geography and hardship. Mountain travel was treacherous, and attending court or managing official business often meant days of travel on foot or horseback.

These petitions, gathered in the late summer of 1833, reflected a deep desire for local representation, accessible government, and community-driven decision making

That effort paid off. On December 29, 1833, the General Assembly approved the formation of Yancey County, named in honor of Bartlett Yancey, a respected North Carolina legislator. By August 1834, the town of Burnsville was laid out as the new county seat—named for War of 1812 naval hero Otway Burns.

Nearly two centuries later, Yancey County continues to be shaped by the same spirit that launched it: a belief that rural communities matter—and deserve a voice of their own.