Mitchell Falls
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Falls is a 25 feet (7.6 m) waterfall located on private property in Yancey County, North Carolina
on the slope of Mount Mitchell
, the highest mountain in the Appalachian Mountain chain, and highest point in the eastern United States
. Both the falls and the mountain are named for Elisha Mitchell
, a professor who, while confirming his measurements of the mountain, fell over a rocky ledge above the falls to his death on June 27, 1857.
The falls are located on private property. Access to the falls is normally prohibited but has been allowed in the past to groups by special permission. As the landowner has been a strong, environmentally-conscious steward for the tract of land on which the falls lie, people wishing to visit the falls are highly encouraged to respect this, and not to trespass in an attempt to see the falls but wait until such a trip is organized .
and Rufus Morgan. The author has since updated his website with the corrected information. The 45-foot falls listed in the Adams book were the falls photographed by George Masa. All three falls, Mitchell Falls, those photographed by George Masa, and those photographed by Rufus Morgan, are on private property.
Yancey County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,774 people, 7,472 households, and 5,372 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 9,729 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
on the slope of Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell can refer to:* Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States* Mount Mitchell , in Jasper National Park of Canada* Mount Mitchell * Mount Mitchell , in Queensland...
, the highest mountain in the Appalachian Mountain chain, and highest point in the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Both the falls and the mountain are named for Elisha Mitchell
Elisha Mitchell
Elisha Mitchell was born in Washington, Connecticut. As a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in 1835, he measured the height of Mt. Mitchell. Mt. Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. It is located in North Carolina and is 6,684 feet high...
, a professor who, while confirming his measurements of the mountain, fell over a rocky ledge above the falls to his death on June 27, 1857.
Visiting the falls
Confusion
There is some confusion as to which waterfall in the area is actually Mitchell Falls. The Kevin Adams book North Carolina Waterfalls misidentified the falls from mislabeled photographs by George MasaGeorge Masa
George Masa , born Masahara Izuka, in Osaka, Japan, was a businessman and professional large format photographer.-Creating a new life in America:Masa arrived in the United States in 1901....
and Rufus Morgan. The author has since updated his website with the corrected information. The 45-foot falls listed in the Adams book were the falls photographed by George Masa. All three falls, Mitchell Falls, those photographed by George Masa, and those photographed by Rufus Morgan, are on private property.
Nearby falls
- Several unnamed falls, including a 45 feet (14 m) fall occasionally mislabeled as Mitchell Falls
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