Abstract:
Burnsville, county seat of Yancey County, is Our State magazine's Tar Heel town of the month. The town was named for Otway Burns, a privateer during the War of 1812. Mining mica and gems, flax cultivation, wild ginseng collecting, and logging supported Burnsville during the 19th-century, but retail and tourism industries propel the town's economy today. Tourist attractions include the McElroy House, NuWray Inn, DK Puttyroot and The Orchid Tearoom, and Lil Smoky's Drive-in & Restaurant.