Here is your chance to own legacy and a major part of Appalachian history and culture. 

Spruce Pine began life as a train town, but the whole area had already established itself as a gem stone and mining center many years before.  

The Hoot Owl Mine and the +/- 31.79 acres encompassing it once boasted its own railroad, and today has a considerable stand of timber awaiting your assessment and cruising.  This is your opportunity to posses one of our most historic pieces of ground in this entire region of the NC High Country.   

Four miles outside of downtown Spruce Pine, in the direct center heart of Appalachia’s most precious and prolific gem stone reckoning is this vast Hoot Owl mine with openings over 50 foot tall, a majestic icon beckoning to a historic past— the likes of which have not been witnessed in modern mining history in over 100 years.

The mine is “500 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 150 feet deep before continuing underground another 400 feet as a massive cavern” (“Down the Crabtree” by Robert Schabilion).   According to this authority on the mine, “the body, striking northeast and dipping westward, forms an anti-clinal fold in the overlying hornblende and mica gneiss.  Microcline, the primary feldspar in the mine, occurs as large crystals and graphic inter-growths with quartz.  Beryl occurs frequently as does Aquamarine and a reproof was circulated that a crystal as large as 150 pounds was found.” (Book- “Down the Crabtree”)

Folks have found both emerald and beryl at the mine, as it is only 4/5 of a mile from the Crabtree Emerald Mine where the largest emerald ever discovered in the United States was found in 1979– “1,492 carats” (“Down the Crabtree”), and  around 450 feet from the Beryl Mines which are on the adjoining property.  The mine is famous for producing large quantities of feldspar and flat greet stained mica.  

We don’t exactly know the age of the mine itself, as it could have been originally started nearly 2000 years ago by the various Indian Nations that roamed the area from time to time, or been part of what is called a “Spanish Mine,” which were created in this area in the mid 1500s by Hernando De Soto.   We do know that the mine took on the familiar shape that we find it today around the 1920s from the photographs we have from this time.

The property around the mine is extremely valuable also, not just for the possibility of gem stones and minerals, but also for building and development.  There are plenty of places for homesites that would afford excellent views and it is private, yet perfectly located between Burnsville and Spruce Pine off of US Hwy. 19-E. 

The property is located just 30 minutes from Lake James, Marion, and I-40; 50 minutes to Asheville, NC, and 50 minutes to Boone, NC.  The entire Spruce Pine area is located just 2 hours from Charlotte, NC and the area has become the mountain getaway for the entire Piedmont region of North Carolina.   

"Trains, mines, timber, and tourism have made up the economic wealth of this entire region." 

NC boasts a low corporate income tax rate of just 2.5% (the lowest out of the 4 states that levy this tax), and Mitchell County maintains one of the lowest property taxes in NC and is also a Certified Entrepreneurial Community, and a Tier-1 Ranking.    Mitchell County Economic Development, Chamber of Commerce, County Inspections and elected officials are eager to work with and meet the needs for job creation buyers.   

Spruce Pine really is in the center of it all here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.  Spruce Pine is the largest small town between Asheville and Boone and is set to be the growth leader in this area.  Here we have a distinct 4 seasons, without the extremes. We have a fairly mild climate except on those rare winter days when the altitude gets the better of our latitude, but for the most part, you will have year round comfort assurance.

 The areas surrounding Spruce Pine offer breathtaking views and pristine waters, centered in the highest peaks of the mountains of North Carolina, we are a safe place to adventure.  With our low taxes, low crime rate, emphasis on freedom, and improving infrastructure we are a place to grow and have opportunity.

People move here to get away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world.  Our realm is safe, clean, and still retains a degree of the ancient wild.  People desire our beautiful mountain views, and clear pristine waters.  Such natural capital as exists here keeps our market strong even during economic downturns.  

Median Household Incomes

Spruce Pine        $44,375
Burnsville            $33,961
Bakersville          $49,782

Mitchell County Employment by Industry/Percentage of Workforce

Agriculture, Forestry, Mining                                        8.11%
Construction                                                                7.11%
Manufacturing                                                             16.57%
Wholesale Trade                                                         1.70%
Retail Trade                                                                 8.55%
Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities                         3.28%
Information                                                                   2.10%
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate                                  3.28%
Professional, Scientific, Management                          4.45%
Educational, Health Care, Social Services                   25.02%
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation                                   3.04%
Public Administration                                                    7.02%
Other Services                                                              8.44%