Lost Cove is a ghost town in North Carolina's Yancey County. Morgan Bailey was the town's first settler prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. The community is located on the Tennessee-North Carolina border near Poplar George, above the Nolichucky River. The forestry, railroading, moonshine-making, and farming businesses were the main draws for people to settle in the area. The community was abandoned and uninhabited after the final family moved out in 1957.

Introduction to Logging

Lost Cove was established during the civil war. Despite the fact that the town was founded early, it began to thrive after the introduction of the logging industry. By the 1880s, other families, such as the Tiptons and Millers, had joined Morgan's family. Isaac Mac English laid the groundwork for a sawmill in the cove before 1920. Dock Tipton, Wiley Tipton, Velmer Bailey, and Clifford Miller were all sawmill workers. The development of the logging sector attracted railroad tracks. Because Lost Cove was in the highlands, it was an ideal logging location. The surrounding Pisgah National Forest made it simple to get to the trees utilized for logging in the area. Because of the town's success in logging, the main source of income, the locals were able to construct a school for their children.

Moonshine manufacture, or the production of illegal whiskey, was prevalent in the town. Moonshine production contributed to the growth of the Lost Cove economy. Some families produced moonshine for their own use, while others marketed it. They could make money by selling the liquor to nearby town residents and men passing through the railroad. The judges attempting to deal with the moonshiners' problem were perplexed as to which jurisdiction the town fell under. This circumstance hampered the country's development. Lost Cove provided a friendly environment for moonshiners to conduct business. Lost Cove held religious services in the area. Even though the church and the school shared the same building, there was a cemetery where the town locals' used to bury their loved ones.

Left to Rot

After the moonshiners' business collapsed, the people of Lost Cove desired to construct a new way into the valley. The road was supposed to be utilized to get to local markets and high school students. Despite the fact that the route project was submitted to North Carolina Governor Scott, no response was received. As a result, individuals began to leave the area. The demolition of passenger trains that could transport people to stores and doctors aided in the exodus of people. According to Mr. Bryant, only three to four families remained in the neighborhood by 1952.

On December 26, 1957, Isaiah Bailey's family was the last to depart Lost Cove. As a result, the land was abandoned and deserted. In 2007, a series of fires reduced the majority of the structures to ashes. People who are willing to hike can still access the town today. Most visitors to the area go to see the cemetery, Swim Miller's rusted Chevy still lying in a ditch, and the three remaining houses.