Last updated January 2021
Swain County is a county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,981. Its county seat is Bryson City.
In mountainous terrain, Swain County is the site of three rivers. Their valleys were long occupied by various cultures of indigenous peoples, including the historic Cherokee people. Today Native Americans, mostly Cherokee, comprise 29% of the population in Swain County.
The Nantahala River is one of the most popular whitewater rafting rivers in the nation. The Oconaluftee River flows through Swain County and the town of Cherokee, the base of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Their Qualla Boundary occupies territory in both Swain and Jackson counties. The Tuckasegee River flows through the center of present-day Bryson City, passing and completely surrounding the Bryson City Island Park. After that, it enters Fontana Lake and flows into the Little Tennessee River.
Swain County on Wikipedia »
