Little River: Home to Hogs and Gladiolas

Little River Township, located in southeastern Transylvania County, is bordered by Boyd, Brevard and Dunn’s Rock townships, as well as Henderson County and South Carolina. 

Most of the creeks and streams within the township feed into the Little River before entering the French Broad River.  The Little River actually originates in the Dunn’s Rock Township, crosses beneath Hwy 276 near the Sequoyah Woods subdivision and then runs on the west side of the highway.  It does not cross back to the east until beyond the intersection of Cascade Lake Road with Hwy 276 behind the Cedar Mountain Fire Department.

The Little River valley provides land for both crops and grazing.

The Little River runs through DuPont State Recreational Forest where it tumbles over Bridal Veil Falls, High Falls, Triple Falls and Hooker Falls.  Along the way it picks up the waters of numerous creeks including Reasonover, Grassy and Hooker.

Further downstream, near the confluence with Merrill Creek the former Cascade Power Company dam forms the base of Cascade Lake.  From Cascade Lake until it reaches the French Broad River the Little River meanders through a wide valley.

Hogs gave the Little River area its nickname of Hogtown.

The Little River Turnpike connected Crab Creek Road in the valley to the Jones Gap Road, which led into South Carolina.  It was a major route for drovers taking hogs and other livestock to market during the 1800s.  Near the intersection of present day Crab Creek and Cascade Lake roads, drovers could pen their stock overnight leading to the area becoming known as Hogtown.

Early settlers were attracted to the fertile lands around the French Broad and Little rivers.  They grew corn, grain, hay and vegetables.  Chickens, hogs and cattle were the typical livestock.  The Little River Community Club scrapbooks, covering the years of 1952-1995, show the continued importance of agriculture to the Little River community during the mid-to-late 1900s. 

Gladiolus being loaded at the Thomas Farm in Little River.

In 1952 there were eight dairies and seven farms that raised cattle, three with chickens and two with turkeys in the Little River community.  The main crops included corn, hay and tobacco.  There were also apple orchards and tree farms.  By the 1960s millions of gladiolus were being grown on the Thomas farm.  The farm also had packing sheds where flowers and bulbs were packaged to ship to market.

Sixteen of the Little River Community Club scrapbooks can be viewed online at digitalnc.org.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.