Buncombe County

Buncombe County is an administrative district in western North Carolina in the United States, extending across forested mountain ranges, river valleys and high plateaus. The landscape belongs to the Blue Ridge Mountain chain and includes several towns as well as wide rural areas.

The area was established in 1791 and named after an officer from the Revolutionary War who was wounded in the Battle of Germantown. During the 19th century the region grew through farming and later through tourism, which drew visitors to the mountains.

The name traces back to Colonel Edward Buncombe, an officer in the Revolutionary War whose surname later became an English word for empty talk. Travelers today see forested slopes and river valleys that have been settled for centuries and where local craft traditions continue.

Two major highways cross here and connect the area with cities in the southeastern United States, making access easy from different directions. Hiking trails and viewpoints lie at varying elevations, so visitors should be prepared for changing weather conditions.

A congressman delivered such a long and pointless speech here in 1820 that his name became the English term for empty talk. This linguistic curiosity connects a place in the Appalachians with an everyday word in the English language.

Location: North Carolina

Inception: December 5, 1791

Capital city: Asheville

Shares border with: Madison County, Yancey County, McDowell County, Rutherford County, Henderson County, Haywood County, Transylvania County

Website: http://buncombecounty.org

GPS coordinates: 35.61000,-82.53000

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:35