Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

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The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is a federally designated National Heritage Area encompassing the twenty-five westernmost counties of North Carolina, which are associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains. The designation provides a framework for the promotion and interpretation of the area's cultural and historic character, and the preservation of the natural and built environment. The National Heritage Area includes the North Carolina portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Other attractions include Mount Mitchell in Pisgah National Forest, Nantahala National Forest and the North Carolina portion of the Appalachian Trail. The Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is also within the National Heritage Area.{{cite web|title=Blue Ridge National Heritage Areaa|url=http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/sites/default/files/images/PDFs/2011%20downloadable%20brochure.pdf|publisher=Blue Ridge Heritage|accessdate=19 March 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The area's musical heritage and folk craftsmanship are also recognized by the National Heritage Area.{{cite web | url=http://www.nps.gov/blrn/index.htm | title=Blue Ridge National Heritage Area | publisher=National Park Service | accessdate=March 18, 2012}}

The National Heritage Area includes Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey counties.{{cite web | url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:S.941.IS: | title=S 941 IS | publisher=Library of Congress | accessdate=March 18, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area was established 10 Nov 2003 by Public Law 108-108.{{cite web | url=http://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/bitstreams/798.pdf | title=Heritage Areas: Background, Proposals, and Current Issues | publisher=Congressional Research Service | date=July 12, 2004 | accessdate=March 18, 2012 |author1=Vincent, Carol Hardy |author2=Whiteman, David | pages=CRS-5}}