Our Mission Statement
Banner Elk will preserve and protect its heritage while progressively supporting the development of the community infrastructure, recreational opportunities and the viability of the business community. Banner Elk will be a responsible steward of its natural beauty and resources, while enhancing the aesthetics of our town. Banner Elk will enhance the quality of life for citizens, Lees-McRae College students and visitors, and for those people living in our surrounding communities.

Population
Town: 995 (including Lees-McRae students, as of 2000)Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction: 424 (estimated from a 1999 survey)

Geography
North Carolina has three major physiographic regions: the coastal plains, the piedmont, and the mountains. Banner Elk is part of the mountain physiographic region (Gade, 1986). This region is known as Western North Carolina, a region enhanced by the location of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Banner Elk is located in the northwest quadrant of Avery County in the Appalachian Highlands 3,739 feet above sea level (Banner Elk Development Plan, 1967). High peaks and rugged ridges surround the town. This mountainous area in many respects has stronger historic and cultural ties with the neighboring mountainous regions of Tennessee and Virginia than with all other regions of North Carolina. The area is beautiful during all seasons of the year. Fall foliage produces a dazzling panorama of color. The area is famous for its flora and fauna. Rhododendron, mountain laurel, flame azalea, and wild flowers are abundant. Bear, deer, and other wildlife inhabit the forests that surround Banner Elk (Cooper, 1964).
 
Early Settlement
The first human inhabitants of the Banner Elk area were the Cherokee Indians. The Cherokee used the Elk River Valley as hunting grounds, but evidence of a permanent settlement has never been discovered (Cooper, 1964). The first white settlers of Banner Elk were Delilah Baird and John Holtsclaw, who came to the Big Bottoms of Elk in 1825, and settled on a tract of land containing 480 acres. This land included the Whitehead farm and extended to the present site of Grandfather Home for Children situated near Wildcat Lake. John and Delilah's first child, Alfred B. Baird, was the first white child born in what is now the Banner Elk Township (Banner Elk Development Plan, 1967). Martin L. Banner established the first permanent settlement in 1848. Although the Banner family originally came from Wales, Martin Banner moved from Forsyth County located in the piedmont region of North Carolina. Eventually, the Banner family grew to 55 members, and the area where they lived became known as Banner's Elk (Heritage, 1976). Other early settlers include the Moody, Dugger, Abrams, Von Canon, Keller, Smith, Lineback, and Foster families. The early settlers of the area were the people of northern European stock from what may be called the yeoman class:
English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Dutch (Cooper, 1964). The community changed its name to Banner Elk when the North Carolina General Assembly incorporated the town in 1911.
 
Agriculture, Industry, and Tourism
The rugged terrain made it difficult to travel, therefore the early settlers had to be self-sufficient. The climate and elevation supported vegetable crops, especially cabbage and beans. Early settlers also traded furs and raised cattle. Today, the major agricultural cash crop is Christmas trees. Banner Elk has never had a large industrial base. The community is dominated by small, locally owned businesses. With an increasing dependence on tourism since the 1960's, the area is a magnet to vacationers and summer residents. Banner Elk offers beautiful scenery, cool summers, a location between three ski resorts, and a friendly atmosphere. Tourism has been important to Banner Elk for over 100 years. The Banner Elk Hotel was built in 1892 to accommodate tourists (Heritage, 1976). In the early 1900's people began to build summer homes in the area to enjoy the pleasant mountain environment. The ability to manufacture snow made Banner Elk a year round tourist attraction. Grover Robbins built Beech Mountain Ski Resort in 1965, and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort opened in 1969 (Beasley, 1992). Hawk's Nest Ski Resort opened in 1968.