A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Downtown Sylva, NC
Sylva's Story is a self-guided walking tour of historic Main Street in Sylva, North Carolina, the county seat of Jackson County. Along the way you'll discover the town's Cherokee origins, the 1884 arrival of the Southern Railway, the landmark Jackson County Courthouse (now the public library), banks that weathered the Great Depression, and the movie theaters that once made Sylva the smallest town in the country with sound movie equipment.
Tour Highlights at a Glance
- Cherokee Origins – Jasper Allen Mound and the nearby “Mother Town” of Kituwah
- The Southern Railway – the 1884 depot that shaped the town's boundaries
- Jackson County Courthouse – “The Most Photographed,” now the Jackson County Public Library
- Jackson County & Tuckaseigee Banks – Main Street banking through the Great Depression
- Sylva Fires – the 1923 and 2014 downtown fires
- At the Movies – the Lyric, the Sylvan, the Ritz and Sylva on the big screen
Cherokee Origins
The Cherokee were the first to settle this area. Outside of nearby Bryson City is Kituwah (gih-DOO-uh), the original Cherokee settlement referred to as the “Mother Town.” Several mounds—town center places—are dispersed throughout the area.
One of these, the Jasper Allen Mound, is located within Sylva's town limits, somewhere between Allens Branch and Scotts Creek, past the paper mill on Skyland Drive. The mound is no longer recognizable due to its excavation in the late 1800s. It is named after Daniel “Jasper” Allen, who once owned the mound and its surrounding farmland.
The Southern Railway
The arrival of the Southern Railway in 1884 marked a beginning for Sylva, connecting the town's industries to other nearby towns. The town's boundaries were originally based on the train depot. In 1889, Sylva's municipal limits were set at one-half mile north, south, east and west from its southeast corner. Ten years later, the boundaries were expanded to three-fourths of a mile in all directions, making an octagon shape.
The depot served Sylva passengers until 1948 and was demolished in the 1970s. The railroad is still used occasionally for limited commercial purposes, and public restrooms now stand where the old depot once was.
Jackson County Courthouse: “The Most Photographed”
The Jackson County Courthouse was built after local industrialist C. J. Harris campaigned to move the county seat from Webster to Sylva. With the arrival of the railroad in the 1880s, Sylva was starting to boom. The proposed move became grounds for debate in the North Carolina legislature, and many thought it would be too expensive. However, Webster's roads were poor in inclement weather, and the railroad provided easier access to Sylva.
In 1913, the legislature allowed the citizens of Jackson County to decide, and they voted in favor of the change. Sylva became the county seat, and Harris built the new courthouse. Designed by architects Richard Sharp Smith and Albert Heath Carrier, it was patterned after the Madison County Courthouse. The building was finished on February 28, 1914, and accepted by the county commissioners on March 1.
That same year, local car dealer J. S. Higdon drove a Model T up the courthouse steps to boost sales. The courthouse clock was not added until about 1952.
From Courthouse to Public Library
Between 2006 and 2011, the courthouse was remodeled, expanded and reopened as the Jackson County Public Library. Community volunteers moved the last 250 books from the old library—where the police department is today—up the steps to the new one, passing them hand to hand. The Jackson County Justice Center, built in 1994–1995, has been home to the county's courts ever since.
Jackson County & Tuckaseigee Banks
Jackson County Bank established its first branch in Webster in 1905 and its second in Sylva after the county seat moved. It operated out of the Harris Building, at the corner of Main and Spring streets, until 1926, when a new structure was built. Jackson County Bank stayed open through the Great Depression with no depositor assets lost. The bank has since changed hands many times.
Another Webster financial institution, Tuckaseigee Bank, came to Sylva in 1913 but closed during the Great Depression. The building has since served many purposes under the ownership of Sol Schulman, a well-known Sylva merchant.
Weathering the Great Depression
The community was not devastated by the Great Depression; with cash hard to come by, many people returned to bartering. Sylva pharmacist Bjorn “Johnny” Ahlin wrote that when Jackson County Bank reopened after the 1933 federal “bank holiday,” C. J. Harris averted a run by stacking cash on a lobby table and telling depositors:
“Here's your money; come and get it if you want it.”
Rumor held that the money came in the back door from Asheville's Wachovia bank—but the bank survived, hastening the county's recovery.
A Saved Façade and a Historic District
In 2011, First Citizens Bank moved into the Jackson County Bank building and demolished it. The historic façade was saved, however, and installed on the new building in 2012. To make it up to the town, First Citizens paid for Sylva's application to become a Historic District.
Sylva Fires
In April 1923, a fire destroyed several buildings on Main Street, including the Commercial Hotel, Medford Furniture Company, Zachary's Barber Shop, and the home of Abraham and Fannie Simons.
More recently, in 2014, another fire struck downtown, leaving several businesses temporarily closed. In both instances, the town recovered quickly after some rearranging and rebuilding.
At the Movies
The Lyric
The Lyric, Sylva's first movie theater, stood where the Lazy Hiker is today (617 W. Main St.). It was built in 1920 and bought by Harry Buchanan in 1924. Three years later, Buchanan commissioned a new building to house the Lyric, and the old building became The Rodeo, showing only Western films.
The new Lyric had 400 seats, state-of-the-art climate control and a Vitaphone sound system. It brought “talkies” to Sylva, making it the smallest town in the country with sound movie equipment. After financial hardship, Buchanan sold the theater to Jim Massie, who ran the Lyric from 1937 to 1942, when he opened the Ritz Theatre.
The Sylvan Theater
The Sylvan Theater opened in 1927. It was designed by Douglas Ellington, the architect behind Asheville's City Building, and is his westernmost project. What looks like a second floor housed a small projection room. The 500-seat venue operated for only a few years, closing in the early 1930s.
The Ritz Theatre
The Ritz Theatre ran from 1942 to 1982. Built to replace the Lyric, it seated more than 700 people and stood where the municipal parking lot on Main Street is today, across from Santé Wine Bar. Frank Massie intended to manage the Ritz but passed away before it opened, and his wife, Elsie Geisler Massie, became its first manager.
Sylva on the Big Screen
Sylva hasn't just enjoyed watching movies—it has also been featured in a few:
- Deliverance
- The Fugitive
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Where to See a Movie in Sylva Today
There are no longer any movie theaters on Main Street, but if you're in the mood for a movie, head to Catamount Cinemas in the East Sylva Shopping Center.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sylva's History
How did Sylva, NC get its start?
Sylva grew up around the Southern Railway, which arrived in 1884 and connected the town's industries to nearby towns. The original town limits were even measured from the train depot.
When did Sylva become the Jackson County seat?
Jackson County voters approved moving the county seat from Webster to Sylva in 1913. The new Jackson County Courthouse was completed on February 28, 1914.
What is the old Jackson County Courthouse used for today?
After a remodel and expansion between 2006 and 2011, the historic courthouse reopened as the Jackson County Public Library. County courts are housed in the Jackson County Justice Center.
Who were the first people to live in the Sylva area?
The Cherokee were the first to settle the area. Kituwah, the original Cherokee “Mother Town,” is near Bryson City, and the Jasper Allen Mound lies within Sylva's town limits.
Which movies were filmed in Sylva?
Sylva has appeared in Deliverance, The Fugitive and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Where can I watch a movie in Sylva?
Catamount Cinemas in the East Sylva Shopping Center is the place to catch a movie in Sylva today.
Tour created in Partnership with Jackson County TDA, Western Carolina University Mountain Heritage Center and the Town of Sylva