Description
Located in western North Carolina, 54 km (34 mi) west northwest of Asheville; County Seat: Marion.
History
Formed in 1842 from Rutherford and Burke Counties; named for Mayor Joseph McDowell (1758-1796), a Congressman who served on the commission to resolve the North Carolina-Tennessee State line dispute. Mr McDowell also fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain. (NC-T11/p306)