Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva is a town of 2,646 people in Jackson County, North Carolina, founded in 1889.
Why visit Sylva
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 50 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Pump Mountain, Quin Theater, The Jarrett House and Downtown Sylva Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Sylva
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sylva
Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Plott Balsam Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Sylva had a population of 2,578. It is the county seat, taking over the role from nearby Webster in 1913.
From the Wikipedia article Sylva, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks15
The Jarrett House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
House in Dillsboro, United States of America
Downtown Sylva Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Sylva, North Carolina
Dr. D. D. Hooper House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Elias Brendle Monteith House and Outbuildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Dillsboro, Indiana, United States
Elisha Calor Hedden House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Jackson County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historical courthouse in Sylva, North Carolina
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Lucius Coleman Hall House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Webster Rock School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic school building in North Carolina, United States
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes50
Depot Pizza by Foragers Canteen
Restaurant · American, Pizza · 1.8 mi
42 Depot Street, Dillsboro
We-Mo 11:30-21:00
Innovation Station (Innovation Brewing)
Bar and pub · 1.8 mi
40 Depot Street
Fr-Su 11:00-24:00; Mo-Th 12:00-24:00
Foragers Canteen
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
5 Grindstaff Cove Road
Mo, We-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 10:00-21:00
Haywood Smokehouse
Restaurant · 1.8 mi
403 Haywood Road, Dillsboro
We,Th 11:00-20:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:00
38 more on the map.
History
The town became the county seat in 1913, after the county voted to move the seat from Webster to Sylva, which had gained a railroad station. Subsequently, Webster declined, as the railroad had not established a stop there. Many businesses followed the court and railroad to Sylva. The Jackson County Courthouse was constructed in 1914 and is located on a hill at the end of Main Street in downtown Sylva. The building no longer serves as the official courthouse; the Justice Center, was constructed in 1994 a few blocks away. Since 2011, the Jackson County Courthouse has been the site of the Jackson County Public Library.
Sylva was once home to Dills Falls (also called Bumgarner Falls and Dills Cove Falls), which was partially destroyed in the early 1970s to build the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway and exists only as a remnant today. Many Sylva residents claim this made Sylva the only town in the US to have a waterfall within its town limits. (This waterfall is not to be confused with Dill Falls, also in Jackson County, NC.)
The town had the first municipally owned swimming pool west of Asheville. The stone and concrete pool was built in 1938 by the WPA during the Great Depression, and it was demolished in 1969 to be replaced by the current pool. Thomas Edison and Franklin D. Roosevelt both traveled through Sylva: Edison in 1911 and FDR in 1936 during his presidency.
From the History section of Sylva, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship15
Webster Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Webster United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Shopping13
Jackson County Friends of the Library Used Bookstore
Shop
536 West Main Street, Sylva
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare2
Map of Sylva
124 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 26°F | 4.8 in | 1.3 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 28°F | 4.6 in | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 34°F | 4.6 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 42°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 50°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 59°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 63°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 44°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 60°F | 33°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 29°F | 5.1 in | 1.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cullowhee (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jackson County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Angel Medical Center Heliport (93NC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Cullowhee 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Cherokee 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
- Bryson City 13 mi west, about 21 min by car
- Maggie Valley 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Waynesville 15 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Franklin 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Lake Junaluska 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Clyde 20 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
- Highlands 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Canton 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- SylvaNC, Nickbreedlove, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Jarrett House aka Mount Beulah Hotel, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- View of Downtown Sylva, NC, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Webster Baptist Church, RichardKenni, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. D. D. Hooper House in Sylva, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jackson-county-courthouse-nc1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Lucius Coleman Hall House, Webster, NC (46615212631), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
- Elisha Calor Hedden House, Webster, NC (46615328691), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
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