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For a better future, study the past.
Road trips can bring you to the most interesting locations at times. That can certainly be said for the
town of Murphy, located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. Murphy sits near the far western end of
North Carolina where the Hiawassee and Valley rivers meet. The town is approximately 350 miles from
Raleigh. Cherokee County is home to just under 29,000 residents according to Census estimates.
Sometime around 1930 Hitchcock Coit (also seen in some references as Colt) erected a 25-foot-tall pyramid in honor of her grandfather, A.R.S. Hunter. A.R.S. Hunter is said to have been the first white settler in the area. He served as the first postmaster in Murphy, operated a ferry system, and created a trading post allowing Cherokees to trade with local soldiers.
Inscribed on the pyramid are the names of three individuals many locals claim are buried there. Historians question whether there are any burials on site with most believing there are none on site.
The inscriptions read:
Sacred to the Memory
Archibald Russell Spence Hunter
Born February 24, 1783
Died June 23, 1844
Sacred to the Memory
Elizabeth Wyche Lucas Hunter
Died January 1843
Aged 59 Years
Sacred to the Memory
Elizabeth Wyche Hunter
Daughter of
George Russell Hunter
Died July 26, 1868
Aged 25 Years
The pyramid is on private property and when we visited, there was a locked gate on the property. The pyramid is located on 5th Avenue. You are able to see and photograph the pyramid at a distance without trespassing.
To learn more about Murphy, North Carolina please visit the city website
To plan a visit to Cherokee County, North Carolina I recommend starting with Visit Cherokee County.
Here you can learn about places to visit, find lodging, discover great places to eat and view a calendar of events. The outdoor dining at Murphy’s Chophouse was fantastic and for a good drink I recommend Hoppy Trout Brewing Company
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