Brasstown, North Carolina
| Brasstown, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
 Brasstown
|
|
| Coordinates: 34°59′40″N 83°53′35″W / 34.99444°N 83.89306°WCoordinates: 34°59′40″N 83°53′35″W / 34.99444°N 83.89306°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Clay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.21 sq mi (31.63 km2) |
| • Land | 12.17 sq mi (31.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,736 ft (529 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 28902 |
| Area code(s) | 828 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1019281 |
Brasstown is an unincorporated community located mostly within Clay County, North Carolina, United States, though roughly one third of Brasstown is within the adjacent Cherokee County.
According to the two Georgia historical markers, the area surrounding Brasstown Bald was settled by the Cherokee people. English-speaking settlers derived the word Brasstown from a translation error of the Cherokee word for its village place. Settlers confused the word Itse'yĭ" (meaning 'New Green Place' or 'Place of Fresh Green') with Ûňtsaiyĭ (Brass), and referred to the settlement as Brasstown. Itse'yĭ is a Cherokee locative name given to several distinct areas in the Cherokee region, including this one in North Carolina.
The Opossum Drop is an annual event at Clay's Corner convenience store organized by proprietors Clay and Judy Logan. At midnight on New Year's Eve, instead of dropping an object, a plexiglass box containing a living opossum is lowered from the roof of the store. The animal is lowered carefully to prevent any injury or trauma.Federal and state animal permits are obtained in advance, and the opossum is released afterward in the wild. The festivities vary from year to year, but have included a contest with local men dressed as women to compete for the title "Miss Possum Queen", talent shows from the local Brasstown residents, performances by the Brasstown Militia, and comic routines by Clay Logan. The Little Brasstown Church choir sings hymns, bluegrass music is played by other performers, and fireworks, snacks, beverages, and souvenir merchandise are also featured.
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