Copyright Notice: This content is from the North Carolina Gazetteer, edited by William S. Powell and Michael Hill. Copyright © 2010 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the publisher. For personal use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other use directly to the publisher.

This content is from the North Carolina Gazetteer, edited by William S. Powell and Michael Hill. Copyright © 2010 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the publisher. For personal use and not for further distribution. Please submit permission requests for other use directly to the publisher.

Some place names included in The North Carolina Gazetteer contain terms that are considered offensive.

Preface to the 2nd edition
Preface to the 1st edition
Acknowledgments
Tips for Searching the Gazetteer

"The North Carolina Gazetteer is a geographical dictionary in which an attempt has been made to list all of the geographic features of the state in one alphabet. It is current, and it is historical as well. Many features and places that no longer exist are included; many towns and counties for which plans were made but which never materialized are also included. Some names appearing on old maps may have been imaginary, but many of them also appear in this gazetteer.

Each entry is located according to the county in which it is found. I have not felt obliged to keep entries uniform. The altitude of a place, the date of incorporation of a city or town, may appear in the beginning of one entry and at the end of another. Some entries may appear more complete than others. I have included whatever information I could find. If there is no comment on the origin or meaning of a name, it is because the information was not available. In some cases, however, resort to an unabridged dictionary may suggest the meaning of many names."

--From The North Carolina Gazetteer, 1st edition, preface by William S. Powell

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Place Description
Matney Branch

rises in S Watauga County and flows N into East Fork [South Fork New River].
Matrimony

community in N Rockingham County served by post office, 1881-94 and 1898-1903.
Matrimony Creek

rises in NW Rockingham County at the Virginia line and flows SE into Dan River. Named prior to 1728, when William Byrd recorded that it was "call'd so by an unfortunate marry'd man, because it was exceedingly noisy and impetuous."
Matt Branch

rises in NW Swain County and flows SE into Fontana Lake.
Matt Mountain

NW Swain County between Cable Branch and Fontana Lake.
Mattacomack Creek

See Queen Anne's Creek.
Mattamuskeet

former township in central Hyde County, now reported as "Unorganized Territory." Most of the area is now owned by the federal government and is a fish and wildlife reservation. Residents vote and list taxes in Lake Landing township.
Mattamuskeet Lake

See Lake Mattamuskeet.
Matthews

town in SE Mecklenburg County. Inc. 1879. Known as Fullwood or Fullwood's Store from 1825, when a post office existed there; in 1875 it was given its present name to honor an official of the Central Carolina Railroad. Produces textiles, electrical equipment, pottery, and tools. Alt. 729.
Matthews Branch

rises in W Haywood County and flows S into Mossy Branch.