How did Hanging Dog North Carolina get its name?

Answer 1

Years ago when the Cherokee Indians still roamed the lands in WNC dogs were used in big game hunts and a good dog was a valuable possession insuring successful hunts.

This particular winter had been a harsh one and hunting was becoming less and less successful, the people in the village were getting very famished and desperately needed a good kill. The best hunter and his dog were sent out on a cold winter day, with the winter snow falls and heavy rains all the creeks were rushing much higher than normal. The hunter and dog struck up a chase on a good sized white tail deer, one that would feed the village for a few days and insure the braves and dogs status in the tribe.

The chase went on for hours and after many unsuccessful attempts the dog finally chased the deer into a gap where the young brave waited with bow and arrow, he set his projectile free and it found its mark but as was the case in most hunts the deer continued to run with dog in chase. The deer instinctively went to water and crossed a rather large swollen creek, the dog having to swim became entangled in vines along the creek bank and was in danger of drowning when the Indian brave rescued his most valuable possession, then he and the dog found the deer not far from the site where the dog was hanging in the vines, the hunter and dog returned to a huge welcome from the tribe and the young Indian brave told the story on he found his dog hanging in the creek, from that time on the creek was called Hanging Dog Creek and later shortened to Hanging Dog