Sunburst, North Carolina, town and mill

Champion Fibre Company began operations in the planned logging community of Sunburst in 1907. In 1911 Sunburst moved 4 miles downstream and renamed the upstream site Spruce, currently known as the Sunburst Campground. In November, 1925, after a dry summer, a major fire depleted the forest. Sunburst remained in production until September 15, 1926. In the following years, the logging camp was removed, the West Fork of the Pigeon River was dammed and Lake Logan was created. This photograph shows Sunburst circa 1914. A Shay locomotive is seen heading toward the mill and the white building in the background is the Sunburst hotel