History
The Saura, a Native American tribe of the North Carolina Piedmont region, knew the mountain as Jomeokee meaning the Great Guide . It served as a guidepost also for the European settlers of the Carolina who similarly named it Pilot.
The Saura were driven out of the area by the Cherokee. The first European settlers in the area were Moravians, a Christian religious group from Germany that settled in the Thirteen Colonies seeking freedom of religion and to evangelize among the Native Americans. Settlement in the area was slowed until after the American Revolutionary War which relieved tense relations between the Cherokee, the British, and local setters.
After serving as a commercial tourist attraction, Pilot Mountain became a North Carolina state park in 1968. It was established as a state park in order to protect the mountain and surrounding lands from being overdeveloped. The Pilot Mountain Preservation and Park Committee purchased the land from Mrs. J. W. Beasley by raising funds and acquired a grant from the federal government. Additional lands along the Yadkin River were purchased in 1970. Further purchases have brought Pilot Mountain State Park to a total size of 3,703 acres (14.99 km²).
On November 8, 2012 a prescribed burn of 70 acres got out of control leading to a wildfire on the mountain's steep western slope. As of November 9, 2012, more than 100 acres have burned and the fire is 0 percent contained.
Read more about this topic: Pilot Mountain State Park
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