Question: What was the name of the most dominant town in western North Carolina during the 1500s?
Answer: Joara was considered the most dominant town in what is now Burke County in western North Carolina. It was located 12 miles north of Morganton and served as the center of trade and hub for travelers. Explorer Hernando de Soto made note of the town, which he called Xuala, while exploring the Appalachians in 1540.
