Mountain Region, Mountain Section

… or simply terms applied to the mountainous section of W North Carolina. The E limit of the region runs generally through Surry, Wilkes, Caldwell, Burke, Rutherford, and Polk Counties. The Indians referred to the area as Ottaray (Highlands). White settlers sometimes rendered the word into English as Otaré, which they translated as "Over Hills." See also Appalachian Mountains.