Boone Creek (Kraut Creek)

Boone Creek, also known as Kraut Creek, is a designated trout stream that flows through downtown Boone and into the South Fork of the New River. Opened in 1923 by H. Neal Blair as the Watauga Kraut Factory and operated from 1926 by the North State Canning Company under the direction of Dr. H.B. Perry and W.F. Miller, Boone’s canning facility was the leading producer of sauerkraut in the state from the 1920s through the 1980s, but also canned other produce, including green beans and blackberries. Operations there, including draining sauerkraut waste directly into Boone Creek, led locals to informally rename the stream as Kraut Creek, on account of the persistent smell from the factory runoff. Since 1995, Appalachian State University and the community have pioneered stream restoration practices.