Poplar is an unincorporated community in Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States. The community is located along North Carolina Highway 197 (NC 197), at the banks of the Hollow Poplar Creek and between the southern slopes of the Unaka Range and the North Toe River. It is also the last community along the CSX Blue Ridge Subdivision before crossing into Tennessee towards Erwin.

History

The community was named after an enormous poplar tree that once stood in the area; hollowed out, it supposedly served not only as a barn for livestock, but also as shelter for Confederate Soldiers traveling through the area during the American Civil War. Originally called "Hollow Poplar," a post office was established in 1872 of the same name; but in 1892, both the community and post office became simply Poplar. In 1902, the South & Western Railroad established rail service in the area (today CSX). In 1949, the Post Office closed and combined with the Relief Post Office.