In the late 1560s, Spanish explorer Juan Pardo also visited the area in an attempt to establish a land route to Zacatecas in present-day Mexico.

There is a historical plaque in Brevard with information that affirms the route, which continues into Pendleton District (now Pickens County), South Carolina, where a village of the same name was located.

In an alternative version, their love caused a bloody war between the tribes and Estatoe crafted a peace pipe with two stems in which both chiefs could smoke at once.

The two rival chiefs assembled their respective followers on the bank of the river, and smoked till peace was concluded and Estatoe married her lover.

With Spruce Pine being the dividing line, the river upstream is considered in good health with a few tributaries impacted related to agricultural and development runoff.