Tri County Community College (TCCC) was born amidst the abandoned buildings of the Cherokee County Prison Camp in 1965 when the board of trustees negotiated a lease of the facilities from the state of North Carolina. Then known as the Tri County Industrial Education Center, the center was opened in the county seat of Murphy, North Carolina to provide the people of Graham, Clay and Cherokee counties educational programs in technically oriented fields and was sanctioned by the state to operate as part of the North Carolina Community College System. Since that time, new buildings have joined the old ones and the campus and number of programs have grown. In 1993, a referendum was passed to construct a new, off-campus center in Graham County to provide the same opportunities to this also sparsely populated county. In 2000, an office was also opened in Andrews and in 2003, Tri County Community College opened its Fire and Rescue Training Center.
TCCC offers a wide variety of study programs to suit the needs of the people of the surrounding counties. Located far away from the major universities of the state and even farther from the interstate highways, this three-county area's needs are service-oriented training for technical jobs. Programs offered vary widely and include college transfer programs, cosmetology, therapeutic massage, welding and associate degrees in Arts, Science and General Education.
In 2010, TCCC received a North Carolina Humanities Council grant to produce a documentary entitled "Mountain Work: A Social Commentary." This documentary will chronicle how the people of the area have worked in the past and still work in the present to support their families and preserve the rich cultural heritage of these remote mountain regions. Support is encouraged by students and residents alike.
TCCC is located in Murphy, the westernmost county seat in North Carolina. "From Manteo to Murphy" is a local colloquialism to describe the amazing width and variety of North Carolina. Cherokee County was one of the last strongholds of the Cherokee Nation before they were led west on the tragic "Trail of Tears" after their homelands were forfeited in the 1835 Treaty of the New Echota. While TCCC is the only college in the area, nearby Brasstown is home to the famous John C. Campbell Folk School where traditional mountain and modern arts and crafts are taught. Cherokee County is also a haven for outdoor enthusiasts with a host of activities including whitewater rafting, camping, hiking and fishing.