Macon County shall remain the most prosperous and most livable county in WNC through active support of new and existing business and active recruiting of compatible business. The county was formed in 1828 from the western part of Haywood County. It was named for Nathaniel Macon, who represented North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives from 1791 to 1815 (serving as Speaker of the House from 1801 to 1807), and in the United States Senate from 1815 to 1828. In 1839 the western part of Macon County became Cherokee County. In 1851 parts of Macon County and Haywood County were combined to form Jackson County.