Best exposed section of the Nantahala and Brasstown Formations of Hiwassee River Group is found on both banks of the Hiwassee River west of Murphy, NC. In reference section H, Nantahala Formation measures 1550 m and Brasstown Formation measures 1319 m. Murphy Marble here is 167 m. Nantahala here is composed of siltstone and sandstone. Though Keith (1904 and 1907) described the Nantahala as containing slates, Nantahala of this study more accurately described as containing siltstones, as mica content is low and slaty cleavage is not well developed. The Brasstown Formation is mostly light gray to dark gray siltstones and schists. Entire Chilhowee Group is thought to be correlative to the siliciclastic portion of the Hiwassee River Group. "If the Cochran Formation rocks are facies-transition equivalents to the sandstones and siltstones of the Nantahala Formation, then the Brasstown Formation may be equivalent in time to the transgressive sequences of the Nichols/Nebo and Murray/Hesse Formations. Shady Dolomite and Murphy Marble would be carbonate "platform" equivalents."

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Reston GNULEX).

Name Hiwassee River Group is here proposed for strata in the Murphy belt overlying the Great Smoky Group and underlying the Mineral Bluff Group (rank raised). Unit encompasses (ascending) the Nantahala Formation, the Brasstown Formation, and the Murphy Marble. Tusquitee Quartzite and Valleytown Formation are here abandoned.

Source: GNU records (USGS DDS-6; Reston GNULEX).