After nearly a decade’s worth of research, local author Anne Chesky Smith celebrates the publication of her new book, Murder at Asheville’s Battery Park Hotel: The Search for Helen Clevenger’s Killer.
Author: Thomas Calder
Showing 43-63 of 1766 results
Asheville Archives: The city hires its first Black police officers, 1946
In 1946, at the urging of local residents, the city of Asheville hired its first two Black officers.
Asheville Archives: WNC dairy farming pushed as an economic booster in the early 1930s
As Americans battled the early days of the Great Depression, Asheville residents were urged to take up dairy farming as a way to combat the country’s ongoing economic woes.
Author Terry Roberts blurs genres in his latest novel
In his latest book, local author Terry Roberts takes readers out of the South and onto Ellis Island for a murder mystery set in 1920.
Asheville Archives: Imaginary melee at the Biltmore Estate makes front-page news, 1891
On Sept. 14, 1891, the Asheville Daily Citizen falsely reported that roughly 600 Black workers nearly broke out into a riot at the Biltmore Estate. Subsequent letters to the editor refuted the paper’s unfounded claims.
Asheville Archives: Workers go on strike at American Enka, 1941
Demanding higher wages, better working conditions and paid time off, workers at American Enka went on strike in late March 1941.
Asheville Archives: The influence of white supremacy in the women’s suffrage movement
In the summer of 1920, local residents disputed the merits and perceived risks associated with the passage of the 19th Amendment. Racism, rather than sexism, was a key factor on both sides of the argument.
Local author examines his life growing up in the Jim Crow South
Local writer Robert “Zack” Zachary discusses his debut essay collection, Forgotten Stories Remembered.
Asheville Archives: City residents bemoan increasing traffic, 1925
In 1925, as more motorists flooded the roads, local residents sought solutions to the city’s growing traffic problems.
Asheville Archives: Army plane makes emergency landing in West Asheville, 1949
In 1949, a military plane made an emergency landing in West Asheville. The craft remained grounded for five weeks before the Army produced the necessary resources for a successful takeoff.
Asheville Archives: Herbert Hoover Jr. convalesces in Asheville, 1930-31
For six months, Herbert Hoover Jr. lived in Asheville. During his stay, residents and reporters alike eagerly awaited a visit from his father, the president of the United States of America.
Asheville Archives: The three burials of Zebulon Vance
Zebulon Vance died on April 14, 1894. For a brief six weeks, his remains lay peacefully inside Riverside Cemetery. But by early June, a dispute among surviving family resulted in his remains being exhumed and relocated before eventually being returned to his original resting place.
Asheville Middle School tackles the past
Over the course of the 2020-2021 school year, seventh graders at Asheville Middle School have worked to uncover the past as a way to better understand the present day and change the future of Western North Carolina.
Asheville Archives: Community support amid the Great Depression, 1931
In a Jan. 11, 1932, report, E. Grace Miller, the executive secretary of the Asheville Associated Charities, declared, “Never before have the people of Asheville realized to such an extent that the problem of the unfortunate people of this community are their problems too.”
Local professor helps digitize a more inclusive history
Working with students, residents and the broader community, Ellen Holmes Pearson continues to strive for a more inclusive history of Asheville.
Asheville Archives: Residents protest proposed rate increase for streetcars, 1921
In 1921, amid an economic depression, Asheville Power & Light Co. attempted to raise streetcar rates by 2 cents. The proposal did not sit well with local residents.
Video premiere: Ryan “RnB” Barber’s ‘Funk Yo Feelings’
Xpress talks with singer/songwriter Ryan Barber and filmmaker Kira Bursky about their latest video for Barber’s newest single, “Funk Yo Feelings.”
Around town: Biltmore celebrates completion of 15-year restoration project
After a Biltmore Estate team spent 15 years researching, gathering and assembling items, the restored Oak Sitting Room is unveiled this month. Also, Ann Miller Woodford earns the 2020 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Western North Carolina Historical Association; Rabbit Rabbit hosts a weekly stand-up series; and more!
Asheville Archives: The Majestic Theater spurs controversy, 1921
In 1913, the Majestic Theater opened on the corner of Market and College streets. Some residents bemoaned its early productions as vile and crude, while others cheered them on.
Author Kevin McIlvoy and the art of satire
In his latest novel, One Kind Favor, local author Kevin McIlvoy examines racial violence in a small, rural North Carolina town.
Video premiere: Life Like Water’s ‘Nothing Stays’
Xpress talks with David Matters, singer and multi-instrumentalist of the local band Life Like Water, about the group’s new music video for their song “Nothing Stays.”