Press release from the city of Asheville:
They say the truth shall set you free
In Western North Carolina, we love our history. I bet you know several stories about the area we now call Pack Square and the surrounding heart of downtown Asheville.
Some of them are, well… not totally true. Some deserve a new look.
And some histories you may have heard are not even recorded and archived (yet- if you come to this event we’ll talk about how that can change next year, with your help!).
You’ve heard of forest bathing: a conscious and contemplative time spent in the woods. Let us join together for a conscious and contemplative hour of history bathing. It may not be as relaxing as a forest bath, but we think this will be just as valuable.Friday, July 28, 2023 from 10-11:00 AM
Creating a Richer History about the Heart of Our Downtown with Katherine Calhoun Cutshall, Buncombe County Special Collections Manager
This session starts with a presentation highlighting new findings and under-told narratives in the history of the heart of our downtown including Pack Square Plaza. This will be followed by a facilitated discussion. Please share this invite with a friend.
Location: The Asheville Public Works/Development Services Building at 161 S. Charlotte Street In the Amazing and Historic East End Valley Street Neighborhood
photo above: Hope Springs Forth Brightly, a collaborative project based on oral histories and photographic memories of The Block in the 1960s featuring artwork by Joseph Pearson, Monique Luck, and Phyllis Utley. Co-Installed at the location of Urban Trail station #30: “Hotel District”, which memorializes the Eagle Hotel and other lodging establishments in the area that were made successful through the work of enslaved persons. After emancipation, this area became a thriving cultural and commerical center for African American activity, acting as the western gateway to the Dicksontown and what is now the East End-Valley Street neighborhood.
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