On Dec. 26, 1948, several hundred people made their way to Charlotte Street to celebrate the grand opening of the Asheville Art Museum.
Asheville Archives: Buncombe County builds a new jail, 1908
The five story brick structure, the paper wrote, “is fitted out with all the most modern and convenient improvements.” Features included electric lighting, steam heating and ventilators in the ceilings of all cells.
New book chronicles the history of moonshine in North Carolina
In his latest book, historian Daniel Pierce offers a detailed look at the history of moonshine in North Carolina.
Asheville Archives: Ghost stories from our city’s past
In 1898, residents were spooked by an unusual glow inside a vacant house. A few years later, another resident offered the local paper insight on how to deter ghosts from haunting homes.
Blue Ridge Honor Flight celebrates WNC vets
More than 90 military veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War participated in the Sept. 21 flight which allowed them to experience Washington D.C. and the war memorials built in their honor.
Asheville Archives: Slavery in WNC
The 1860 census records show that Buncombe County had 1,907 slaves and 283 slave owners. Yet even today, some local historians say people are unaware that slavery existed in WNC.
Asheville reflects on the legacy of slavery
Across Asheville, community members are honoring and reflecting on the 400th anniversary of the landing of the first enslaved Africans in England’s North American colonies in 1619.
Asheville Archives: The quiet contributions of Dr. Esperanza Weizenblatt
In 1928, Dr. Esprenza Weizenblatt arrived to Asheville, by way of Vienna. Her contributions to the community went far beyond her medical practice.
Asheville Archives: The Southern Exposition brings local arts and crafts to the Big City, 1925
In 1925, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, along with many organizations throughout the South, headed north to participate in the Southern Exposition, held in the Grand Central Palace in New York.
Asheville Archives: The great deer hunt of 1936
In the late fall and early winter of 1936, Pisgah National Forest invited hunters to bag stags. Though there were plenty of stipulations involved, thousands of nimrods applied to partake in the monthlong hunt.
Costumed adventures allow locals to transcend time and space
Whether playing a role in an elaborate fantasy scenario or serving as historical interpreters, many adventurous souls in Western North Carolina say that dressing up as someone from another time and place helps transport them to a different reality.
Adventurous entertainment in Asheville
Want to add an extra layer of intrigue to your recreation? Try a costumes community bike ride, an LGBTQ+ walking tour, an escape adventure or a figure drawing salon.
Asheville Archives: City Council declares Asheville a bird sanctuary, 1947
“What does the establishment of a wild bird sanctuary mean?” asked an editorial in the Sunday, Feb. 23, 1947 edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times. “It means that the birds of the area are officially recognized as worthy residents and entitled to certain rights and privileges.”
Asheville Archives: United World Federalists formed in Asheville, 1947
On Feb. 21, 1947, The Asheville Citizen reported on a three-day conference taking place in Asheville. Consisting of over a dozen organizations, the groups sought “to solve one of the oldest questions in time — how to live peaceably with all peoples.”
Confederates at Calvary
Last month marked the 400th anniversary of the introduction of slavery to North America, triggering a new round of national soul-searching about human bondage and its complex legacy. And closer to home, Lost Cause-era monuments to Confederate figures at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher also raise significant questions about the country’s troubled history and this region’s place in it.
Asheville Archives: The streetcar strike of 1913
On April 26, 1913, trolley conductors went on strike. The union members called for peaceful protest. Unfortunately, many residents did not abide by their wishes. As the protest dragged on, violence erupted, with bricks thrown and shots fired.
Asheville Archives: Local workers celebrate Labor Day, 1897
In 1894, Labor Day was officially recognized as a federal holiday. Three years later, Asheville hosed its inaugural Labor Day celebration. The event featured a series of activities, including bicycle runs, foot races and a game of tug-of-war.
Asheville Archives: Zebulon Vance argues against civil rights, 1874
n 1874, Zebulon Vance stood before the House of Representatives arguing against a bill that would outlaw racial discrimination in juries, schools, transportation and public accommodations. “Let the people of the South alone, sir, and this thing will adjust itself,” Vance proclaimed.
Declassified: WNC’s top-secret past
Local historian Jon Elliston’s latest talk, “WNC Declassified,” will feature accounts of Nazi sympathizers, FBI intrigue, espionage, nuclear war and the undoing of a presidency.
Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education explores mountain foodways
“I see a potential for these girls not just to get educated and inspired and leave, but to take that inspiration and figure out how to instill it in their communities and create a better future,” says historian and baker Maia Surdam of the 10-year-old program.
Asheville Archives: Early motorists overwhelm downtown roads, 1919-25
On Aug. 29, 1920, The Sunday Citizen asked readers, “Why should the city provide places in the streets for the prolonged parking of motors?” Responses to the question varied.