Asheville Archives: Billy Borne’s 1923 cartoons

FUNNY WINGS: A look back at 1923 Asheville through the illustrations of former cartoonist, Billy Borne.

At this point, it’s fair to say Xpress has established an annual tradition — at the start of each year, we look back 100 years to see what issues inspired local cartoonist Billy Borne. For over two decades, beginning in 1907, the illustrator’s works regularly appeared in The Asheville Citizen, offering commentary on current events.

Local topics featured in Borne’s 1923 collection include concerns about the city’s growth, marketing efforts, tourism and hotel development. Sound familiar?

 

 

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.

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One thought on “Asheville Archives: Billy Borne’s 1923 cartoons

  1. North Asheville

    Thank you to Mr. Calder for bringing this eerily prescient cartoons to our attention. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

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