“A lot of times, even locals haven’t heard of these [places] or been there yet,” says Kaye Bentley, founder of Asheville Rooftop Bar Tours. She brings her guests — locals and tourists alike — to bar across Asheville.
Tag: Asheville history
Showing 1-21 of 31 results
An Asheville ‘leaver’ checks in
“In fact, much of the ire now being aimed at the TDA — and tourism in general — merely echoes concerns about the tourism of a century ago, and the mismanagement and negligence of city government back then.”
Letter: A lost opportunity for the Vance Monument
“I believe that a simple, tasteful plaque acknowledging our city’s (and country’s) complicated past would have done wonders to heal wounds and begin to explain what ‘diversity’ truly means.”
Daughter publishes book by pioneering physician father decades after his death
For most people, Dr. Charles S. Norburn‘s name may have been a footnote in history, if it was known at all. Yet his contributions to the region’s health care industry are considerable thanks to his 1946 purchase of 32 acres of property at 509 Biltmore Ave., which became the site of the Norburn Hospital & Clinic. […]
Letter: Please keep Tourists baseball in Asheville!
“I can’t even get my head around $30 million or how we can find a way to get it, but I’m pretty sure there’s enough people with that kind of money to preserve our honored tradition in our wonderful city!”
Q&A: Elizabeth Colton on life abroad, diplomacy and journalism
Growing up in Asheville nurtured Elizabeth Colton’s desire to travel. And she has Warren Wilson College, in part, to thank for it. Throughout her youth, Colton’s parents invited international students studying at the college to their home during holidays. In meeting these travelers, the young Colton knew she wanted to explore the world for herself. […]
Q&A with Joshua Darty, director of Riverside Cemetery
When Joshua Darty moved to Asheville in 2006 with a freshly minted forest management degree from N.C. State University, an open position at the city’s Parks and Recreation Department seemed like a potential fit. But when he showed up for his interview at 53 Birch St., he was in for a surprise. “I’m like, ‘This […]
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.
Asheville Archives: Asheville Colored Hospital opens, 1943
In 1941, two years before the Asheville Colored Hospital opened, Asheville’s African-American population numbered 14,500. At the time, the segregated city only had 21 hospital beds available for the entire African-American community.
Jaye Bartell recounts one of Asheville’s literary eras at BMCM+AC
Bartell will present Later: Readings from then and now, as the final BMCM+AC program at its 56 Broadway space.
Asheville Archives: ‘An infusion of new blood’
Immigration at the turn of the century spurred debate over policy, as well as the country’s future.
Asheville Archives: The many locations of Bon Marché, 1889-1980
Bon Marche’s first storefront opened in 1889. The department store’s co-founder, Solomon Lipinsky, continued to grow the business until his death in 1925.
Asheville Archives: Piggly Wiggly opens on Pack Square, 1922
On Nov. 10, 1922, Piggly Wiggly opened in Asheville. At the time, many local residents were accustomed to calling in their grocery orders and having these items delivered to their homes. Piggly Wiggly looked to change consumer habits.
Letter: Asheville Archives offer rich background
“I am greatly enjoying reading the feature ‘Asheville Archives.’ I think it is a great addition to the Xpress.”
Asheville Archives: Emancipation Day
Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, Asheville’s African-American community took to the streets on Jan. 1 of each year to celebrate Emancipation Day.
Kingdom at war: The Gospel According to Jerry
“It seemed that the whole world was at war, and the tiny river kingdom of Asheville was neither exempt from the traumatic effects nor absent in playing an important integral part in its prosecution.”
Film historian Frank Thompson uncovers Asheville’s storied movie past
Local movie expert Frank Thompson has resurrected a largely forgotten but important piece of Asheville history in his latest book, Asheville Movies, Volume 1: The Silent Era. “It’s definitely a subject that literally nobody has ever written about,” says Thompson. But Thompson’s book reveals a real tragedy – almost all of the dozens of movies […]
Quick dish: Burger Bar is an Asheville original
Asheville’s past meets its present at the historic Burger Bar, where co-owners Celeste Adams and Chris King have worked to build a business that’s “short on frills, but long on character.”
Series continues: NC Collection hosts Asheville in the ’80s discussion
Editor’s note: The next session, “Social Activism and Social Agencies in the 1980s,” takes place Wednesday, June 29, from 6-7:30 p.m. In the 1980s, Asheville was a smaller community, and that made everything — including social change — seem possible. Dedicated individuals worked together to tackle social problems such as the AIDS epidemic, threats to […]
Vanished Asheville nightclubs
“The most exciting beverage sold there was Flem’s Cherry Bounce, made from pure corn whiskey and some combination of cherries. Oh, it went down so smooth, but the bounce came when you tried to walk down the steps on the way out.”
End of an era: Smokey’s Tavern closes after 60 years
Smokey’s Tavern brands itself as Asheville’s oldest continuously operating bar — “same location, same name, same everything” since the 1950s, says owner Gene Masters. But after 60 years of beer and booze, Asheville’s oldest bar will close its doors forever on Wednesday, April 15.