“Will the America of the future — will this vast, rich Union ever realize what itself cost back there, after all?” – Walt Whitman In January 1863, at the height of the Civil War, Confederate soldiers of the 64th North Carolina Regiment, composed mostly of men from the western counties, marched into Shelton Laurel. Their […]
Asheville and environs have seen considerable change in the 77 years since Wolfe’s death, yet many of the aspects he wrote (and sometimes fumed) about seem uncannily familiar. And as current residents ponder the challenges the city faces today, a look at several of the celebrated author’s key themes might prove instructive.
In 1960, a group of student activists at Asheville’s all-black Stephens-Lee High School courageously challenged the racial status quo, bringing the civil rights movement closer to home. Through public demonstrations, boycotts and engagements with city officials, the members of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality helped break down Jim Crow-era barriers. For the past […]
With the iconic, 118-year-old obelisk set to begin a restoration process this month (and renewed examination of the native son/former Civil War governor for which it is named), here are some suggestions for new uses of the reinvigorated Vance Monument.
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.
The series will begin on Saturday, March 7, with a hike starting at Camp Rockmont for Boys, ascending to Cedar Cliff and “The Garden of Eden” — famous for its abundance of sunbathing serpents in the warmer months.
The event centered around a discussion of the “History of Civil Rights in WNC and the Current State of Racism Affecting Black Asheville,” and featured speeches by Darin Waters and Dwight Mullen, professors at UNC Asheville. Marvin Chambers, a founding member of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality and a leader in North Carolina’s civil rights movement, served as moderator for the discussion.
A revitalized volunteer push is underway to rescue Western North Carolina’s oldest known African-American cemetery from the ravages of neglect and obscurity. The effort includes a new website that features an interactive map of the cemetery and a digital guide to each of its graves.
America continues to have a difficult time facing its past, especially when this requires taking an in-depth look at slavery. Slavery does not comport with our claims about our founding ideals. Thus, when memorializing the past, Americans are more comfortable with images that don’t glaringly highlight the country’s hypocrisy.
Nearly 150 years after the end of the Civil War, one of the era’s most important historical documents was displayed in Western North Carolina for the first time ever.
A handful of documents changed the character of the United States. The 13th Amendment, formally ending legal slavery in this country, is one of them. North Carolina’s copy of the document will be exhibited in WNC for the first time on June 12 at Vance Birthplace in Weaverville.
West Asheville has maintained an identity so distinctive that visitors frequently ask if it’s really part of Asheville. That’s not surprising, considering the area’s history. (images courtesy of the N.C. Collection, Pack Memorial Library, Asheville)
It’s walkable, artistic, neighborly, inspiring and it’s not filled with tourists. It has grit and its own unique spirit. It’s not downtown — it’s West Asheville.
Xpress spoke the art history professor in 2000. Then, at age 92, he was in residence at WCU. Faison is listed among the real-life moments men who inspired the George Clooney film released this week. Photo from iberkshires.com
The local historic home of Lillian Exum Clement Stafford, the first woman elected to the North Carolina General Assembly, is now protected by a preservation easement.
In order to create a Big Ideas timeline that represents the diverse history of Asheville, Xpress invites the community to submit the big ideas that they feel have shaped the city and area we live in today.
Earlier this month, Buncombe County officials came together to celebrate the opening of a major new courthouse building in downtown Asheville.
The discovery of Abraham Lincoln in a rare photo at the scene of the Gettysburg Address has put local professor Christopher Oakley in the national spotlight as the 150th anniversary of the president’s famed oratory approaches.
Sunday, Sept. 8, has been proclaimed “Jimmie Rodgers Day.” A state historical marker, paying tribute to the legendary singer’s early Asheville radio broadcasts, will be unveiled at the corner of Haywood Street and Battery Park Avenue. A busker’s parade follows, with an evening program at Asheville Music Hall.
The intersection of Cherokee Road and Sunset Drive in north Asheville is once again open to cars after it was closed for six months due to the reconstruction of a retaining wall.
The family feud continues over where to store renowned electronic instrument inventor Bob Moog’s archives, with his widow and the president of his daughter’s foundation releasing dueling statements.
