After years of excavations, archaeologists at a Western North Carolina site near Morganton are confident they’ve discovered the location of the earliest European settlement in the North American interior.
Tag: history
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Moog foundation objects to archives going to NY
A move to ship Bob Moog’s archives from Asheville to New York is creating family discord over the best way to preserve the late inventor’s legacy.
Shaping the present: History of African American access to health care provides context for today
Beginning in 1890 and winding toward 1960, Sharon West’s presentation explored medical accessibility and access for African Americans in Buncombe County. However, she reveals that, in many ways, Buncombe still has a ways to go when it comes to diversity in the medical community. (Photo by Caitlin Byrd)
A sense of place: Exploring the history of Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill rises just north of downtown Asheville. Recognizing the neighborhood’s distinctive architecture, notable former residents and unique character, the National Park Service has listed the Chestnut Hill Historic District in its Register of Historic Places.
Bought & Sold: Forgotten documents highlight local slave history
In Buncombe County, thousands of slaves toiled as cooks, farmers, tour guides, maids, blacksmiths, tailors, miners, farmers, road builders and more, local records show. And after mostly ignoring that troubled history for a century and a half, the county is now taking groundbreaking steps to honor the contributions of those former residents by making its slave records readily available online.
Exhibit spotlights hidden local African-American history
The Buncombe County Register of Deeds Office has opened an exhibit to commemorate the 150-year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and to remember those who were enslaved and their immeasurable contributions to our community. Along with the exhibit, the county has produced a short documentary, Forever Free, which features historians and descendants of slaves speaking on the significance of these records and the importance of acknowledging our past. Watch it here.
Back to the Future: Two men, two buildings, two feuding local governments
This year, both Asheville City Hall and the Buncombe County Courthouse turn 85. The two classic buildings are both undergoing renovation or expansion, part of an effort to keep them a center of civic life for the next 85 years. A look at their history, their future, and the end of the old feud that created them. Photos by Max Cooper.
Disaster 2012 Web Extra: Remembering the 2004 floods
With speculation rampant across the world over the possibility of a mysterious cataclysmic event occurring tomorrow, Dec. 21 in conjunction with the supposed end of the Mayan calendar, Xpress took a look at more realistic local threats this week in the story “Tomorrow Never Knows: WNC Disasters Past, Present and Future.” As part of our research for that story, we compiled several photos from one of the biggest natural disasters to strike our region in modern history – the floods of 2004.
Tomorrow never knows: WNC disasters past, present and future
Even as the holidays come barreling toward us, some folks around the globe fear the mythical planet Nibiru may be doing the same and will trigger some unspecified cataclysm on Dec. 21. Notwithstanding the supposed end of the Mayan calendar, however, local agencies seem focused on preparing for more realistic potential threats. Although it may not be the end of the world, Western North Carolina does remain vulnerable to a wide range of natural and human-made catastrophes, including floods, blizzards, fires and even nuclear accidents.
Downtown Books & News: nearing a quarter century
As downtown Asheville’s beloved used book store reaches its 25th year in business, we look both backward and forward through its illustrious history. This is the first installment in a two-part series.
Presentation on past and future of Sulphur Springs this Sunday
Sulphur Springs in West Asheville was the Asheville area’s first tourist attraction. A group of residents wants to honor that by protecting the land around it. The sping house as it appears today. Photo by Bill Rhodes
Historical fiction contest for students
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial’s “Telling Our Tales,” a short story competition for kids in grades 4-12, offers cash prizes to young writers. The deadline is April 27.
PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Historic Pearson house demolished
The claw of the demolition machine chomped through the Pearson House like a metal jaw. With each bite, the historic home revealed itself room by room. A painting still hung in an upstairs room. For those present for the demolition, this would be the last time the “grand lady” would stand on the grounds of the Richmond Hill Inn. The demolition happened Wednesday, Feb. 1. (photo by Caitlin Byrd)
Arts & Crafts Conference includes free events
This year’s conference (Feb. 17-19) celebrates its 25th anniversary and adds a number of Asheville-based events from lectures and art exhibits to walking tours and antiques shows.
UNCA hosts a lecture The Guastavino Family
The tile workers left their mark on landmarks from Asheville’s Basilica of St. Lawrence to New York City’s Grand Central Station. Photo of lecturer John Ochsendorf (under a Guastavino arch) from the Fullbright website.
Wellness: Living healthy
The story of how the Asheville area became a 21st-century wellness hub begins with a natural phenomenon.
Battles and backlash: Local author Bill Forstchen on Newt Gingrich, politics and history *Updated*
In the wake of releasing the ninth book he’s co-written with presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, local author/historian Bill Forstchen now finds himself in the throes of the Republican primary. And Gingrich’s huge win yesterday, Jan. 22, in the South Carolina primary, has brought renewed interest to the campaign.
A tour of Thomas Wolfe’s family furniture
This weekend, Leslie Klingner (furniture expert and curator of interpretation at the Biltmore Estate), led two tours of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial’s antiques. The event was part of the NC Department of Cultural Resources’ Second Saturdays programming.
All aboard: Train History Day
Dozens of people came out in the rain for Train History Day at the Cradle of Forestry on Saturday. Visitors, ranging from ages eight to 90, blew the whistle and rang the bell of a 1915 Climax logging train.
Check out a two-minute audio slideshow to hear for yourself.
Mountain shame: Remembering the Marion Massacre
As the sun rose on the morning of Oct. 2, 1929, hundreds of picketing mill workers in Marion, N.C., found themselves in a deadly standoff with law enforcement. (photo by Jonathan Welch)
Local Matters: WNC Union history, Ingles versus City Council and NC budget woes
In this week’s Local Matters podcast, Xpress News Editor Margaret Williams talks to reporter Jake Frankel about the coming cover story on new perspectives on the “Marion Massacre” union strike, and with reporter David Forbes about Asheville City Council’s recent back-and-forth with the Ingles grocery chain, as well as their recent conversation with NC Treasurer Janet Cowell at a CIBO luncheon.