Asheville NC

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Local history institutions:

(The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce can provide information on local history resources, including museums, historical societies, and walking tours.)

 

(This historic district is one of the oldest and most well-preserved neighborhoods in Asheville. The district includes a variety of architectural styles, from Victorian to Craftsman, and it is home to many historic sites.)

 

(This historic site is located in the home where Zebulon Vance, the 26th governor of North Carolina, was born in 1797. The site offers tours and exhibits on Vance's life and career.)

 

(This historic site is dedicated to the life and work of Asheville's most famous writer, Thomas Wolfe. The memorial is located in the house where Wolfe lived from 1906 to 1916.)

(This museum is located in the Smith-McDowell House, the oldest surviving house in Asheville. It offers exhibits on the history of Asheville and Western North Carolina, from the Cherokee people to the present day.)

 

(This museum is located on the former campus of Black Mountain College, a progressive experimental college that existed from 1933 to 1956. The museum offers exhibits on the history of the college and its faculty, which included artists such as Merce Cunningham, Robert Motherwell, and Josef Albers.)

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Libraries/Archival Collections:

(This department collects and preserves materials related to the history of UNC Asheville and the surrounding region, including faculty papers, student records, and organizational records.)

 

(This branch of the North Carolina State Archives is located in Asheville and collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to western North Carolina)

 

(This department of the Buncombe County Public Libraries System collects and preserves historical materials related to Buncombe County, including books, manuscripts, photographs, and maps.)

 

 

(The Buncombe County Public Libraries System has several branches throughout the county, and many of them have collections of local history materials, including books, photographs, and maps.)

 

(This society is dedicated to helping people research their family history in Buncombe County and Western North Carolina. They have a collection of books, genealogical resources, and digitized materials.)

 

Movies/Documentaries About Asheville:

(Emmy Award-winning documentary tells the story of Carl Schenck, a German forester who came to manage the forests at the Biltmore Estate in 1895. It delves into the history of forestry and its impact on the environment in Asheville.)

 

 

(This documentary explores the history of the African American community in Asheville, from its beginnings to the present day. It highlights the struggles and triumphs of Black residents and their contributions to the city's culture and development.)

 

(This documentary focuses on the creation of a fresco mural that was painted inside a small church in Asheville North Carolina.)

 

(This short documentary explores Asheville's history as a filming location. It features interviews with local filmmakers and discusses the various movies and TV shows filmed in the city.)

 

(This episode of the PBS travel series follows Samantha Brown as she explores the city of Asheville. She visits the Biltmore Estate, samples local cuisine, and experiences the city's vibrant arts scene.)

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Historic/Current Newspapers in Asheville:

  • The Asheville Citizen (1885-1922):

(This daily newspaper provided local news and information for Asheville from 1885 to 1922. You can find digitized copies of this newspaper on the National Newspaper Archive: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/)

 

  • The Asheville Times (1883-1929):

(This daily newspaper was a competitor to the Asheville Citizen and offered local news coverage from 1883 to 1929. You can find digitized copies of this newspaper on the National Newspaper Archive: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/)

 

  • The Mountain Democrat (1892-1988):

(This weekly newspaper focused on local news and politics in Asheville and Buncombe County from 1892 to 1988. You can find digitized copies of this newspaper on North Carolina Digital Heritage: https://library.unc.edu/about/dept/university-libraries/wilson-library/north-carolina-digital-heritage-center/.)

 

News Papers Currently in Print*:

(This daily newspaper is the result of a merger between the Asheville Citizen and the Asheville Times in 1922. It remains the primary daily newspaper covering Asheville and Buncombe County.)

 

(This free weekly newspaper offers alternative news and coverage of local arts, culture, and events.)

 

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Books Written About Asheville:

(This book provides a comprehensive overview of Asheville's history, from its early days as a Cherokee settlement to its emergence as a popular tourist destination in the 20th century.)

 

(This book delves into the lesser-known aspects of Asheville's history, revealing the stories of forgotten individuals and events that shaped the city's development.)

 

(This book tells the story of the Biltmore Estate, one of Asheville's most iconic landmarks, and the Vanderbilt family who built it.)

 

(This book takes a visual journey through Asheville's history, featuring a collection of photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries.)

By Garrett Gray 

Local History
Asheville NC