Buncombe County Special Collections
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • About The Collection
    • Plan A Visit
  • HeardTell Blog
  • Search Our Collections
  • Resources for Researchers
  • Community-Based Archives
    • View Archives
    • Oral History Resources
    • Black AVL History Project
  • Become a Friend
    • Become a Friend
    • Board of Directors
  • Events
  • Contact
© 2021 Buncombe County Special Collections. All rights reserved.
Friday, April 01, 2016 / Published in Uncategorized

1980s Asheville Revisited

Asheville in the 1980s is the theme for a series of summer-long evening programs beginning in April. Each program covers a unique aspect of Asheville’s history from arts to business to architecture, and includes the “Save Asheville’s Downtown” grassroots campaign.

The 1980s were a time of uncertainty for many.  A May 25, 1980 article in the Asheville Citizen Times by AP Special Correspondent Saul Pett compared Asheville residents with other Americans.   Asheville residents were unsure about the direction their city leaders should take,  confused by changes going on at home and in the larger world.  “Turned off” was the phrase the writer used to describe the local attitude toward the 1980 presidential election. He notes that ambivalence: “Most people here seem to think that the identity of the next president won’t make much difference.” Yet decisions were made, and they helped shape the city we know today.

The accompanying image was selected to illustrate Pett’s article.  It shows the Thomas Wolfe Memorial positioned beside the 12-story Inn on the Plaza, contrasting the sureties of history with the discomfort of the new.

O139-8-for-blog

Opened in 1977, Smoky Mountain Inn on the Plaza was changed to Quality Inn on the Plaza in the 1980s. Today, it is the Renaissance Hotel Asheville.

 

K714-5

Pre-Inn on the Plaza construction view of intersection of College Street and Court Plaza, looking west from the roof of Asheville City Courthouse, which fills the right side of the picture. In the center, beside the Charlotte Street Gulf Service (140 College St.), is the municipal parking lot (146 Charlotte St.). In the distance on the left is the Thomas Wolfe House (48 Spruce St.)

L401-DSa

This image shows the 2007 construction underway on a 9-story, 75-condo project by a Fairview developer. The address is 60 N. Market St., with the Thomas Wolfe Visitors Center (52 N. Market St.) to its right and the Asheville Biltmore Hotel building to its left.

Spring 2016 brings some of the same challenges Asheville has seen historically, short and long term. Pett notes, “Beauty here … brings mixed blessings. So does change.” Make plans to join your 21st century neighbors as the Friends of the NC Room hosts a look back at Asheville in the 1980’s and, if history is any indicator, a look into the future.

 

Post by Tammy Young
Volunteer

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

What you can read next

July 26 program on Richard Sharp Smith cancelled; to be rescheduled
The Little Street with Big Ideas
Glen Inglis Defunct City Ghost Town Buncombe County North Carolina Postcard 1908

1 Comment to “ 1980s Asheville Revisited”

  1. HeardTell Blog Countdown to 100,000 Views! | HeardTell: The North Carolina Room, Pack Memorial Library says :Reply
    December 2, 2016 at 10:16 am

    […] 1980s Asheville Revisited with 1,139 […]

    Loading...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Search Our Site

Categories

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,490 other subscribers
TOP
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: