Saturday, January 04, 2020 / Published in 52 Weeks 52 Communities, African Americans, Asheville History, Buncombe County History, Houses, Local History

Confronting the Legacy of N.W. Woodfin: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities

The Woodfin community, like many other Buncombe County communities is named for a man who enslaved human beings. If you’ve followed along in this series, you’ve probably recognized that to be a common theme among communities; they’re named for people of extravagant wealth. Wealth earned on the backs of enslaved black people. Indeed, our county
Monday, December 02, 2019 / Published in African Americans, Asheville History, Buncombe County History, Education, Forgotten People, Local Heroes and Heroines, Local History, Photograph Collection

ASHEVILLE’S FIRST CITY SCHOOLS FOR BLACK STUDENTS, Part Three: Builders of Black Schools

The Creation of a Public School System for the City of Asheville, 1887-1888 Setting Up the System and Hiring the Teachers Asheville Times, July 29, 1887: “Graded School Carried: Asheville Keeps to the Front By a Very Close Squeeze” “We need not multiply words to express pleasure at the result of the election yesterday on
Thursday, April 26, 2018 / Published in Asheville History, Photograph Collection

“A Dollar in the Bank is Worth Two in the Pocket” (so they say……)

Uncommon and unusual objects sing an irresistible siren’s song to me (much to my bank account’s dismay). I just can’t stop myself when I find a listing for an Asheville object such as the item pictured below. This diminutive metal bank measures 3.25 x 2 x 1.5 inches. It rests neatly in the palm of
Thursday, February 01, 2018 / Published in Events, Local History, Photograph Collection

  JUST A LITTLE FRIENDLY REMINDER:  Monumental Decisions: The Legacy and Future of Civil War Markers in Our Public Spaces Monumental Decisions: The Legacy and Future of Civil War Markers in Our Public Spaces Date: Saturday February 3rd Time: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Where: Pack Memorial Library, Lord Auditorium, lower level. This event is free
Sunday, January 21, 2018 / Published in African Americans, Local History, Photograph Collection

How Black and White is Asheville?

Do you prefer to live in a segregated city? What could you do to change that? Would you seek out some people of the opposite race to go to dinner with–an idea, I believe, from Date My City? If enough of us did that, would it change what is happening in our city? If we
Tuesday, January 09, 2018 / Published in African Americans, Events, Local History, Photograph Collection

Event. Monumental Decisions: The Legacy and Future of Civil War Markers in Our Public Spaces

Monumental Decisions: The Legacy and Future of Civil War Markers in Our Public Spaces Date: Saturday February 3rd Time: 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Where: Pack Memorial Library, Lord Auditorium, lower level. This event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Friends of the North Carolina Room Like any local history room,
Wednesday, November 22, 2017 / Published in Architecture, Asheville History, Buildings, Local History

How Well Do You Know Asheville’s Buildings? A Quiz With Up To $30 worth of prizes!

The North Carolina Room is currently exhibiting photographs from the Richard Hansley Photograph Collection. Mr. Hansley is the author of Asheville’s Historic Architecture, 2011. In 2014 Richard donated his entire photograph collection to the North Carolina Room. His love and enthusiasm of architecture shows in every photograph. We decided to use Mr. Hansley’s photos of details
Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Published in Architecture, Buildings, Local History, Smith Estate Hotel

Standing on One Corner in Asheville, Part Two

An eight-story, skeletal form of poured concrete reinforced with steel (upper right) stood on the corner of North Main and College Street for about 6 years as infighting among the Smith Estate’s heirs halted construction. An original drawing of the hotel (RSS0709) is dated January 1906. This was quite an embarrassment to the architectural firm of Smith &
Tuesday, October 10, 2017 / Published in Buildings, Local History, Photograph Collection, Uncategorized

Standing On One Corner in Asheville, Part One

Standing on one corner of Asheville is an excellent place to learn about the ever-changing face of our town.  Do you recognize this corner and are you familiar with its curious history? James McConnell Smith was born in 1787. According to historical accounts he was the first white child born west of the Blue Ridge.