Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of Historic Asheville and Western North Carolina

See also:
Historic Health Retreat
Historic Architecture
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
Edwin Wiley Grove
Black Mountain College
History of Railway
Museums

"View of Pack Square from east, Spring," 1977
Asheville Area Photographic Collection, 
D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, UNCA

Asheville's Richly Diverse
History at a Glance

Earliest recorded History: There is a record of Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto visiting Western North Carolina In 1540.

Rivers: Asheville is 'river town', located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. (Many of the greatest cities of the US are located at the confluence of two or three rivers or the intersection of a river with a lake or ocean: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Miami, to name a few.)

Terrain: Sits in the middle of a high plateau of 2,550 to 3,000, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Great Craggies and Black Mountains to the East and the Great Smokies to the West -- with more than 50 mile-high peaks within a 60 mile radius.

Commerce. Early colonial trade, while under British rule, was established with the Cherokees in 1643, following existing trading paths, paths which crossed at the present location of Asheville.

Cherokees: Prior to the Revolutionary war, the British had promised the Cherokees that colonial expansion would stop at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This assurance of the integrity of the Cherokee Nation aligned the Cherokee with the British during the war. This alignment resulted in Cherokee attacks on early settlement. These attacks were met with brute force by the colonists, led by General Griffith Rutherford, resulting in the destruction of many Cherokee villages and ultimately, the power of the Cherokee nation.

Early settlers: Scotch-Irish immigrants from Ulster in Northern Ireland, fleeing from restrictive British tariffs which had destroyed the wool and weaving industries. The first recorded settler to arrive in Buncombe County was Samuel W. Davidson. He and his family took up residence on Christian Creek in the Swannanoa Valley in 1784. This led to a permanent settlement in 1785 known as "Eden Land"

County: Buncombe County was created by a legislative act on December 5. 1791, initiated by William Davidson and Colonel David Vance. The first Buncombe County courthouse was built of logs in 1793 in a location which is now Pack Square. A year after that. a settlement called Morriston was established by John Burton via state grants. It was laid out in 42 2-12 acre lots, each of which sold for $1 and acre. In 1797, this settlement was incorporated and renamed Asheville in honor of North Carolina's governor, Samuel Ashe.Governor Samuel Ashe.

Religion: Protestant circuit riders, namely Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian , introduced formal religion to the Southern Appalachians in the.early 1800s. Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury was the most noted of these. Later on, religion was to play an important factor, with great religious assemblies being established in the area contributing significantly to the area's growth. These included Billy Graham's Montreat in the Black Mountain area, and

Population: By 1840, Asheville population had grown to 500. By the time of the Civil War, it had reached 1,100. In 1880, it had grown to 2,610. Then, in 10 years, it quadrupled to 10,237, leveling off by 1900 to 14,694. By 1930, after the 'boom years', it had grown to 50,193. Forty years later, in 1970, it was 57,681 (although by now considerable population growth was taking place, but most of it was occurring throughout Buncombe County outside of the incorporated Asheville area). The census of 1980 showed Asheville's population to be 60,500, and the population of Buncombe County to be 162,500. In 2008, Asheville's population is estimated to be 75,000, while Buncombe County has grown to

Roads: By 1828 a road following the French Broad River to East Tenness was completed. This road carried wagonloads of early settlers on their way west through Asheville. It also brought herds of cattle, sheep, hogs and turkeys being driven to the large towns of South Carolina through Asheville. When the "Asheville and Greenville Plank Road' was completed in 1851, those wealthy enough to travel via stagecoach began to arrive in Asheville, whose reputation as a health resort had begun to grow. Today, Asheville is the junction point of two major Interstate highways, 26 and 40. It is also the hub of five federal highways, two Appalachian development highways, five state highways and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

During the Civil War, Asheville became a major Confederate military center. When the first company organized west of the Blue Ridge mountains, known as the Buncombe Rifles, marched out of Asheville on April 18, 1861, they carried a flag made from the silk dresses of the town's socialites. Shortly thereafter, Captain Zebulon Vance organized the Rough and Ready Guards. As it turned out, seven of the ten companies of the 6Oth North Carolina Regiment were comprised of Buncombe County men.

Early Industry. As a consequence of the Civle War, one early and flourishing industry was the making of Enfield Rifles, much prized by soldiers of the Confederate for their accuracy.

Reputation as a Health Center: By the late 1800's, tuberculosis was rampant in the South. Asheville, with it's ideal mountain climate, developed quite a reputation as a health resort (something the Cherokees had known for centuries when they brought their ailing to the Hot Springs waters for cures). One doctor in particular, S. Westray Battle, became Asheville's biggest promoter. He was responsible for bringing George Vanderbilt's mother to Asheville in 1889 and for prescribing Asheville as a cure for Edwin Grove's ailing health in 1897 -- and thus, indirectly, responsible for both the presence of the Biltmore Estate (and the vast Vanderbilt holdings) and the Grove Park Inn, the Grove Arcade, and indeed the entire Grove Park neighborhood, as well as the new Battery Park Hotel.

Hotels: To accommodate these new wealthy travelers, elaborate hotels were built, including the Battery Park In 1889. In the 1900's a new wave of luxury hotel construction began: the Langren in 1912, the astonishing Grove Park Inn In 1913, the new Kenilworth Inn in 1918 ... and with Battery Park.

Culture: In the late 1800's, a grand opera house was built, followed by a convention auditorium . This was replaced by a new Civic Center which was completed in 1974.

Attractions: While staying at the old Battery Park Hotel on "Stoney Hill", George W. Vanderbilt discovered what he described as "the most beautiful spot in the world". He subsequently purchased 145,000 acres and began construction on Biltmore House, one of the great country estates of the world. Even during the Great Depression, Asheville was again favored by the creation or development of two great natural attractions: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. which together have help make the Asheville area one of the most visited recreational areas in the country.

Famous People: Asheville was the boyhood home of author Thomas Wolfe, a home which is now open to the public as a memorial. Evangelist Billy Graham is undoubtedly Asheville's most world renown citizen. George W. Vanderbilt and such-world class amenities as the Grove Park Inn have attracted many famous people to the area as visitors including presidents and kings.

Advertising: In 1878, Asheville and Western North Carolina came to be known as "The Land Of The Sky", a slogan which has stuck to this day. This was taken from a popular novel by Salisbury native Mrs. Frances Tiernan of Salisbury, writing under the name of Christian Reid. This catchy and romantic-sounding slogan captured the attention of many thousands and helped spread Buncombe's fame when the railroad conquered the Eastern continental divide in 1880 -- launching a whole new era for Asheville and indeed, the whole of Western North Carolina. In 1900, a chamber of commerce was created, known as the "Asheville Board of Trade," This organization of prominent businessmen launched national advertising, and proclaimed the city to be one of the "leading convention cities In the country." In 1970, Asheville earned the designation "All American City."

The Economy: During the late 1800's and early 1900's, Asheville's economy flourished, with land being gobbled up and developed in something of a frenzy. This was followed by a collapse of the land boom, with the Great Depression of the early 1930s dealing the coupe de grace and bringing financial ruin to the once prosperous Asheville -- a ruin from which it took several decades, from which It was slow to recover. However, it's naturally attractive location and natural resources, coupled with a very profound historic 'sense of self' and purpose have returned Asheville's economy to a very solid and broad-based footing. Today, Asheville's economy again flourished, with industry (BASF, Square D., Gerber, Ball Corporation, Beacon end Sybron/Taylor, and others), natural resources (forestry and minerals), agriculture and tourism each playing important roles.

Utilites. The Asheville-Buncombe Consolidated Water District reservoir, which is located in a remote timbered watershed covering 24 square miles, holds 6 billion gallons.

Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!

Fashionable Asheville ".... A fascinating blend of social and architectural history, probing behind formal facades to discover the fashionable era of a famous mountain town in the highlands of Appalachia...."
"... Here in a concentration of private wealth lived Vanderbilts, Connallys, Pearsons, Coxes, Battles, Cheesboroughs, McClures, Groves and Raouls.   "David Bailey explores the private lives of colorful personalities across the city spectrum, from affluent and powerful moguls to brilliant and influential writers.  Opulent homes and exclusive clubs for residents, stylish shops and grand hotels for visitors.  Clearly explains how mystical Altamont, under the spell of ancient Charleston, transformed itslef out of primitive drovers trails and turnpikes.   "See how the country's first electric trolley cars carried the active set to parties and picnic amid the most beautiful scenery in America.  Take a look inside private clubs and railway cars and delve into the most remarkable feat of railroading in the nation's history.  Learn what attracted Joseph Kennedy & "Honey Fitz" from Boston to this elite synergism.   "Come scrutinize the mystique of high society.  Peek over Tom Wolfe's shoulder as he explores the inner life of Asheville.  Take a wild side trip along Thunder Road into the secret and dangerous world of moonlighting.   "Probe the imaginative minds of Zelda & Scott Fitzgerald, who spent ten years in residence.  Follow a bizarre life of the Edward McLeans and the legendary Hope Diamond.  Enter the astonishing realm of Henry Flagler and his connections.  Bakers and Rumboughs.  Take a quick look at the fabulous Obolenskys.   "Millions have visited Biltmore and Grove Park Inn and those enchanting waterfalls and towering peaks that surround them.  Marveled at the superb works of William Morris Hunt, America's greatest architect, and Frederick Law Olmstead, America's greatest landscape architect.  Some have visited private homes and public structures designed by an outstanding corps of architectural talent.  And a handful have even written books about some facet of the scene. "Few have delved into social life of the city in which it was all a part.  Or the Great Boom of the Roaring Twenties.  Even fewer know the real story, the true tale of its spectacular collapse. CLICK HERE to Purchase Fashionable Asheville: Volumes One and Two   About the Author:   "Born in New York City and a lifelong writer, David Coleman Bailey is a long time resident of Asheville.  As a boy coming to Asheville with his family, he was fascinating in the startling aftermath of this seemingly brand new city.   "Educated at the University of North Carolina and Haverford College, he received degrees in journalism and languages and is retired from a long investment career with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith.  Social & political history is a hobby.   'The father of Derrick, Douglas, Thomas, and Caroline Elizabeth, he is married to the former Cathey Massie, owner of Biltmore Forest Realty in Asheville.  Family forebears came to American shores during the 17th & 18th centuries.  Named for Col. David Coleman, whose regiment reached the climax at Chickamauga, greatest battle in the history of Anglo-Saxon arms.   "Mr. Bailey has long been involved in operations of the Penland Company, a hereditary family land management business.  He is founder of the Asheville Arts Council and former chairman of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, dedicated to preservation of the Highlands of Roan and other mountain conservation projects.
CLICK HERE to Purchase Fashionable Asheville: Volumes One and Two

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