Heritage & History Stories

30 Stories Posts
Black History Matters Mural at Peace Gardens & Market

Past & Present: The Story of Burton Street in West Asheville

Asheville is a small city that’s known to many people for quite a few things. A perennial qualifier as one of the best cities in the U.S. to live or visit, the accolades for its food, breweries, outdoors, and art scene are as boundless as the mountains in which it's situated. If the waterfalls and downtown restaurants are the draws, then Haywood Road in West Asheville is the hook—

DeWayne Barton of Hood Tours stands outside of the Burton Street Peace Garden in Asheville, NC

Asheville's African-American History Tours Uncover Voices from Past & Present

Take A Walk Around "The Block" With Hood Tours Founder DeWayne Barton It’s a festive Saturday afternoon in Asheville, N.C.'s Triangle Park on South Market Street, just a few blocks from the city center, and we are greeted by the smell of fish frying, the booming sounds of hip hop, and friendly faces, all set against the backdrop of a vibrantly colored mural. “This

Pride & Prejudice Costumes at Biltmore

Silver Screen Romance Meets Gilded Age Splendor

Love Is In the Air Biltmore’s iconic 8,000-acre estate and grand 250-room home, built for the Vanderbilt family and loved by the world for its history and architecture, espouses a level of grandeur usually reserved for the silver screen. So it’s fitting that this spring, Biltmore is unveiling a new exhibition that brings together the unforgettable stories of the Vanderbilt family with

Wolfe Big

Asheville's Literary Connections

Asheville's literary heritage stretches across the 20th century and contemporary authors continue to be drawn here. These well-known novelists, poets, essayists and storytellers have ties to Asheville: F. Scott Fitzgerald, who spent two summers at the Omni Grove Park Inn Thomas Wolfe, Asheville native and author of  Look Homeward, Angel Carl Sandburg, poet and biographer O. Henry,

Fall Cheese Board

Appalachian Food Legacies and Mountain Harvest

From hand-tied fishing lures to moonshine lore, Appalachia embodies a colorful culture all its own The Blue Ridge Mountains, the spine of southernmost Appalachia, are gently rolling as ranges go. Some of the oldest mountains in the world, the Blue Ridge and its famous scenic parkway are a source of much of the region's beauty, character—and even cuisine. Though the autumn trees are best

Storyteller Cherokee Man

Over the Blue Ridge to Cherokee Territory

Asheville’s Ancient Connections The Asheville of today features stunning Art Deco architecture, the sounds of drums in Asheville's Pritchard Park on a Friday night and the smells of international flavors as you pass by myriad of local restaurants. But stop and ponder this: the area traces its roots back to The Cherokee, a sacred and ancient civilization dating back 11,000

Shopping in Biltmore Village

Biltmore Village: Historic Charm for Today's Visitors

Built on a Distinguished History In 1888, George W. Vanderbilt arrived in Asheville, purchased land, and began planning the estate that would become his home—Biltmore. As construction of America's largest home neared completion and hundreds of domestic servants, gardeners and other workers were hired, Mr. Vanderbilt's architects and designers turned their sights toward the

Video Thumbnail - youtube - Jerry Read Smith - Making Dulcimers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Mountain Sounds, Legacy of Dulcimers

Locally Crafted Instruments Lend Melodies a Blue Ridge Ring Enthusiasts of Appalachian music are likely familiar with the whimsical sounds of dulcimers, instruments that have a rich legacy tied to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jerry Read Smith, a local craftsman who has made more than 8,000 musical instruments, builds hammered dulcimers in his workshop in the nearby town of Black Mountain. The

A beautiful summer sunset view at Max Patch near Asheville, NC

Top 8 Sunset Spots in Asheville, N.C.

The Best Places to Catch a Scenic Sunset The Blue Ridge Mountains offer some of the best vantage points to watch the sun drop below the peaks in a splash of color. People travel from all over the world to see the nightly show. We asked our social media fans to share their favorite places to watch the sunset in and around Asheville, North Carolina. Here are the results! 1. The Omni Grove Park Inn