from
WorldWeb.com Travel Guide
| |
 |
| |
Asheville's distinctive Art Deco skyline1 |
Asheville,
the Land of the Sky, is the largest city in Western North
Carolina. Seated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a haven for
culture fanatics, showcasing an incredible range of work from local artists,
craftspeople, musicians and performers. Further feasts for the senses are the
historic buildings of the area, culminating at the largest, and one of the most
impressive, private homes in the United States of America—Biltmore
Estate. And, of course, the majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a
draw for nature lovers and those looking to escape the confines of urban life.
ORIENTATION
Asheville is located along
the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers in the mountains of North Carolina, between
the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge ranges in the west of the state. The city is
closer to Spartanburg,
South Carolina,
and Knoxville,
Tennessee,
than any city in North Carolina. Adjacent to Pisgah
National Forest, Asheville is only 40 mi (64 km) from the entrance to
Great
Smoky Mountains National Park at Maggie
Valley.
|
Asheville to ... |
Distance* |
Est.
Time** |
| Charlotte,
NC |
130
mi (209 km) |
2
hr 45 min |
| Chattanooga,
TN |
225 mi (364 km) |
4
hr 30 min |
| Danville,
VA |
220
mi (354 km) |
2
hr 55 min |
| Greenville,
NC |
330
mi (531 km) |
6
hr 30 min |
| Knoxville,
TN |
115
mi (115 km) |
2
hr 30 min |
| Raleigh,
NC |
255
mi (410 km) |
4
hr 45 min |
| Roanoke,
VA |
240
mi (386 km) |
4
hr 15 min |
|
Spartanburg, SC |
69
mi (112 km) |
1
hr 40 min |
|
Winston-Salem, NC |
145
mi (233 km) |
3
hr |
|
|
Asheville
Distance Table
(*Estimated driving distance,**Estimated driving time) |
|
HISTORY
The history of Asheville
rolls along gently, much like the mountains and landscapes of North Carolina.
Starting as the small, mountain
settlement of Morristown in 1794, Asheville was incorporated as a town in 1797.
It wasn't until 1882 that Asheville became a city, expanding with the prosperity
brought by being attached to the rest of the world by the railway. Asheville
became a mountain retreat for the wealthy, escaping to the supposedly therapeutic
mountain air. Most notably of these elite was millionaire George Washington
Vanderbilt who decided to set roots in Asheville, constructing the Biltmore
Estate.
| |
 |
| |
Layered
peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains2 |
The city's center expanded
in the 1920s when a number of Art Deco buildings were constructed. Residential
subdivisions also marked the city's growth. However, this prosperity did not
last long. In the 1930s, the Great Depression came and, like most cities, Asheville
defaulted on its loans. However, unlike most defaulting cities, Asheville repaid
every loan. By 1977, after decades of tight spending and concentrated effort,
Asheville cleared its depression debts. On the brighter side, because the city
was forced to be frugal during America's reconstruction years of the 1950s and
1960s, little money was aimed at urban development, leaving Asheville with one
of the largest collections of original Art Deco buildings in the southwest United
States, second only to Miami,
Florida.
Today, Asheville relishes
its past by preserving and presenting its historic places. As well, a free spirit
embraces the city as artisans, crafts people, entertainers and performers express
the culture of mountain living in North Carolina.
CLIMATE
Due to Asheville's altitude
(at approximately 2000 feet) and valley location between two mountain ridges,
daily temperatures can vary considerably through each season. However, the climate
is generally temperate.
|
Month |
Avg. Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
28°F
(-2 °C) |
47°F
(8 °C) |
74
mm |
| Feb |
30°F
(-1 °C) |
50°F
(10 °C) |
78
mm |
| Mar
|
36°F
(2 °C) |
58°F
(14 °C) |
100
mm |
| Apr |
45°F
(7 °C) |
68°F
(20 °C) |
80
mm |
| May
|
53°F
(12 °C) |
75°F
(24 °C) |
81
mm |
| Jun
|
60°F
(16 °C) |
81°F
(27 °C) |
86
mm |
| Jul |
64°F
(18 °C) |
85°F
(29 °C) |
81
mm |
|
Aug |
63°F
(17 °C) |
84°F
(29 °C) |
90
mm |
|
Sep |
57°F
(14 °C) |
77°F
(25 °C) |
79
mm |
|
Oct |
46°F
(8 °C) |
68°F
(20 °C) |
65
mm |
|
Nov |
37°F
(3 °C) |
58°F
(14 °C) |
70
mm |
|
Dec |
30°F
(-1 °C) |
50°F
(10 °C) |
69
mm |
|
|
Climate
data from the
Southeast Regional Climate Center |
|
TRANSPORTATION
Visitors can head to Asheville
by car from Virginia,
winding along the scenic Blue
Ridge Parkway. Or, drive via Interstate Highway 40 from Hickory
and the Triangle Cities of Winston-Salem,
Greensboro
and High Point,
Interstate highways 26 and 85 and U.S. Highway 74 from Charlotte,
or Interstate Highway 40 from Knoxville, Tennessee. Also crossing through Asheville
are Interstate highways 26 and 181, and U.S. highways 64, 25 and 70. Rent
a car for a self-drive trip to Asheville, or to tour the city and its
surroundings. Car rental agencies are available throughout the country, generally
with locations at international and regional airports. Asheville
Regional Airport has regular daily flights to Charlotte and the twin
cities of Raleigh
and Durham.
Asheville can also be reached
by the national bus service of Greyhound Lines.
While in Asheville, travel
to the local sights and attractions on the city's public
transit system, or try a more scenic tour provided by a rental scooter
or a narrated tour on Asheville
Historic Trolley Tours.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Biltmore Estate
Even those visitors to Asheville who are not history buffs must visit the Biltmore
Estate, America's largest home. Modeled after three, 16th-century, French
Renaissance chateaux, Biltmore Estate is an incredible journey in to the wealth
and excess of George Washington Vanderbilt. Construction of the estate began
in 1889, with most of it completed for Christmas of 1895. Originally centered
on 100,000 acres of forest, gardens and farmland, the estate is now the jewel
of 8,000 acres and employs more than 1,000 people. Of the 250 rooms within the
estate, there are 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and three kitchens. The rooms are
decorated with fine art and furnishings from around the world.
Today, the estate is still
a self-sufficient, private enterprise that does not receive government funding
due to the success of the estate as a tourist attraction and its recent forays
into industries such as winemaking at the Biltmore
Estate Winery and hospitality at the 213-room Inn on Biltmore Estate.
Throughout the year, visitors
may tour the house and gardens of the estate. As well, special events return
each year to the estate, from the Festival
of Flowers in the spring to Christmas at Biltmore Estate.
| |
 |
| |
Thomas
Wolfe's boyhood home and
memorial—"Old Kentucky Home"3 |
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
While George Washington Vanderbilt was one of Asheville's most prominent citizens,
Thomas Wolfe is the town's most famous. Born in Asheville, Wolfe grew up in
his mother's boarding house before leaving for college. He is recognized as
one of America's major novelists, whose works include Of Time and the River
and You Can't Go Home Again. However, it was his first novel, Look
Homeward, Angel, that brought him into the heart of Asheville's citizenry.
Of course, initial reaction to his book was not whole-hearted (the book was
banned by the Asheville library for seven years) since it was a telling portrait
of life in small town North Carolina. Today, the recognition of Wolfe and his
ties to Asheville are noted at the Thomas
Wolfe Memorial, his mother's former boarding house and a North Carolina
historic site.
Arts and Crafts
Whether the collection at historic Grove
Park Inn & Spa,
the dozens of studios and galleries within the city or the surrounding area,
or attractions such as the Asheville
Art Museum and the Folk
Art Center, visitors can see that the arts are a large part of life
in Asheville. Ceramics, glass, paintings, folk art and hand-made furniture are
a brief and very general list of the type of artwork and galleries scattered
throughout the city and area.
A number of tour
companies and self-guided tours are available to lead visitors on treks
to the workshops and galleries of local artisans and craftspeople.
Montford
The neighborhood of Montford
has been designated both a National Register of Historic Places Historic District
and a local historic district. Originally an incorporated town, Montford was
annexed by Asheville in 1905. This region was home to some of the elite and
prominent members of Asheville society. Reflecting the styles of the early-20th
century, these homes are worth a look. A number of the homes in Montford have
become bed
and breakfasts, allowing visitors to live, at least for a little while,
like guests of Asheville's high-society.
 |
|
Hikers
at Craggy Gardens along the
Blue Ridge Parkway4 |
|
Art Deco Architecture
Asheville experienced a building boom in the early 1900s. An opera house, convention
facilities, the First
Baptist Church, City
Hall, the S
& W Building, and the Jackson
Building—all reflect the city's prosperity and growth. Today, the city
is committed to preserving these and other historic buildings.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Linking Shenandoah
National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue
Ridge Parkway started as a make-work project during the Great Depression of
the 1930s. The Parkway runs for approximately 470 mi (756 km), with its headquarters
in Asheville. A meandering road that encourages visitors to take in the scenery
instead of making good time, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a unique way to take
in North Carolina's mountains by car, by bicycle or by foot. Activities within
the park include hiking, climbing, hang gliding, camping and fishing.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Asheville's distinctive Art
Deco skyline; Asheville, NC, USA
- Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Layered peaks of the Blue
Ridge Mountains; NC, USA
- Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Thomas Wolfe's boyhood home
and memorial—"Old Kentucky Home"; Asheville, NC, USA
- Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau; Hikers at Craggy Gardens along
the Blue Ridge Parkway; NC, USA
