History of Asheville North Carolina

by Dave Rath of Biltmore Lake, LLC ( 12-Oct-2009 )

Asheville North Carolina is currently the largest city in Western North Carolina and its growth continues.  The rich and varied history of the area has much to do with how Asheville communities have developed and grown. The first European settlers to the Asheville area were believed to be lead by Spanish explorers but the area was not widely settled on for some time.  Later, in the late 1700’s, the Swannanoa Valley was made home by Colonel Samuel Davidson and his family.  He was murdered by Cherokee hunters and his family later returned to the area and settled at Bee Tree Creek.  Some growth continued into the 1800’s and the Civil War did contribute slightly to growth as some manufacturing companies located in the Asheville area and was also known as a vital Confederate military center.  One significant battle of the Civil War, “The Battle of Asheville” was fought at what is now the University of North Carolina at Asheville.   After the Civil War, like much of the south, years of economic hardship & rebuilding occurred.  By the turn of the century and through the early 1900’s, prosperity returned.  The growth of the railroad industry renewed many areas, including Asheville.  Many extremely wealthy families lived in Asheville and the community flourished.  Many prominent families, including dignitaries and even some celebrities, made Asheville their home and built estates, such as The Vanderbilt’s Biltmore House on Biltmore Estate is still known as the largest house in America.  Some of the early prestigious neighborhoods and Asheville communities were developed in the 1920’s. Asheville became known as a leading convention city in all of the US and still is home to the famous, Grove Park Inn.  The city was built as with much diversity from an architecture standpoint, and that remains true today. The Great Depression was particularly hard in Asheville as at least six local banks failed and because there had been so much growth in the two decades prior, Asheville has the highest per capita debt held by a city in the entire country.  The city had over $55 million in debt for infrastructure improvements and agreed to pay them over a period of fifty years.  Additionally, a terrible flood in 1916 caused great damage to the Asheville area. Economic growth slowed considerable from the Depression and really did not see much change until after the 1980’s.   Toward the end of the 20^th century, a surge in investment and development funding in the Asheville has helped it fully recover.  New construction and renovation has continued in the 21^st century, causing a new energy particularly in the area of Asheville real estate.  New neighborhoods and Ashville communities continue to flourish and grown and a whole new generation is now calling Asheville North Carolina home.