Caulder Realty & Land Co.

Ashville NC Area Guide

Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina. Asheville’s estimated population as of 2007 was 74,000. Asheville is a part of the four-county Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Asheville is a major attraction for tourists in the area. Asheville and the surrounding mountains are also popular in the autumn when fall foliage peaks in October. The scenic Blue Ridge Parkway runs through the Asheville area and near the Biltmore Estate.

Asheville appears on many national rankings for a variety of things. In 2007, Asheville was named one of the top seven places to live in the U.S. by Frommer's Cities Ranked and Rated, and #23 of 200 metro areas for business and careers by Forbes. It was also named one of the world's top 12 must-see destinations for 2007 by Frommer's travel guides.

History

Before Europeans, the land where Asheville now exists was within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came to the area, bringing the first European visitors in addition to European diseases which seriously depleted the native population. The area was used as an open hunting ground until the middle of the 19th century.

The history of Asheville, as a town begins in 1784. In that year Colonel Samuel Davidson and his family settled in the Swannanoa Valley, redeeming a soldier's land grant from the state of North Carolina. Soon after building a log cabin at the bank of Christian Creek, Davidson was lured into the woods by a band of Cherokee hunters and killed. Davidson's wife, child and female slave fled on foot to Davidson's Fort 16 miles away. In response to the killing, Davidson's brother Major William Davidson and brother-in-law Colonel Daniel Smith formed an expedition to retrieve Samuel Davidson's body. Months after the expedition, Major Davidson and other members of his extended family returned to the area and settled at the mouth of Bee Tree Creek.

In 1790 there were approximately 1,000 residents in the area, excluding the Cherokee. Buncombe County was officially formed in 1792. The county seat, named “ Morristown” in 1793, was established on a plateau where two old Indian trails crossed. In 1797 Morristown was incorporated and renamed “ Asheville” after North Carolina Governor Samuel Ashe.

While Asheville prospered in the 1910s and 1920s, the Great Depression hit Asheville hard. On November 20, 1930, eight local banks failed. Because of the explosive growth of the previous decades, the 'per capita' debt held by the city was the highest of any city in the nation. By 1929 both city and Buncombe County had incurred over $56 million in bonded debt to pay for a wide range of municipal and infrastructure improvements.

Parks and Recreation

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ParksRCA/default.aspx?id=12702

The park system of Asheville reflects it wondrous setting from the surrounding mountains to its rivers. The parks are predominantly nestled within various neighborhoods of the city and serve a variety of passive and active recreation needs. 

Asheville Parks can take the form of an intimate wooded setting for picnicking within a historic neighborhood or a complex of athletic fields with playground equipment and a pool.  There are also a number of special and regional parks that embrace Asheville’s diversity both culturally and environmentally.

The Outdoor Recreation Program of Asheville offers exciting outdoor adventure and environmental education opportunities for all ages and abilities. You will find all you need to make your outdoor adventure plans for the upcoming season. Activities include summer adventure camps, hiking, mountain biking, rafting, skiing, snowboarding, backpacking, youth programs, senior programs, overnight trips and special events.

Please click here for a complete list of parks, facilities, and recreation centers in Ashville

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ParksRCA/default.aspx?id=12710

Please click here for the Outdoor Recreation Programs

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ParksRCA/default.aspx?id=12726

Events and Attractions

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/ParksRCA/default.aspx?id=13376

In Asheville, cultural and community celebrations are a way of life.  Asheville is home to some of the most widely attended and celebrated festivals in the Southeast. Asheville produces award-winning events, family entertainment and holiday celebrations for Asheville residents and visitors throughout the year.

July 4th Celebration
Asheville invites you and your family downtown for the 4th of July Celebration. The festivities start in the early afternoon and continue throughout the evening. The day will feature live music from some of Asheville’s hottest bands along with a wide range of family activities, a variety of food from area vendors, with a grand fireworks finale.

Bele Chere

Come c elebrate 31 years of beautiful living in July. There are multiple stages, two food courts and hundreds of artists that will take over downtown for Asheville’s annual street party. More than 300,000 people are expected to take in the sights and sounds of one of the Southeast’s largest free festivals.

Asheville Film Festival

www.ashevillefilmfestival.com
The Asheville Film Festival will welcome filmmakers and film lovers to downtown Asheville to celebrate four days of independent films. Parties, networking and educational seminars will highlight the festival. 

Asheville Civic Center

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/departments/civic_center/default.aspx?id=348&ekmensel=8_submenu_50_link_1

The Asheville Civic Center is a regional destination for outstanding entertainment, trade shows and events. The Civic Center offers Western North Carolina diverse entertainment from rock concerts and sporting events to family shows and performing arts. The facility is the heart of downtown Asheville’s arts and entertainment scene.