Featured Apartment:
North Carolina NO FEE - "Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn". Sounds like a catchy tune, but if you seek uncommon, great value, fully furnished rooms, look no further. North Carolina's exceptional hotel alternative, studio units contain Maple cabinets, Blue Sapphire granite, All Stainless Steel appliances, Italian lighting, White Color TV/VCR; as well as all utilities, free phone, cable, HSD Modem hook up, and Concierge services. Maid service available. Available short-term starting at: $300 per week. View More Listings -->
Renting an Apartment in Asheville
What You Should Know
Asheville is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and is its county
seat. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 68,889. It is
the largest city in western North Carolina, and continues to grow. As of 2005,
the Census Bureau estimates that Asheville's population is 72,231 [1].
Asheville pops up on national rankings for a variety of things: Modern Maturity
named it one of "The 50 Most Alive Places To Be,"[2] AmericanStyle Magazine
called it one of "America's Top 25 Arts Destinations,"[3] Self Magazine labeled
it the "Happiest City for Women,"[4] it is one of AARP Magazine's "Best Places
to Reinvent Your Life,"[5] and was proclaimed the "New Freak Capital of the
U.S." by Rolling Stone. Asheville has also been called "a New Age Mecca" by CBS
News' Eye On America,[6] and named the "most vegetarian-friendly" small city in
America.[7]
History
Before the arrival of Europeans, the land where Asheville now exists lay within
the boundaries of Cherokee country.[8] In 1540, Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto
came to the area, bringing the first European visitors,[9] in addition to
European diseases which seriously depleted the native population.[10] As the
Cherokee were eventually dominated by European settlers, the area was used as an
open hunting ground until the middle of the 19th century.[11]
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. Though the town was not officially
designated "Asheville" until 1797. 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 (named after Davidson's father General John Davidson) 16 miles
away.
In response to the killing, Davidson's twin brother Major William Davidson and
brother-in-law Colonel Daniel Smith formed an expedition to retrieve Samuel
Davidson's body and avenge his murder. 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.
Over the course of years, more settlers came to the area. The United States
Census of 1790 counted 1,000 residents of the area, excluding the Cherokee. The
county of Buncombe 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.[12][13]
While Asheville prospered in the 1910s and 1920s, the Great Depression hit
Asheville quite hard. Most of Asheville's banks closed. The 'per capita' debt
held by the city (through municipal bonds) was the highest of any city in the
nation. Rather than default, the city paid those debts over a period of 50
years. From the start of the Depression through the 1980s, economic growth in
Asheville was slow. During this time of financial stagnation, most of the
buildings in the downtown district remained unaltered. This resulted in one of
the most impressive, comprehensive collections of Art Deco architecture in the
United States.
In 2005, alleged bomber Eric Robert Rudolph was transported to Asheville from
Murphy, North Carolina for arraignment in federal court. In September 2004,
major flooding was reported in town, particularly at Biltmore Village, due to
rains from the remnants of Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan.
Asheville has adopted at least two nicknames over its history:
* The Land of the Sky, based on a book of the same name written by Frances
Fisher Tieran (nom de plume Christian Reid).
* The Paris of the South (also used by New Orleans, Louisiana and Charleston,
South Carolina).
General information
The city is known for the lavish Biltmore Estate, which attracts hundreds of
thousands of tourists each year. Other notable architecture in Asheville
includes its Art Deco city hall and other unique buildings in the downtown area.
The Montford neighborhood and other central areas are considered historic
districts and include Victorian houses. Asheville and the surrounding mountains
are also extremely popular in the autumn when fall foliage peaks in October. The
scenic Blue Ridge Parkway runs through the Asheville area and the grounds of
Biltmore Estate. Biltmore Village is a section of the city adjacent to the
estate, where workers stayed during its construction. It is currently home to
small trendy shops.
The Asheville Citizen-Times is Asheville's daily newspaper which covers most of
Western North Carolina. The Mountain Xpress is Asheville's award-winning
alternative newsweekly, which covers arts and politics in the region. The
Asheville Global Report is a local, independent newspaper, that has been
publishing for over a decade. It is the recipient of 10 Project Censored Awards
and is run primarily by volunteers.
Asheville is served by Asheville Regional Airport in nearby Fletcher, North
Carolina, and by Interstate 40, Interstate 240, and Interstate 26. A milestone
was achieved in 2003 when Interstate 26 was extended from Mars Hill (north of
Asheville) to Johnson City, Tennessee completing a 20-year half-billion dollar
construction project through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Work continues to improve
Interstate 26 from Mars Hill to Interstate 40 by improving U.S. Route 19 and
U.S. Route 23 and the western part of Interstate 240. This construction will
include a multi-million dollar bridge to cross the French Broad River and is not
slated to start until 2008.[14]
Geography
Asheville is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains at the confluence of the
Swannanoa River and the French Broad River. According to the United States
Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 107.0 km² (41.3 mi²). 106.0 km²
(40.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is
0.94% water.
Climate
Asheville's weather resembles the weather of the rest of the southeastern U.S.,
but with somewhat cooler temperatures due to the higher altitude. The highest
recorded temperature in Asheville was 99ºF (37ºC) in 1983, and the lowest
recorded temperature was -17ºF (-27ºC) in 1985. In winter, temperatures may fall
below freezing, and Asheville almost always receives snow and freezing rain a
few times each year.
Neighborhoods
* Central - includes the neighborhoods of Downtown, Montford, and Kenilworth.
Montford was designated a local historic district by the Asheville City Council
in 1980.
* North - includes the neighborhoods of Albemarle Park, Beaverdam, Grove Park,
and Kimberly. Albemarle Park was designated a local historic district by the
Asheville City Council in 1989.
* South - includes the neghborhoods of Biltmore Village, Reynolds, and Skyland.
Biltmore Village was designated a local historic district by the Asheville City
Council in 1987.
* East - includes the neighborhoods of Haw Creek, Oakley, and Oteen.
* West - includes the neighborhoods of Emma, Malvern Hills, and West Asheville.
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 68,889 people, 30,690 households, and
16,726 families residing in the city. The population density was 650.0/km²
(1,683.4/mi²). There were 33,567 housing units at an average density of
316.7/km² (820.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.95% White, 17.61%
African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander,
1.53% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of
any race were 3.76% of the population.
There were 30,690 households out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18
living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female
householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 36.8% of all
households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who
was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the
average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 10.3%
from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65
years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there
were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,772, and the median income
for a family was $44,029. Males had a median income of $30,463 versus $23,488
for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,024. About 10.3% of
families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including
20.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Metropolitan Area
Asheville is the largest city located within the Asheville MSA (Metropolitan
Statistical Area). The MSA includes Buncombe County; Haywood County; Henderson
County; and Madison County; with a combined population - as of the 2005
population estimate - 392,831.
Apart from Asheville, the MSA includes Hendersonville and Waynesville, along
with a number of smaller incorporated towns: Biltmore Forest, Black Mountain,
Canton, Clyde, Flat Rock, Fletcher, Hot Springs, Laurel Park, Maggie Valley,
Mars Hill, Marshall, Montreat, Weaverville, and Woodfin.
Several sizable unincorporated rural and suburban communities are also located
nearby: Arden, Barnardsville (incorporated until 1970), Bent Creek, Candler,
Enka, Fairview, Jupiter (incorporated until 1970), Oteen, Skyland, and
Swannanoa.
Though technically beyond the boundaries of the MSA, a number of other nearby
towns, including Brevard (an hour drive) and Old Fort (a 30 minute drive) are
also often considered part of the Asheville region.
Asheville is also part of the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson-Asheville
Designated Market Area (DMA), a grouping corresponding to TV and radio markets.
Education
Asheville and its surrounding area is home to several institutions of higher
education.
* Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (Asheville, NC)
* Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, NC: 1933-1957)
* Brevard College (Brevard, NC)
* Mars Hill College (Mars Hill, NC)
* Montreat College (Montreat, NC)
* South College (Asheville, NC)
* University of North Carolina at Asheville (Asheville, NC)
* Warren Wilson College (Swannanoa, NC)
* Western Carolina University (Cullowhee, NC)
Public and Private Schools
Asheville has several public schools. The Asheville City Schools district
includes Asheville High School, Asheville Middle School, and several elementary
schools. Asheville High has been ranked by Newsweek Magazine as one of the top
100 high schools in the United States. The Buncombe County School system
operates high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools both inside and
outside the city of Asheville, including six additional high schools: A. C.
Reynolds, C. D. Owen, C. A. Erwin, Enka, North Buncombe and T. C. Roberson. Each
high school has, as feeder schools, a middle school and several elementary
schools. A. C. Reynolds High School has two feeder middle schools (Cane Creek
Middle School and A.C. Reynolds Middle School), as does T. C. Roberson (Cane
Creek Middle School and Valley Springs Middle School). The school year usually
begins in mid-August, and typically ends in late May or early June.
Two private residential high schools are located in the Asheville area: the
all-male Christ School (located in Arden) and the coeducational Asheville
School. Each offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and enrolls
boarding students from around the world in addition to local day students.
Several other private schools, including Rainbow Mountain Children's School,
Asheville Christian Academy, Hanger Hall School for Girls, The New Classical
Academy and Carolina Day School, enroll local day students. In addition, New
City Christian School is a private school whose mission is to educate low-income
students.
Asheville is also home to several charter schools, including Francine Delany New
School for Children, one of the first charter schools in North Carolina.
Local culture
Music
Live music is a significant element in the tourism-based economy of Asheville
and the surrounding area. Seasonal festivals and numerous nightclubs offer
opportunities for visitors and locals to attend a wide variety of live
entertainment events.[16]
Asheville is host to numerous clubs and performance venues. Outdoor festivals,
such as Bele Chere and the Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival, feature local
music. One of the most popular annual events is "Shindig on the Green," which
happens Saturday nights during July and August on City/County Plaza. By
tradition, the Shindig starts "along about sundown" and features local bluegrass
bands and dance teams on stage, and informal jam sessions under the trees
surrounding the County Courthouse.
DJ music, as well as a small, but active, dance community are also components of
the downtown musical landscape. The town is also home to the Asheville Symphony
and the Asheville Lyric Opera and there are a number of bluegrass, country, and
traditional mountain musicians in the Asheville area.
Sports
Area colleges and universities, such as the University of North Carolina at
Asheville compete in sports. UNCA's sports teams are known as the Bulldogs and
play in the Big South Conference. The Fighting Owls of Warren Wilson College are
respected for their mountain biking and ultimate teams. The College is also home
of the Hooter Dome, where the Owls play their home basketball games.
Asheville boasts several club sports with generally open membership including
Asheville Rugby, Asheville Rowing Club, Asheville Lacrosse Club, Asheville Track
Club, and the Asheville Ultimate Community. The Asheville Lightning Junior
Olympic Team is open to boys and girls from 6 to 18 can participate.
Due to its location among the tallest mountains of the eastern United States and
receiving 80-100 inches of annual rainfall, Asheville is a major hub of
whitewater recreation, particularly whitewater kayaking, in the eastern US. Many
kayak manufacturers have their bases of operation in the Asheville area
[citation needed] and some of the most distinguished whitewater kayakers live in
or around Asheville, including Shane Benedict, Woody Calloway, Robert Pearson,
Al Gregory, Pat Keller, Buffy Bailey Burge, Andrew Holcombe, Tommy Hilleke,
Andria Baldovin, Anna Levesque, Whitney Lonsdale, Maria Nokes, Katie Hilleke,
Jennifer Cribbs and Molly Malone.[17] In its July/August 2006 journal, the group
American Whitewater named Asheville one of the top five US whitewater cities
along with Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Chico/Oroville, California; Boise, Idaho and
Washington, DC.[18]
Film & TV
Although the area has had a long history with the entertainment industry, recent
developments are cementing Asheville as a potential growth area for both film
and TV. The Asheville Film Festival is now in its third year, and the city is an
annual participant in the 48 Hour Film Project. The city's public access cable
station URTV began airing programs in the spring of 2006. Notable films made (at
least partially) in the area include: Searching for Angela Shelton, Last of the
Mohicans, Being There, My Fellow Americans, The Fugitive, All The Real Girls,
Richie Rich, Conquest of Canaan, Hannibal, Songcatcher, Patch Adams, The Journey
of August King, Nell, Forrest Gump, Mr. Destiny, Winter People, Dirty Dancing,
Bull Durham, The Private Eyes, The Swan, The Clearing, and 28 Days. Locally
produced films include: Vance, The Devil's Courthouse, Inbred Rednecks,
Sinkhole, The Nudger, Ether, Brother Cellophane and For Catherine, as well as a
number of forthcoming projects such as Moon Europa, Golden Blade III: Return of
the Monkey's Uncle and Asheville, The Movie. Local film-production groups
include: Tabula Rasa Studios, B-clip Productions, 207 Pictures, A Viewpoint
Productions, Blue Ridge Motion Pictures, Ironwood Media Group, Harrow Beauty,
and Buried Pictures. Asheville is also home to the Asheville Film Festival.
Famous residents
* Harry Anderson (1952- ), actor and magician, currently residing in Asheville
* Hobey Ford, puppeteer, based near Asheville
* Charles Frazier (1950- ), author, born in Asheville and graduated from UNC-A.
* F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940), author
* Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, died in a fire in an
Asheville mental institution
* Roberta Flack (1937- ), singer, born in Asheville
* Eileen Fulton (1933- ), actress, born in Asheville
* Warren Haynes (1960- ), musician, spent his formative years in Asheville
* Stephen Leicht, NASCAR driver, born in Asheville
* Andie MacDowell (1958- ), actress, currently residing in Biltmore Forest
* Robert Moog (1934-2005), pioneer of electronic music, inventor of the Moog
synthesizer
* Robert Morgan (1918-2004), pilot of the "Memphis Belle," the famed WWII B-17
bomber
* Shirley Hemphill (1947-1999), actress, born in Asheville
* Robert Pressley (1959- ), retired NASCAR driver, born in Asheville
* Artimus Pyle (1948- ), musician, currently resides in Asheville
* Angela Shelton (1972- ), actress and producer
* George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862-1914), entrepreneur, original founder of
the Biltmore Estate
* Charles Vernon, musician, an Asheville native
* Roy Williams, University of North Carolina basketball coach, grew up in
Biltmore Forest
* Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938), author, born and raised in Asheville
Points of interest
* Biltmore Estate
* Botanical Gardens at Asheville
* North Carolina Arboretum
* Vance Monument
* Pack Square
* Blue Ridge Parkway
* Thomas Wolfe Memorial
* Asheville Urban Trail
* Riverside Cemetery
* Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center
* Smith-McDowell House Museum
* Richmond Hill Inn