Montford Area Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Montford Area Historic District
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Homewood School Building
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Irregular pattern along Montford Ave., Asheville, North Carolina |
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| Built | 1848 |
| Architect | Smith, Richard Sharp; et al. |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Colonial Revival;Bungalow |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000991 |
| Added to NRHP | November 25, 1977 |
The Montford Area Historic District is a special neighborhood in Asheville, North Carolina. It's mostly a place where people live, and it's recognized as an important historical area. This means its buildings and history are protected. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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History of Montford
The exact origin of the name Montford is not known. In 1893, Montford became its own small village. It was located just north of Asheville. This tiny community had about 50 people. Most of them were local business owners and their families.
How Montford Grew
In 1889, a company called the Asheville Loan, Construction, and Improvement Company started to develop the area. They bought large pieces of undeveloped land. Then, they divided the land into smaller lots to sell. This project didn't do very well at first.
Later, a wealthy lumber businessman named George Willis Pack took over. He moved to Asheville in 1885. George Willis Pack is famous for being a kind person who gave money to help the community. He helped build the Asheville Library. He also donated land for Montford Park. This park is at the southern end of Montford Avenue.
Montford Joins Asheville
In 1905, the village of Montford officially became part of the city of Asheville. Montford lost its independent identity. A few buildings from the original village still exist today.
Most of the 600 buildings in the district are homes. They were built between 1890 and 1920. The people who bought land in Montford were mostly middle-class. They were people like business owners, lawyers, and doctors. Some architects also lived there.
Famous author Thomas Wolfe wrote about some Montford residents in his book Look Homeward, Angel. Old city records show that Montford had a mix of people. There were working-class citizens and highly paid professionals. Both white and Black residents lived there.
Highland Hospital Fire
Even though Montford is mostly homes, it has always had different types of buildings. The old Highland Hospital was located here. In 1948, a terrible fire happened at the hospital. Among the victims was Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Becoming a Historic District
In 1977, a large part of the Montford neighborhood was named a Historic District. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as important across the country. In 1981, the Asheville City Council also made it a local historic district.
Today, the Montford community is home to many houses and businesses. You can find many bed and breakfasts there.
Montford's Architecture
Montford is often called a "Victorian" neighborhood. While it has some Victorian features, this term doesn't fully describe it. Montford is more like a late-Victorian and post-Victorian suburb. The architects and builders were inspired by many new styles. These styles were popular across the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Architectural Styles
The neighborhood shows Asheville's diverse character from that time. You can see artistic influences from famous architects. These include Bruce Price, Bernard Maybeck, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Their ideas were not common in other parts of North Carolina.
The Rankin House at 192 Elizabeth Street is the oldest home in Montford. It was built around 1846. It is in the Greek Revival style with some Italianate details.
When Montford started growing quickly in 1889, the Queen Anne style was very popular. This style has many variations. It often features irregular shapes and rooflines. You might see corner towers, mixed wall textures, and lots of decorations.
Richard Sharp Smith's Influence
An English architect named Richard Sharp Smith came to Asheville in the late 1800s. He greatly influenced the city's buildings. He was the supervising architect for the famous Biltmore Estate. After that, he opened his own office. Some homes in Montford were designed by him. He often used gambrel roofs, hipped gables, and walls made of pebbledash or stucco. He also liked heavy porch brackets and simple Colonial Revival details.
Many houses in Montford use shingles, stone, stucco, and natural colors. They often have an informal design.
Shingle and Colonial Revival Styles
Many important houses in the district are in the Shingle style. This shows that the town was doing well. It also shows that architects and clients knew about this popular trend.
A variety of houses in Montford are in the Colonial Revival style. This style became popular in the early 1900s. The first examples of this style look informal. They are known for their gambrel roofs and shingle wall coverings.
The Montford Hills area was developed in the 1920s. It includes designs similar to Montford's original homes.
Highland Hospital
Besides homes, the historic Highland Hospital was also in Montford. It was first called 'Dr. Carroll's Sanitorium' and opened in 1909. It was renamed Highland Hospital in 1912. The hospital campus included Dr. Carroll's home. Jazz singer Nina Simone studied piano there with Carroll's wife. In 1939, Dr. Carroll gave the hospital to Duke University.
The hospital is most known for a 1948 fire. Zelda Fitzgerald and eight other patients died in this fire. Duke University sold the property in the 1980s. Today, Highland Hall (as it's now called) is a stop on the Asheville Historic Trolley Tours.
Riverside Cemetery
The district also includes the Riverside Cemetery. This cemetery is about 87 acres (35 hectares) and was started in 1885. Thirteen thousand people are buried there.
Many famous people are buried in Riverside Cemetery. These include authors Thomas Wolfe and William Sydney Porter (known as O. Henry). You can also find former North Carolina governor and Senator Zebulon Baird Vance here. Other notable figures include Confederate generals and Lillian Exum Clement. She was the first woman elected to the North Carolina state legislature. George Masa, a photographer known for pictures of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is also buried here.
Gallery
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Acupuncture Clinic
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Rumbaugh House
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The Black Walnut B&B
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The Lion & The Rose B&B
