National Register of Historic Places listings in Buncombe County, North Carolina facts for kids

Map showing Buncombe County in North Carolina

Buncombe County, located in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, is home to many amazing buildings and places that tell stories from the past. These special spots are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is like a national "hall of fame" for buildings, sites, and objects that are important to American history and culture.

What is the National Register?
Famous Historic Spots
Why are these places important?
Images for kids

What is the National Register?

The National Register of Historic Places is an official list kept by the United States government. It helps protect places that are important for their history, architecture, or what they mean to a community. When a place is added to this list, it means it's recognized as a valuable part of our country's heritage. It also helps make sure these places are cared for and preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Famous Historic Spots

Buncombe County has many cool places on this list, especially in and around the city of Asheville. Let's explore some of them!

The Biltmore Estate

The most famous historic place in Buncombe County is probably the Biltmore Estate. It's a huge mansion built by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800s. It's the largest privately owned house in the United States! The estate includes the grand house, beautiful gardens, and even a village. It was added to the National Register in 1966.

Biltmore Estate: This amazing home is located at One Biltmore Plaza in Asheville. It was listed on October 15, 1966.
Biltmore Estate Office: Found at 10 Biltmore Plaza, this office building is also historic. It was listed on November 15, 1979.
Biltmore Hardware Building: Located at 28-32 Hendersonville Road, this building joined the list on August 21, 2003.
Biltmore Hospital: At 14 All Souls Crescent, this hospital was recognized on September 1, 2005.
Biltmore Industries, Inc.: Located on Grovewood Road, this site was added on February 1, 1980. It was known for making handcrafted items.
Biltmore Shoe Store: This old shoe store at 8 Lodge Street was listed on November 15, 1979.
Biltmore Village Commercial Buildings: These buildings on Brook Street and Biltmore Plaza were listed on November 15, 1979.
Biltmore Village Cottage District: A whole neighborhood of cottages on Swan Street, All Souls Crescent, and Boston Way was listed on November 15, 1979.
Biltmore-Oteen Bank Building: This bank building at 12 Lodge Street was added on November 15, 1979.

Downtown Asheville's History

Downtown Asheville is full of historic buildings that show how the city grew over time. Many of these buildings were important for business, government, or community life.

Arcade Building: Located at Battery Park and Battle Square, this building was listed on May 19, 1976.
Asheville City Hall: The city's government building at City County Plaza was listed on November 7, 1976.
Asheville Transfer and Storage Company Building: This old storage building at 192-194 Coxe Avenue was listed on April 26, 1979.
B & B Motor Company Building: An old car company building at 84-94 Coxe Avenue, listed on April 26, 1979.
Battery Park Hotel: A grand hotel at Battle Square, listed on July 14, 1977.
Broadway Market Building: This building at 201 Broadway was listed on September 1, 2005, but has since been taken down.
Buncombe County Courthouse: The county's main court building at College and Davidson Streets was listed on May 10, 1979.
Conabeer Chrysler Building: An old car dealership at 162-164 Coxe Avenue, listed on April 26, 1979.
Downtown Asheville Historic District: A large area of downtown Asheville, including many streets and buildings, was listed on April 26, 1979. This district has been expanded several times to include more historic areas.
McGeahy Building: Located at 7½ Biltmore Plaza, this building was listed on November 15, 1979.
S & W Cafeteria: A famous old cafeteria on Patton Avenue, listed on March 28, 1977.
Sawyer Motor Company Building: Another old car company building at 100 Coxe Avenue, listed on April 26, 1979.
Southern Railway Passenger Depot: The old train station at 1 Biltmore Plaza, listed on November 15, 1979.
Young Men's Institute Building: This important community building at Market and Eagle Streets was listed on July 14, 1977.

Cool Schools and Colleges

Several schools and colleges in Buncombe County are also recognized for their historical importance.

Asheville High School: The main building of Asheville High School at 419 McDowell Street was listed on April 26, 1996.
Asheville School: The campus of Asheville School, a private boarding school, was listed on June 3, 1996.
Black Mountain College Historic District: This college, located on SR 2468 in Black Mountain, was known for its unique approach to education. It was listed on October 5, 1982.
Buncombe County Boys' Training School: This former school at 177 Erwin Hills Road was listed on September 30, 1997.
Claxton School: Located at 241 Merrimon Avenue, this school was listed on June 4, 1992.
Eliada Home: This home at 2 Compton Drive, which has served children for many years, was listed on April 22, 1993.
Ravenscroft School: The building at 29 Ravenscroft Drive was listed on December 12, 1978.

Other Interesting Buildings

Beyond the big estates and downtown areas, many other individual homes and buildings have unique stories and architectural styles that make them important.

Judge Junius G. Adams House: This house at 11 Stuyvesant Road in Biltmore Forest was listed on October 5, 2001.
Mrs. Minnie Alexander Cottage: Located at 218 Patton Avenue in Asheville, this cottage was listed on December 21, 1989.
Cathedral of All Souls: Also known as All Souls Episcopal Church and Parish House, this beautiful church at 2 Angle Street in Asheville was listed on November 15, 1979.
Clarence Barker Memorial Hospital: This old hospital building at 2-6 Reed Street in Asheville was listed on November 15, 1979.
William E. Breese, Sr., House: This house at 674 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville was listed on April 28, 1980.
William Jennings Bryan House: Located at 107 Evelyn Place in Asheville, this house was listed on June 23, 1983.
Church of St. Lawrence: This church at 97 Haywood Street in Asheville was listed on March 24, 1978. It's known for its unique architecture.
First Baptist Church: This church at Oak and Woodfin Streets in Asheville was listed on July 13, 1976.
Grove Park Inn: A famous hotel on Macon Avenue in Asheville, known for its Arts and Crafts style. It was listed on April 3, 1973.
Kenilworth Inn: This inn at 60 Caledonia Road in Asheville was listed on December 31, 2001.
Monte Vista Hotel: Located at 308 W. State Street in Black Mountain, this hotel was listed on April 30, 2008.
Overlook Castle: This unique home at 710 Town Mountain Road in Asheville was listed on October 22, 1980.
Sherrill's Inn: An old inn located south of Fairview, listed on April 16, 1975.
Smith-McDowell House: This historic house at 283 Victoria Road in Asheville was listed on August 1, 1975.
Thomas Wolfe House: The childhood home of famous author Thomas Wolfe, located at 48 Spruce Street in Asheville. It was listed on November 11, 1971.

Why are these places important?

These historic places are like windows into the past. They help us understand how people lived, worked, and built communities long ago. By preserving them, we keep their stories alive and ensure that future generations can learn from and enjoy these special parts of our history. They also add to the unique character and beauty of Buncombe County.

Images for kids

Mrs. Minnie Alexander Cottage
Cathedral of All Souls
Arcade Building
Asheville City Hall
Asheville High School
Asheville Transfer and Storage Company Building
B & B Motor Company Building
Clarence Barker Memorial Hospital
Battery Park Hotel
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate Office
Biltmore Hardware Building
Biltmore Hospital
Biltmore Industries, Inc.
Biltmore Shoe Store
Biltmore Village Commercial Buildings
Biltmore Village Cottage District
Biltmore-Oteen Bank Building
Black Mountain College
Black Mountain Downtown Historic District
Blake House
Blue Ridge Assembly Historic District
William E. Breese, Sr., House
William Jennings Bryan House
Building at 130-132 Biltmore Avenue
Building at 134-136½ Biltmore Avenue
Building at 140 Biltmore Avenue
Buncombe County Courthouse
Camp Academy
William Nelson Camp, Jr., House
Chestnut Hill Historic District
Church of St. Lawrence
Claxton School
Clingman Avenue Historic District
Conabeer Chrysler Building
Demens-Rumbough-Crawley House
Downtown Asheville Historic District
Douglas Ellington House
Bruce A. and June L. Elmore Lustron House
Fire Station Number 4
First Baptist Church
George A. Mears House
Grove Park Inn
Rafael Guastavino, Sr., Estate
Thomas Jarrett House
Kenilworth Inn
Manor and Cottages
McGeahy Building
Monte Vista Hotel
Montford Area Historic District
Municipal Golf Course
Oteen Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District
Ottari Sanitarium
Overlook Castle
Ravenscroft School
Richbourg Motors Building
Riverside Industrial Historic District
S And W Cafeteria
Sawyer Motor Company Building
Sherrill's Inn
Richard Sharp Smith House
Whitford G. Smith House
Smith-McDowell House
Southern Railway Passenger Depot
Spinning Wheel
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
St. Mary's Church
St. Matthias Episcopal Church
Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church
Weaverville United Methodist Church
West Asheville End of Car Line Historic District
Thomas Wolfe House
Young Men's Institute Building

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Buncombe County, North Carolina Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.