#10 - Pack Square Park

#10- Pack Square Park

   Pack Square Park is called Asheville’s front yard and a place where history meets the future. The history of our park is old – in 1901 George Pack gave the city some land on which to build a courthouse.  The terms of the gift required the county to demolish the old courthouse, build a new one and keep the rest of the land a public park forever.  Over the years there have been many dreams and visions of renovating this public space, but cost and disagreements over what it should look like kept anything from happening.

   Finally, in 1999 when a water leak under the old large fountain led to erosion underground and problems for surrounding roads city leaders and local activists got serious about redoing the six and a half acres of land.  In 2000 the Pack Square Conservancy was established as a nonprofit agency responsible for designing, building and funding the park.  They held 24 separate workshops to get citizen input and develop a community vision of what the park should look like. Not surprisingly, it took five years to reach agreement and come up with funds to start the work!

   Another four years went by as the park was closed off area by area as the work progressed (or didn’t according to local business owners.)  Since this park is located right smack in the middle of downtown it was a huge eyesore to both locals and tourists alike. Businesses located around the area had to contend with temporary fencing, closed streets and sidewalks and conditions that made their stores and restaurants virtually inaccessible for a good part of those four years.  The initial estimate in 2004 to complete the park was $12.5 million but by 2007 rocketing construction costs bumped that up to an astronomical $20.5 million!!

   Today we have an incredibly beautiful space to enjoy the outdoors during a lunch break, walk the dog, people watch, or have a picnic on a nice day. It is a space that serves as a perfect complement to my favorite building, City Hall. The park is divided up into three distinct areas.  Roger McGuire Green is located directly in front of the government buildings, Reuter Terrace located mid-park, and finally Pack Square the most historic section of the park.  Each section has its own unique features and functions as well as its own artwork and in future posts I will highlight each one.    

The grand opening of the park was held on May 28, 2011 featuring our local jazz sensation, Kat Williams in concert.  Since then we have seen Tai Chi classes, Shindig on the Green, the Beer City Festival, Church Services, the Symphony and a wide variety of other events being held in this wonderful new space.  For more than a century this park has been a dream of the citizens and city planning agencies. Now it is reality and it was worth the wait!

“It was easy to take the plunge into a park of national significance,” “Why? Because the people behind it, the people of Asheville, had a vision in the very beginning and they wouldn’t let go of it. They wanted a great park. Nothing short of that would do.” Fred Bonci

#9- Urban Trail

#9- The Urban Trail

   Ashville is known as an arts destination and the Urban Trail was created as a public art walking tour of downtown. Started by a group of volunteers it highlights the unique architecture, historic events and people of the city.  It began in 1989 when leaders with a vision were in the process of revitalizing our downtown area and it was completed in 2002.

   The Urban Trail is divided up into five eras each of which is identified by a symbol carved into pink granite blocks that are placed in the sidewalk for you to follow. The eras include the history of each period and the important milestones in Asheville history. A horseshoe represents the Frontier period which took place when the state of NC first began selling land grants to what would eventually become Asheville.  A feather represents the Gilded Age which began at a time when families of wealth and influence began moving into the area. Naturally, an angel represents the Times of Thomas Wolfe which details the life of the author and Asheville native whose novel “Look Homeward Angel” closely resembled his hometown. Our fabulous court house signifies the Era of Civic Pride which pays tribute to the great sense of pride we have in our city. Finally, an eagle represents the Era of Diversity which showcases our emphasis on individuality and diversity while emphasizing the contributions the African American community made.

   There are 30 stops on the 1.7 mile Urban Trail and takes about two hours to complete. Each stop is represented by a bronze plaque or a piece of art.  This tour can be self-guided or led by local Ashevillians and is perfect for any history buff or architecture lover, local or tourist, downtown stroller or urban explorer alike. Asheville's history is rich and utilizing a map to navigate the stops that take you all around downtown is a fabulous way to spend a few hours and learn a little something in the process!

   A couple of my favorite stops are Past and Promise which shows a little girl drinking from a horse head fountain and was chosen to represent the future of Asheville. Shopping Daze shows three frenzied shopping ladies and their dog. It depicts a time when Haywood Road, where it is located, was the regions fashionable shopping district and celebrates the return of our vibrant downtown. It is also located outside my favorite bookstore, Malaprop's! Finally, the Flat Iron is a replica of one used by a local laundry and reflects the nearby Flat Iron Building. This statue always draws a crowd of tourists getting their pictures taken or one of our local buskers performing in front of it and drawing a crowd of their own. Once you complete the trail I am sure you will compile your own list of favorites!

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

#8- The Biltmore Estate - "the House"

#7- Biltmore Estate – “the House”

   How lucky are we to have America’s largest privately owned home right here in our own backyard? The Biltmore is a 250 room, 175,000 square foot, four story home surrounded by spectacular beauty nested into the Blue Ridge Mountains. The estate was built at a time when no income tax existed and the wealthy were able to live a very opulent life indeed.

   The estate was built for George Washington Vanderbilt and took hundreds of workers six years to finally complete in 1895. Now a National Historic Landmark the home is lovingly preserved and offers visitors a glimpse into a different time of style and privilege.  Lovers of antiques, fine art, statues, oriental rugs and china will be amazed at the collections exhibited here.

   Vanderbilt used to make visits to the Asheville area and he loved the mountains and climate so much he decided to build a “summer estate” here. He affectionately referred to the mansion as his “little mountain escape.”  The idea was to replicate the working estates of Europe and architect Richard Morris Hunt was hired to do the job. Originally the estate included its own village which is now located outside the gates called Biltmore Village with lots of shops and restaurants. It also had its own church now called Cathedral of All Souls also located in the Village.

   The house was first opened to the public in 1930 and family members continued to live there till 1956 when it was permanently opened to the public as a house museum. I often wonder what it was like for Cornelia Vanderbilt, the only child of George and Edith to grow up in a house like that. Hosting birthday parties, sleepovers and playing hide and seek in a house that size must have been a real adventure. With 34 bedroom, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces there certainly would be lots of places to hide- you might never be found!!

   Some of my favorite parts of the house are the indoor swimming pool which held over 70,000 gallons of water as well as the indoor bowling alley and the exercise room. Tours of the kitchen, pantry, laundry and servants quarters are also very enjoyable and enlightening. Of course, there is NOTHING like the Biltmore at Christmas. A 35 foot tall Christmas tree in the Banquet Hall is a sight to behold and every single room is decorated and dressed up for the holidays. You can go back every year and inevitably see something new you had never noticed before.

   Not surprisingly the Biltmore Estate was the most visited attraction in NC. This was the seventh year in a row that they won this honor. In 2010 alone over 1.1 million people visited the estate. Numerous movies have been filmed there including Hannibal, Patch Adams, Forest Gump and Richie Rich. When you see it for yourself it is easy to understand why!

“At its core, Biltmore will always have the natural beauty of the mountains as well as the majestic house and gardens to inspire us and allow us to escape from the every day.” Bill Cecil President & CEO The Biltmore Company

# 7- Mardi Gras Asheville Style

#7- Mardi Gras Asheville Style

   Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday and it refers to the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before fasting and the beginning of Lent. These days it is more about various cultures coming together to celebrate the things that make them unique and uniting them under the common theme of people who like to have fun, enjoy each other and have a great time.

   While not observed nationally throughout the US, Asheville does make the most of this holiday. The Mystic Mountain Krewe is an all-volunteer community based organization made up of New Orleans ex-pats, aficionados of that culture, and folks who just LOVE a good party! The mere mention of the words Mardi Gras evoke images of wild parties, beads and chocolate flying through the air as well as people dressed in crazy costumes.

   This year’s theme for our parade is “Homegrown, Fancy and Free.”  From the humble beginnings of the first parade in 2006 with only 75 participants today it has become an all out bash with many elaborately costumed partygoers. Our celebration is all about community and fun. Mystic Mountain Krewe calls themselves an arts and culture group that is dedicated to strengthening community connections by using creativity, frivolity and celebration. Our parade is a zany, irreverent celebration at the end of winter and is family friendly with none of the alcohol or nudity seen in New Orleans. Even though parade day was cold and dreary with over 2 inches of rain earlier in the day, not to mention a dusting of snow, the show went on and many hardy souls came out to participate or to watch.

   With the large number of New Orleans expatriates here we offer a number of events around town from the parade to fundraising balls, restaurant specials and bakeries offering the popular King Cake. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005 many New Orleans natives relocated to the Asheville area so we have developed a special affinity for that culture. We may not have voodoo dolls in our gift shops but we have always loved a good party and any excuse to dress up in outrageous costumes! A tragedy may have brought some New Orleans natives to our city but our beautiful mountain scenery and vibrant music and arts culture kept them here and our city is richer for that addition.

   So, Laissez les bon temps rouler, or in English, let the good times roll!

“I have trouble explaining to out-of-towners why people here spend $1,000 to wear a mask so no one knows who they are, and then give away things to people they’ve never met. But I guess it’s an opportunity for everybody to play Santa Claus. That’s at the heart of it.” ~ Arthur Hardy