George Vanderbilt, heir to one of America’s most prominent families at the time, began construction of his iconic Biltmore Estate in the late 1880s. His interest in the area amounted to his tacit social approval of the area set to be his new home. Wealthy businessmen, socialites, movers, and shakers began traveling from Vanderbilt’s previous social hub in New York City to warm and welcoming Asheville. As the century turned and wealth continued to compound, more and more people traveled regularly from NYC to Asheville, NC.
The population of Asheville grew more than 1,000% from 1880 to 1920. And for every new resident, there were nearly 10 tourists seeking out the city’s attractions each year. To keep up with the inflow of tourists, the Land of Sky (nicknamed for its surrounding mountains) began reaching towards the heavens in a new way: with grasping fingers of steel and concrete. During the Gilded Age, the City of Asheville had to grow rapidly in both acreage and height. And many of the features sewn into the city’s fabric were inspired by the financiers’ New York backgrounds and tastes.
Here are four Asheville features (and one that might have been) that bear a striking resemblance to iconic landmarks in Manhattan.
Broadway
New York’s brightly lit Broadway runs the entire length of Manhattan from north to south. The wide street is one of the oldest on the island, predating European settlement. Asheville’s Broadway runs for several blocks, also roughly north to south, through the heart of downtown. It is one of the oldest streets in town, as well. Now known collectively as Highway 25, the road changes its local name a number of times as it runs as far north as Marshall, Hot Springs, and Newport, Tennessee, and as far south as Flat Rock, Greenville, SC, and beyond. Asheville’s Broadway does not feature a world-famous theater district. But Asheville Community Theatre, in operation since 1946, sits just one block back from Broadway.
Lexington Avenue
Lexington Avenue in New York, colloquially known as “Lex”, runs parallel to Broadway through 110 blocks of Manhattan’s East Side. Its most famous moment in popular culture may be from “The Seven Year Itch”. It was on Lex that Marilyn Monroe stood over a subway grate and let her skirt blow in the wind. While there’s Marilyn Monroe never recreated that scene in Asheville, our Lexington Avenue also runs parallel to our Broadway. South Lexington continues for several more blocks, as Broadway changes its name to Biltmore Avenue, running into Southside Avenue near Green Man Brewery’s Green Mansion in the South Slope District.
Wall Street
New York’s Wall Street spans eight blocks through the city’s Financial District and has come to be synonymous with the district itself. While it saw “Black Tuesday” firsthand, Asheville’s markets were also devastated by the Great Crash of 1929. In fact, Asheville shouldered a greater per capita debt burden than any other city in the country. Our Wall Street, however, was never developed as a banking center. Today, the short stretch of cobblestone-lined brick roadway features a variety of boutiques and restaurants. Among our favorites are Laughing Seed Cafe and Early Girl Eatery. And Wall Street’s “cat walk” pays homage to city features long forgotten through a delightful play on words.
Flatiron Building
Built in 1902, New York’s Flatiron Building (originally the Fuller Building) is among the most recognized buildings in the city. Its wedge-like shape is said to resemble that of a cast-iron clothes iron. Asheville has played up that comparison by placing a large bronze clothes iron sculpture in front of our Flatiron Building. Built in 1927 with existing connections to Asheville’s Prohibition era, the building recently underwent extensive renovations and now operates as a boutique hotel. Also in 1927, the building was where country and rock music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers broadcast what would become his first hit. A historical marker memorializing Jimmie Rodgers, the “father of country music,” stands nearby.
Subway System
New York’s underground subway system was one of the first public transit systems in the world. But have you ever taken a ride on Asheville’s underground subway system? If Asheville’s underground is news to you, you’re not alone. As near as local historians can figure, downtown’s once-extensive system of tunnels may have served as experimental subway tunnels for a population accustomed to traveling by underground rail. (It’s also possible that they were simply built piecemeal during Prohibition to run liquor.) However, any transit plans that may have existed were surely abandoned during the Great Depression and any paperwork lost to time. The last access points to Asheville’s underground closed to the public in the 1980s.
Learn More about Asheville’s Literary History on the AVL Lit Tour
Asheville may only have a few physical commonalities with Manhattan, but we’d bet our tour hats that our per capita literary history could match any city’s—even New York!
If you’re interested in learning more about many of the literary greats with connections to our area, we hope you’ll join us on the next AVL Lit Tour. It’s a great way to learn about Asheville-related authors from the 19th century to the present while taking in the sights of the city.