“[Jupiter] received its name in about 1885 or 1888, by Old North McCLean (sic), he being the first post master. His theory for naming the settlement Jupiter was that it is of a very high altitude and from the post office you could gain a very plain view of the Jupiter star that rose in the north east. There was about three or four men present at the time… they agreed and it was called ‘Jupiter Post Office.’”
Edwin Wiley Grove had a grand vision. After striking it rich in the patent medicine business he began to invest in real estate, a hot market in the Southern United States throughout the 1880s and into the 1920s. Grove purchased property in a number of major cities, including Atlanta. And although his famous tasteless chill … Continue reading A Model Letter from a Model Village, Grovemont on Swannanoa: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
If you were taking a trip to Burnsville from Asheville between 1847 and 1890 there was, for the most part, only one way to get there. Along the road, there would be a few choice places to stop, but the most famous was Carter’s. It was, like most other Stock Stands along the various turnpike … Continue reading A Trip to the Store in Democrat, 1876: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
Many of our 52 Weeks 52 Communities posts have been about rediscovering the origins of the names of our communities in Buncombe County. This week is no different. Deaverview, a community in West Asheville seemed straightforward in this regard: figure out who Deaver is, and call it a day. But, sometimes it’s not that easy. … Continue reading Deaver’s View//Deaverview, A Peek into the Process: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
The voices of our community members are one way we learn about our past. Eleanor Newcomb Rice knew this, and made it her work to collect the voices of "Old Candlertown" for many years. Rice was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1924, but when she was young, her parents moved her and her three older … Continue reading Voices from Old Candlertown: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
When you think of Biltmore Forest the first thing that comes to mind is probably a sea of early 20th century wealthy white golfers. In this week's edition of 52 Weeks, 52 Communities we're sharing an Oral History from our archives that sheds light on the construction of Biltmore Forest by African American workers. Take a look … Continue reading Building Biltmore Forest: 52 Weeks, 52 Communities
March is Women's History Month, and I would never forgive myself if I didn't share some of the amazing photos we have in our collection of some of the incredible women who lived their lives, in whole or part, in the Biltmore Village community. Beyond the "Lady on the Hill" there are some fascinating stories … Continue reading “You Have to Start a Thing” a Quick Introduction to Some Self-Starting Ladies of Biltmore Village: 52 Weeks 52 Communities
Fetching its name from Hezekiah Barnard, who owned stock stand and inn near the Forks of Ivy in the 19th century, Barnardsville is one of Buncombe County’s most rural communities. Things get a little fuzzy on where exactly Barnardsville ends and Democrat and Dillingham begin, but we'll get into that when we look at those … Continue reading 52 Weeks, 52 Communities: Barnardsville,What’s in the North Carolina Collection?
Are any of these people your relatives? Former graduates of Stephens-Lee High School, educational achievements and biographical information. We felt very fortunate to find these photographs, as well as the information regarding when these early graduates of Stephens-Lee completed their studies. The further information about their later educational attainments and what the were doing … Continue reading Asheville Black Family History and Stephens-Lee High School Graduates
