Hey, history buffs. Submit your unofficial historical locations around town.
Have you ever looked at a local spot and thought, “This place deserves to be commemorated?” Our city is full of legendary locations — many of which are indicated by historical markers. Historical markers reveal significant places, streets, neighborhoods, buildings, businesses, and cultural events from the past or present. Think: The Block, Appalachian Stage in front of City Hall, or the cats on Wall Street.
But not all significant areas get the attention they deserve, and given recent events, many Asheville locations have taken on new importance. What about a permanent tribute to the Flood Back Love mural in the RAD? Or a marker for O.Henry’s, NC’s oldest gay bar? Or for Stumptown, the former Black neighborhood adjacent to Montford? We want to put these places on the map — literally.
Rules + details
Submit your historic place for a chance to be featured nationwide on our historical marker map. Our favorite submissions will then be included in our newsletter, where we’ll put it to a vote. Who knows? Maybe it will receive an official historical marker.
Submissions are open through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Finalists will be selected by our team and announced in our newsletter. These finalists will then go head-to-head in a vote for our readers’ favorite. The winner will be announced later in December. No promises that it will get an actual historical marker, but it will be one in our hearts.
Want to know more about official historical markers around town? Check out the Historical Marker Database.
The results
The votes are in for the AVLtoday historical markers contest. Check out the finalists below, including the contest winner decided by your votes.
Winner: Flood Back Love Memorial
You all voted that this heartfelt tribute to Asheville’s strength and resilience is deserving of a historical marker.
“The aftermath of Helene will be with us for generations to come. But one aspect we will not want to forget is the love and help that poured in too,” shared reader Brandi A., who nominated the location.
Finalist: Carolina Bed & Breakfast
The bed and breakfast earned the second most votes. The house, designed by Richard Sharp Smith, was the childhood home of the celebrated luxury jewelry designer David Webb, who decked out ladies like Elizabeth Taylor in diamonds.
Finalist: Asheville Sports Club and Ben’s Tune Up
Even though these spots are new in the scheme of history, reader Deb K. nominated these businesses for the impact they made when Helene brought historic flooding. Both businesses offered their space to distribute thousands of hot meals to the community with the help of World Central Kitchen and Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue.
It doesn’t stop there — we got more submissions than these. Just check out our map of unofficial historical locations — both locally and across the nation.
