Recently, the National Register of Historic Places — the official list of our nation’s historically and culturally significant spots — added 17 locales in North Carolina to its roster of historic places worthy of preservation. Two of them are right in our backyard, so let’s take a minute to get acquainted.
Craggy Historic District
This cluster of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings in Woodfin sprouted up from 1904 to about the 1940s as a result of the growth of railway routes along the French Broad River. The district is significant for its architecture, consisting of a high amount of early 20th century concrete block buildings. In addition, it’s designated as a “rare surviving example” of a small railway village and the only of its kind still intact in Buncombe County.
Boyce K. and Kitzi McLamb Miller House
Situated between Asheville and Fairview, this home was built in the 1930s as a summer residence by public school employees Boyce K. and Kitzi Miller. So, what’s its significance to the area? The National Register labels it as one of the “largest and most distinctive examples of the Rustic Revival style in Buncombe County.” The two-story log-and-stone home emulates designs made popular by the National Park Service and US Forest Service’s style of construction, often using rocks and timber native to the area.
