Friends of Lexington Avenue

Oh, paw-lease 🐶

The history of North Carolina’s state dog
nc-state-dog-plott-hound-avltoday-asheville
Plott Hounds are characterized by their brindled coat. | Photo courtesy of the Buncombe County Special Collections
Recently, Reader’s Digest released a list of The Most Popular Dog Breeds in Every State, and can you guess which pooch Tar Heels love most? According to RD, the Labrador Retriever claims the top spot in the Old North State. 🐶 While rescue is my absolute favorite breed, I was a little surprised the Plott Hound didn’t make the cut, considering it’s NC’s official dog. Let’s get acquainted with the state’s canine representative.

Plott Hound fast facts:
  • They typically weigh between 40-60 lbs + live 12-14 years.
  • They are known for their alert, intelligent + loyal temperament.
  • They were originally bred by Germans to be hunting dogs.
  • The breed was officially named NC’s state dog in 1989.
So how did they come to be? Legend has it that the dogs came to the region by German immigrants who brought along their Hanoverian hounds. Notably, Johannes George Plott made his way to neighboring Haywood County in the mid-1700s, where he began breeding dogs to be wild boar hunters. Plott reportedly kept the strain pure, and in 1780, he passed his Plott Hounds along to his son, Henry, who settled along the Pigeon River, near where the town of Canton is located today.

Henry and his family ultimately set up their permanent home in a section which is now known as the Plott Creek area (between Richland + Dick’s Creek). The Plott family and the neighboring communities relied on the hounds to protect their livestock and rid their farms of wildlife attackers like wolves, wildcats, and coyotes. Henry’s dogs were so beloved in the community that the National Park Service erected an interpretive sign at mile marker 457.9 honoring him + his family.
MORE DOGGONE GOOD PLOTT HOUND FACTS
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MB Haynes

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Today
  • Negroni Week | Mon., Sept. 12-Sat., Sept. 17 | 12-8 p.m. | Oak and Grist Distilling Co., 1556 Grovestone Rd., Black Mountain | Free | Enjoy classic negronis and special variations while supporting various charities. 🥃
Tuesday
Wednesday
  • 1 Million Cups | Wed., Sept. 14 | 9-10 a.m. | Hatch Innovation Hub, 45 S. French Broad Ave. | Free | Meet with local entrepreneurs and hear from the Analog Extended Realities team while enjoying coffee. ☕
  • Discussion Bound: The Art Prophets by Richard Polsky | Wed., Sept. 14 | 12-1 p.m. | Asheville Art Museum | Free for members or cost of admission | Author Richard Polsky explores the impact of late twentieth-century dealers and tastemakers on the art world. 🖼️
Thursday
  • Under the Stars Fall Fundraiser | Thurs., Sept. 15 | Highland Brewing Company | 6-10 p.m. | 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. | $55+ | An annual fundraiser for the Asheville Museum of Science that will include dinner + drinks, a silent auction, an appearance from retired NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham, and live music.
  • Ween | Thurs., Sept. 15 | 7 p.m. | The Orange Peel | Prices vary*
Friday
  • Downtown After 5 | Fri., Sept. 16 | 5-9:30 p.m. | N. Lexington Ave., Downtown Asheville | Free | The last installment of the 2022 Downtown After 5 events, featuring live music from Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience and local DJ Molly Parti. 🎶
  • Jack White | Fri., Sept. 16 | 7 p.m. | The Orange Peel | Prices vary*
Saturday
  • Art in Autumn | Sat., Sep. 17 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Downtown Weaverville | Free | The 15th annual Art in Autumn Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival is a much loved event held on Main Street in downtown Weaverville.*
Plan Ahead
  • National Gingerbread House Competition | Mon., Nov. 21 | TBD | Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave. | Free | All are welcome to compete in the 30th annual National Gingerbread House Competition for a chance to win $40,000+ in cash + prizes. 🎄*
Last Minute Deal
  • Neko Case | Mon., Sept. 12 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel | Prices vary*

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
100+ MORE EVENTS
Friends of Lexington Avenue

Weather
  • 75º | Thunderstorms | 88% chance of rain
Announced
  • Mission Health will give $22 million in pay increases for those in patient care positions as part of its continued effort to retain and recruit more healthcare workers. Some of the positions that could see pay raises include nurses and those working in the lab, laundry, and environmental services. 💰 (WLOS)
  • Frontier Communications of The Carolinas was awarded $3.3 million as part of the state’s Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grants to expand internet service to ~1,000 underserved households in northern Buncombe County. The grants will help to provide high-speed internet service to 84,000+ households and 2,400+ business across the state.
Development
  • Mountain Housing Opportunities submitted a proposal to the city for the construction of 11 townhomes at 39 Pineview St. — just north of Carrier Park. The project aims to offer affordable homeownership in Asheville + a minimum of six townhomes will be sold to families that make 80% or less of the area median income. 🏠 (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Eat
  • The Hop Ice Cream partnered with Indigineous Walls Project to create a wild blackberry and mint ice cream called ᎧᏄᎦᎸ — pronounced “kan-u-ga-lv.” The berries and mint were foraged from the Qualla Boundary in Cherokee + the flavor will be available beginning on Fri., Sept. 16 while supplies last.
Community
  • Black Wall Street AVL is a finalist in the Truist Foundation and MIT’s Inspire Awards. Cast a vote for the local nonprofit + watch the inaugural virtual awards ceremony at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 20.
  • Here at AVLtoday, we aim to bring the most relevant + engaging daily content about Asheville right to your inbox. If you enjoy our newsletter and supporting all things local, consider joining our AVLtoday Membership Program. Membership helps keep our newsletter free and has some cool perks. Learn more + sign up.
Environment
Edu
  • The University of North Carolina launched a common numbering system that will make transferring between community colleges and UNC System Schools easier for students and school officials. It works by identifying which credits transfer between community colleges and UNC System Schools. (WLOS)
Arts
  • We’re not clowning around. Story Parlor will offer a two-day clown workshop led by visiting artist Jon Davison from Sat., Sept. 24-Sun., Sept. 24. The workshop will dive into the fundamental dynamics of clowning + what happens between us when we clown in front of others or alone. 🤡
Outdoors
  • We don’t have to look far for expert nature guides in Asheville — have you checked out our list of survival schools and foraging tours offered in our city? You can learn everything from bow-making to foraging for morels + ramps to hide tanning. 🍄
Home
  • Did you know you’re supposed to test your home’s smoke detectors every six months? The local pros at MB HAYNES share tips + tricks to keep your home in tip-top shape. 🏡 *
List
  • ICYMI, UNC Asheville was recently featured in The Princeton Review’s 2023 edition of The Best 388 Colleges. The university was recognized for its conservation efforts, LGBTQ friendliness + four more categories. Way to go, Bulldogs. 👏 *
Concert
  • In case you missed it, ArborEvenings are happening Thursday + Friday nights through Sept. 30 at the North Carolina Arboretum. See the full music schedule. 🎶 *
Family
  • Great news — $3 family + cult classic movies are back at Asheville Pizza + Brewing Company’s Merrimon Ave. location. Theatre 2 (formerly known as the Game Room) will show kids’ movies at 5:30 p.m. and cult classics at 8 p.m. — see what’s playing and snag your tickets. 🎟️ *
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6AM City In-house

Peep these AVL-based Etsy shops 👀
AVL-SHOP-Sept-2022
There are so many great handmade products in WNC. | Gif by AVLtoday
We’re pretty big fans of the whole “shop local” thing, so we’re highlighting some 828-based creators on Etsy that you can support in exchange for handcrafted leather journals, trendy fall candles, and ceramic kitchen wares. Here’s what we have our eyes on.

🛍️ These topographic map prints of Craggy Gardens and Black Balsam Knob from EttaAndOdie.

🛍️ This customizable leather journal made by absolutelyevo.

🛍️ This ceramic olive oil bottle and salt cellar that have been handmade by TheBrightAngle.

🛍️ A waxed canvas tote bag that converts into a crossbody bag for ultimate convenience from inblue.

🛍️ A handpoured “Hello Autumn” candle from MoonlightMakers.

🛍️ This minimalist leather wallet that can be personalized with your initials from OoweeProducts.

🛍️ A handmade wooden keepsake box for your most precious trinkets from RickysWoodJoy.
THE WRAP
Today’s issue was written by Emily Shea.

Editor’s pick: Considered me obsessed. I recently tried Spicewalla’s French Fry Seasoning for the first time + I’m officially putting it on everything. Ok, not everything. But you know what I mean. The brand’s newest blend is made with Aleppo pepper, salt, coriander, sesame seeds, citric acid, and orange juice powder. It’s great on fries, hence the name. But I also love it sprinkled over oven-roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and asparagus. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

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Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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