We love all the historical markers that adorn our city, but what other locations could use some recognition? | Photo by @andre.daugherty.photo
Hey, history buffs. 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.
Thursday, Nov. 14 King Buffalo | 7 p.m. | Eulogy | $27 | Experience the music of this heavy psych trio.
American Ballet Theatre Studio Company | Thursday, Nov. 14-Friday, Nov. 15 | 8-10 p.m. | Wortham Center for the Performing Arts | $65 | Experience the richly varied program of inventive original commissions, as well as classical and neoclassical favorites.
Friday, Nov. 15
Asheville Ecogathering | 6:30-8 p.m. | Stephens-Lee Community Center | Free | Join a guided conversation around making sense of the modern world and regrounding in connection to nature.
An Evening With Boot Scootin’ Boogie Nights | 7 p.m. | The Grey Eagle | $25 | Take in the biggest hits of the 90s country music scene and just try to resist the urge to dance.
Saturday, Nov. 16 North Asheville Tailgate Market | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | UNC Asheville Lot P34 | Free | Find produce, meats, and goods from local farmers + artisans as the market returns to its home at UNC Asheville’s Lot P34 this week.
Art In The Park | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | Browse the glass, ceramics, wood, jewelry, and metal works of talented regional artists.
Butoh Festival | Saturday, Nov. 16-Sunday, Nov. 17 | 6-9 p.m. | The BeBe Theatre | $20+ | Take in the performances by Mari and Asheville Butoh Collective or find a space at the Sunday workshop — no ticket sales at the door.
Sunday, Nov. 17 How To Host A Spectacular Cookie Exchange | 12-2 p.m. | Fifth Season Gardening Co. | $35 | Learn tips and tricks for a memorable cookie exchange from author + teacher Ashley English.
Comedy for Community | 6:30 p.m. | Catawba Brewing Company | $15+ | Show your support for Pisgah Legal Services with a chance to laugh and learn.
Pisgah Legal Services is hosting a free FEMA Denial Assistance Clinic tomorrow, Nov. 15 from 12 to 3 p.m. If you were denied the $750 FEMA payment, the firm’s legal experts will help appeal the decision. You don’t need to make an appointment, but make sure to bring your FEMA decision letter.
Environment
After testing for ~185 chemical pollutants, MountainTrue released test results from Cane Creek, Hominy Creek, and the French Broad River in Hot Springs, Marshall, and Asheville. French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson said that the results were “good news” and that “almost none” of the pollutants were present. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Number
$2 million. That’s how much is behind the newly launched Small Business Recovery Fund from Lowe’s. The fund will award 100 grants of $20,000 to WNC businesses impacted by the storm to help cover urgent needs, like payroll, bills, and inventory. Check out the eligibility requirements, and apply between Monday, Nov. 18 and Friday, Nov. 22.
Civic
The City of Asheville has appointed Housing Authority Maintenance Director Rhodney Norman as acting interim HACA president and CEO, after the dismissal of Monique Pierre last week. Mayor Esther Manheimer has also asked all HACA board members to reapply for their board positions. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Cause
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries (ABCCM) is seeking donations to fill its Holiday Food Boxes, which are distributed through its crisis locations. The organization needs items like canned pumpkin + cranberry sauce, instant mashed potatoes, and stuffing. See the full list and where to drop the goods.
Shop
On Saturdays throughout the holiday season, WNC Farmers Market is hosting Music at the Marketplace — and local businesses are invited to come in and sell their wares. Four or five pop-up vendors will be featured at each event, and the market is lowering the vendor fee to $5. Fill out the interest form for a chance to join.
Civic
At the Tuesday, Nov. 12 meeting, the Asheville City Council unanimously adopted a resolution to allow affordable housing loan payments to the city to be temporarily suspended and deferred on a case-by-case basis. The decision was made to address the impacts of the storm.
Edu
UNC Asheville has expanded its financial aid initiative for low- and middle-income students, Access Asheville, to allow more applicants to qualify for significant aid. The expansion increases the income ceiling to a family adjusted gross income of $90,000 or less — and makes applicants from GA, SC, TN, and VA eligible.
A third round of treatment hit the North Fork reservoir on Wednesday. | Photo via City of Asheville
The following article is being updated on our website daily. Click the button at the bottom of this section to read the full story.
Wednesday, Nov. 13
Turbidity, treatment, and project progress
As of yesterday morning, the turbidity at North Fork reservoir had fallen below 15 NTUs.
Crews have been able to push ~20 million gallons of treated water into the system, but keeping up this process is contingent on turbidity continuing to fall. With this amount of water going through treatment, they are able to run the North Fork filters for about 25-30 hours before having to stop the process and clean the filters with a backwashing procedure. Note: The boil water notice is still active for all City of Asheville water.
The contractor that was employed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to work on the mobile treatment units visited the site on Monday. Materials and equipment for the interim water treatment project could begin to arrive as early as this weekend. The timeline of late November or early December for project completion still stands.
Some of you might remember — I know my mom does — that Grace and I were pretty determined to get flash tattoos during Wrong Way River Lodge’s two-year anniversary this past summer. We didn’t quite follow through on the tattoo bit, but we’ve been given another chance to disappoint our parents. This Sunday, Nov. 17, the campground is hosting Wrong Way Revival, a chance to celebrate its return and the community’s resilience. There will be live music, barbecue, drinks, campfire therapy, and of course, a flash tattoo pop up. We’ve been told there will be flood-related designs.
