Historic Hendersonville
Historic Hendersonville: Historic Downtown Hendersonville, Local History
Attractions, Train Depot, Henderson County Courthouse & Henderson
County Heritage Museum, Look Homeward Angel (Thomas Wolfe’s Angel), Historic
Johnson Farm, Carl Sandburg Home, Historic Neighborhoods and Postcards
of Historic Hendersonville
http://www.hendersonvillehpc.org
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Historic Downtown Hendersonville
Downtown Hendersonville is only a mile and a half from the cabin. Hendersonville’s
Downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. There is plenty of free parking on and off street. The sidewalks have plenty of benches, shade trees and flowers. Shop antique stores, galleries, art and craft shops, clothing, bead shops. These are just some of the many shops down Main Street and the downtown shopping district.
- Mast General
- Kilwin’s of Hendersonville – Gourmet ice cream, chocolates and outstanding
fudge paddled out on marbles slabs while you watch - Narnia Studios
- All Nations Trading – Native American Art and Jewelry
- DAD’s C.A.T.S – Diecast Collectibles and Toys
- Carolina Mountain Artists – top quality regional crafts
- Dancing Bear Toys
- The Portrait Source – original fine portraits.
- WICKWIRE Fine Art/Folk Art Gallery – Western North Carolina art and
crafts - Speranza’s Weather House – An incredible collection of weather-related
products. - Express Yourself Studio & Café – Enjoy paint-it-yourself
ceramics, scrapbooking, and more - Silver Fox Gallery – Contemporary American Art, Craft & Interiors
- McCarter Gallery – Beautiful original landscapes by Alan McCarter
- Goldcrafters of London – Original designs, estate jewelry, expert
repairs - Savannah’s on Main – Tea Room, Gift Shop, Antiques
- Kolorful Kitchen and Home Décor – kitchen accessories, including
art, dinnerware and enamelware. - Homestead Fine Linens & Design – Linens, tableware, gifts, home
décor, robes, throws - Pink Corsets – Fine Lingerie and Sleepwear
- Plaza in the Mountains
- The Sanctuary – Women’s clothing and accessories
- The Paintin’ Shed – A charming selection of decorative art, furniture,
and art supplies - Rosanne’s Bears & More
Download
the Historic Hendersonville Shopping Guide
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Check the schedule for downtown activities and festivals. The NC Apple
Festival is held here each year during Labor Day weekend. There are art
shows, an antique show, car shows, and parades throughout the year.
www.dhinc.org/calendar.htm
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Local History Attractions
Historic Hendersonville Train Depot, built in
1902 is Open to the Public every Saturday 10 to 2
Model trains run over 500 feet of track through Hendersonville, Asheville,
Brevard, Saluda, and Fletcher.
Historic Hendersonville Train Depot
Apple Valley Model Railroad Club (AVMRC) is located in the over 100 year-old historic Hendersonville Depot at the corner of 7th Ave. and Maple Street.
This 50+ member club has constructed a fully scenicked HO model railroad
representing Hendersonville and Western North Carolina. Open to the public every Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Southern Railway caboose is also open to the public. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.
Corner of Seventh Avenue East & Maple Street
650 Maple St
Hendersonville, NC
(828) 697-0470
www.avmrc.com
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Saluda Grade
If you are interested in railroads, the cabin is not far from the Saluda
Grade. The Saluda Grade is the steepest standard-gauge mainline railway
grade in the United States reaching 5.1%. The drive there is one of my
favorites. Saluda is only 12 miles from the Meadowbrook Cabin. Just just
head south on US-25 (that is to the right out of the drive way, make a
right at the stop sign). This will take you through Downtown Hendersonville.
Turn left in 1.9 miles at New Spartanburg Rd/US-176. This is the intersection
with the Fresh Market. Continue to follow US-176. This will take you down
the Old Spartanburg Highway to Saluda, N Carolina. This is the top of
the Grade. There is a sort of small museum at the Saluda Public Library.
44 Main Street, Saluda NC 28773 (828) 749-2117
http://www.polkcounty.org/saludagrade/TheSaludaGrade.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saluda_Grade
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Saluda+Grade
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The Southern Railway Caboose at the Historic Hendersonville
Train Depot is open to the public every Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Henderson County Courthouse
Henderson County Heritage Museum
200 North Grove Street (1995),
The Henderson County Heritage Museum brings history alive as the story
of Henderson County is told, from the Cherokee and pioneers who carved
homes out of the wilderness to today.
www.hendersoncountymuseum.org
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Look Homeward Angel (Thomas Wolfe’s Angel)
Author Thomas Wolfe’s first novel was “Look Homeward, Angel”.
In the book there is described a stone angel carved from Carrara Italian
marble. Thomas Wolfe’s father, W.O. Wolfe, sold the statue to the Johnson
family to mark the family plot in Oakdale Cemetery.
From the cabin, turn right on US-25. Follow the signes to West US-64 (6th
Ave), toward Brevard. You will see the angel with a history marker in
the cemetary on the left just after Prince Drive.
www.literarytraveler.com/authors/thomas_wolfes_look_homeward.aspx
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Historic Johnson Farm
3346 Haywood Road
Hendersonville, NC 28792
891-6585
Meadowbrook cabin is 3 miles from Historic Johnson Farm, a late 19th and
early 20th century farm and tourist retreat. Tour the house, smokehouse,
granary, tool shed and blacksmith shop, barn, boarding house and a cottage.
Learn about a typical mountain farm at this hands-on museum on the National
Register of Historic Places. Wander the grounds, visit with the animals,
and enjoy two nature trails and other outdoor exhibits. No refreshment
stands are available, but there are picnic tables.
www.historicjohnsonfarm.org
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Carl Sandburg Home
Meadowbrook Cabin is 5.5 miles from Connemara, Carl Sandburg’s home
in Flat Rock, North Carolina.
Tour the pastoral home and grounds of America’s beloved poet and
author. The house is over 150 years old and houses Sandburg’s collection
of books, notes and papers. What I enjoyed most is the grounds and goats.
Mrs. Sandburg bred champion goats and had a goat dairy here.
www.nps.gov/carl
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Historic Neighborhoods
Historic Hyman Heights
Meadowbrook Cabin is less than a mile from Hyman Heights, a historic neighborhood
from 1908. It was the site of Patton Hospital, Hendersonville’s
first Hospital, Patton Hospital. Drive or walk this neighborhood and view
historic houses. Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission web site
states “Many local physicians built homes in the neighborhood during
the hospital’s life in styles such as Craftsman Bungalow, Colonial
Revival, Ranch, Four Square, and others. Killarney, a stone Gothic Revival,
is the oldest home dating to 1858. There are 123 contributing houses/outbuildings.”
www.hendersonvillehpc.org/districts/hyman-heights
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Historic Druid Hills
Meadowbrook Cabin is located at the edge of Historic Druid Hills. Just
walk out the door and wander through this beautiful neighborhood. Hendersonville
Historic Preservation Commission web site states “Druid Hills was
platted in 1923 and exemplifies the ‘Olmstedian’ concept of
land planning, consisting of a number of curvilinear streets with mature
trees and open spaces. Architectural styles in the neighborhood include
multiple Craftsman Bungalow, Tudor Revival, and Colonial Revival along
with less common styles. There are seventy-six contributing houses/outbuildings.”
You will see many Tudor Revival houses as you walk around the neighborhood.
These were inspired by early English architecture, but look more like
storybook houses. The Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission
Website says “the term Tudor Revival is usually applied to almost
any front gabled house with a steeply pitched rooflines, prominent chimney,
half-timbered boards and/or stucco. (1890-1930)”
“Advertised as the ‘Suburban Village, ‘ Druid Hills was built
one mile north of the town… Part of Druid Hills was built on land
owned at the turn of the century by Leander Justice, whose house (HN
133 ) remains on Higate Street. Other areas of Druid Hills were owned
by P.C. Wright, who established the Hendersonville Real Estate Company
to develop his land as a restricted residential suburb. Wright had the
initial plat of Druid Hills platted in 1923. Druid Hills was restricted
to residential construction only, although garage and guest apartments
were allowed. Construction costs had to exceed $4,000 and all plans
had to be approved by the corporation. Finally, in keeping with the
times, ownership was limited to whites and ‘people of good character’
only. Designed with picturesque, curvilinear streets oriented around
a small park, Druid Hills occupied a roughly triangular tract between
the two highways, with Ridgewood Avenue forming the western limits and
Chelsea the northern.“Druid Hills developed rapidly and by 1925, an extension called
the Ridgewood Section was platted (Plat Map 1923, 1925). In 1926, two
further expansions were planned, one to the west along Higate Road and
another to the north along Meadowbrook Terrace. With rapid development,
Druid Hills soon outgrew its water and sewer systems, and by the late
1920s, the community systems had to be rebuilt, financed by bonds issued
in 1927. Located outside the Hendersonville town limits, this fashionable
subdivision was operated by commissioners until annexed to Hendersonville
in 1968 (Fain 1980: 115,118).“Druid Hills attracted local professionals and middle-class residents
who selected a range of conservative house styles. By the end of the
1920s, this suburb was filled with a mix of one-story bungalows and
larger, two-story Revival styles. Of note is the John Forest House (HN
88) at 1609 Druid Hills Avenue, a spacious, brick Mediterranean Revival
residence erected for John Forest, Hendersonville’s leading building
contractor of this period. Kensington Road (HN 128) features some of
the finest Spanish Colonial Revival houses in the city, while Norwood
Place (HN 119), Clairmont Drive (HN 118), and Ashwood Road (HN 134)
boast a variety of bungalows and dwellings in the Colonial Revival,
Tudor Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival styles…
“Speculative land prices were found in the permanent residential
areas as well as in the resort communities. When a lake section of Druid
Hills was opened, lots were sold for $1,500 and $1,650 with as little
as $150 as a down payment…”Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission Website
www.hendersonvillehpc.org/districts/druid-hills
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Postcards of Historic Hendersonville
Greetings from Hendersonville, NC
Fifth Avenue Looking Towards Main Street, Hendersonville,
NC
Downtown Main Street Hendersonville
Above Then, Below Now
Main Street Hendersonville, Looking South
View of Hendersonville from Tom’s Hill
From the cabin, Turn right on US-25
Go through town, then turn right on Kanuga Rd
Turn almost immediately right at Toms Hill Drive
Turn almost immediately right on Mountain View Drive
At the top of the mountain, look right and you will see what this view
looks like now.
Below is a photo of what it looks like from Tom’s Hill now. You can’t
really see much any more, because of the trees.
City Hall, Hendersonville, NC
“The Opera Box, ” Chimney Rock Mountain
“The Opera Box, high upon the precipice overlooking Chimney Rock
and Lake Lure, affords the traveler an unobstructed panorama on three
sides. One may enjoy the scenery while resting on the comfortable benches
provided.”
Chimney Rock State Park is not far from the cabin, 18 miles of windy roads.
Turn right at US-25
Turn left on US-64 (6th Ave)
Stay on US-64, cross over I-26
You really can’t miss it. Chimney Rock Park
430 Main St
Chimney Rock, NC 28720
(828) 625-9611
www.chimneyrockpark.com
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More About Hendersonville
Hendersonville, North Carolina
http://wikitravel.org/en/Hendersonville_(North_Carolina)
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Meadowbrook Cabin is in Hendersonville, North Carolina only minutes from
Asheville, Brevard and the Blue Ridge Parkway through Pisgah Forest and
the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. While you are here, visit some
of these local attractions.
