Hype for the Future 99K: Buncombe County, North Carolina

Introduction

The principal county of the Western North Carolina region, home to the City of Asheville and situated firmly within the Appalachian Mountains with the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Great Smoky Mountains to the west, is known today as Buncombe County, North Carolina, and continues to serve the community and much of the vicinity throughout the western edge of the State.

Geography and Infrastructure

The City of Asheville is a tourist hub associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains, especially thanks to serving as the effective southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Though not typically referred to as part of the High Country that occasionally defines the communities nearer Boone and Blowing Rock, the community is generally associated with higher elevations of the mountainous reaches of the State.

Art Colonies

While the City of Asheville may not be thought of as an art colony in the same manner as the art colonies of New England and other more stereotypically progressive regions, Buncombe County, including Asheville, is interestingly aligned with such communities. Today, the City of Asheville hosts the New Morning Gallery near the Biltmore Mansion and, in turn, the Biltmore Estate, in the southern portion of the community; however, a higher density of related art colonies also occurs further north. Such more northerly art galleries include the Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts and the Bottinelli Fine Art studio areas as well as Wedge Studios and the Philip DeAngelo Studio nearby. The Luna Gallery also represents the immediate area; however, the inner city area, even further to the north and east, is representative with an even higher density of art institutions and related liberal and progressive cultural traits, resulting in a local cluster of communities with resemblances to communities in New England or even parts of Canada.

To the north of city limits are the Craggy Mountain Line and Artisans on Main in Weaverville, and to the east of city limits are the overlooks along the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Southern Highland Craft Guild and Folk Art Center (within city limits), Warren Wilson College near Swannanoa, and the numerous art guilds and related galleries in the area around Black Mountain at the eastern edge of the county.

Hype for the Future 99I: Biltmore Estate

Introduction

Located within the City of Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, is the highly renowned and often prestigious location known as the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate, though with perhaps a lesser-known history, is largely influenced by the geographical setting of the area within the Appalachian Mountains, with the Great Smoky Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east.

Context

According to the Biltmore website, the Biltmore Estate represents the largest home in the United States of America and was originally associated with the construction by George Vanderbilt. Numerous exhibits and slower-paced attractions are associated with the estate, dependent on the time of day, time of year, and other factors; however, the grounds are largely associated with the southwestern portion of the county.