Discover Asheville
Asheville's downtown history can be explored through public art as well as through its buildings. The city describes the Asheville Urban Trail as thirty sculptural stations interpreting local people and events. Its starting marker is near the Asheville Art Museum at the west side of Pack Square Park. The accompanying map and audio material give the artworks context that is not always apparent from looking at an individual piece.
More about Asheville
Grove Arcade tells a different story about ambition, construction and reuse. E. W. Grove commissioned architect Charles N. Parker to design a large downtown development with a base and a much taller tower. The tower was never built. Grove died in 1927, before the arcade opened in 1929, so the surviving building represents only part of the original proposal.
The arcade initially combined shops and services with offices above. In 1942 the federal government requisitioned it, changing its role from a commercial gathering place to government use. Its later history included weather-record operations, and the city acquired the building in 1997 as part of the path toward its reuse.
The Urban Trail resources and the arcade's own historical account provide two complementary introductions to downtown: one follows stories distributed through streets and squares, while the other follows the changing purpose of one substantial building. Consult the city's current trail information for access conditions rather than treating a historical description as a guarantee that every stop is available.
Sources
- City of Asheville: Asheville Urban Trail: https://www.ashevillenc.gov/locations/asheville-urban-trail/
- Grove Arcade: History: https://grovearcade.com/history/
