Metropolis of the Southern Highlands.

This booklet published and distributed by the Chamber of Commerce, Asheville, North Carolina, 1927.

2. Biltmore House on Biltmore Estate.

ASHEVILLE

"IN THE LAND OF THE SKY"

Vacationland

Located amid the highest peaks of Eastern America, Asheville is the center of a natural Vacationland. Nature has richly endowed the "Land of the Sky" with unsurpassed scenic beauty and with a year-round climate excellently suited to outdoor life. A wealth of natural resources and abundant water power have made Asheville one of the prosperous cities of the New South.
 

WHEN John Burton, in 1749, selected a two hundred acre tract beside the winding French Broad River, as the site of a town, he was entirely unaware of the fact that he was laying the foundation for one of the Nation's most popular play-grounds. John Burton called his embryo city, "Morristown."   Three years later it was incorporated as Asheville, deriving its name from that of Samuel and John Ashe, eminent men of the period.

"Asheville" has long been a word to conjure with. The city has been made famous by the blue mountains and the sparkling clear atmosphere which are the chief attributes of the Land of the Sky. Sixty million Americans live within twenty-four hours travelling distance from Asheville. These Americans have chosen Asheville as their most popular vacation point. The great hotels and inns of the Land of the Sky entertain thousands of them annually. They come to enjoy the scenic magnificence of the forested mountains and to live in a climate that is as cool as New Hampshire in summer and mild enough in winter for golf and other outdoor sports. Superb golf courses, tennis courts, bathing beaches, mountain lakes for canoeing and boat­ing, a magnificent system of motor roads all contribute to the enjoyment of the visitor to the 'Land of the Sky'.

FAMOUS ATTRACTIONS AT ASHEVILLE

1. Mount Pisgah and the Rat are the most prominent and renowned mountain group on the Asheville skyline.  2. Biltmore House, constructed by George Vanderbilt on the grounds of Biltmore Estate.

VACATIONLAND

Many who come to this charming region as guests and vacationists, remain to become permanent residents. A wealth of natural resources and abundant water power have contributed largely to a great commercial and industrial development in Western North Carolina.

"The Land of the Sky" holds great opportunities for business and professional success. Dashing mountain streams are being harnessed and made to turn the wheels of industry. The resources of timber and mineral wealth are being tapped. The North Carolina State Highways Commission is spending $16 per capita on highways, or twice the national average in road expenditure. The value of manufactured products in the Asheville district has grown from $3,000,000 in 1899 to $36,500,000 in 1926. Asheville's volume of business, as indicated by check

ending December 31, 1926—against a gain of 26 percent for the country as a whole. Farmers, through organized methods of buying and distribution, and with the researches of State test farms as their guide—are making their rolling acres produce far more than a necessary living.

The facts here presented must necessarily be brief, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce will gladly supplement any point on which the reader might desire additional information.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST MOUNTAINS

The mountains of Western North Carolina are a part of the Appalachian system—including the ranges of the Blue Ridge on the East and the Balsam and Great Smoky mountains on the West. Geologists call them the oldest mountains in the world. The Gulf of Mexico once extended farther north than Cairo, Illinois, and it is said that the surface soil of these ranges, once higher than the Alps, has been slowly carried west­ward to form the half of the Mississippi valley from Cairo to New Orleans.

A COUNTRY OF NATURAL WONDERS

1. Chimney Rock, one of the wonders nature has carved into the mountains of western North Carolina. Chimney Rock, in the Rocky Broad Valley, is within an hour's drive from Asheville. It is now illuminated at night. 2. The Nantahala Gorge, pathway through the mountains, which the Nantahala River has taken centuries to make. Practically every stream in the 'Land of the Sky' has been forced to cut its way through mountain barriers.

2. Nantahala Gorge

2. Catawba Falls

Before the coming o£ the white man, the Catawba Indians held the country from the coast to the crest of the Blue Ridge. To the west of that line, the Cherokees, a large and war-like nation, held sway to the Mississippi. Unnamed and unknown hunters and Indian traders had from time to time pushed their way into the wilderness of the Blue Ridge from the first colonial settlements in North and South Carolina. White people began to settle in the Southern Appalachians as early as 1730. Irish, Scotch, Saxons, Scotch Celts, French Huguenots, Germans, Hollanders and Scandinavians, fleeing the persecutions of Europe, brought some of the best blood of the old world to these blue heights. The aristocracy of North and South Carolina first appreciated the rare qualities of the mountains of Western North Carolina as a health and pleasure resort. Resort hotels were established as far back as a century ago and estates created which today reflect the love of beauty which marked these early

NATIONAL MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUNDS

George W. Vanderbilt stood on the porch of the old Battery Park Hotel years ago and was so impressed with the magnificent horizon of mountains that he decided to create an estate which should include the land as far as he could see. A large part of the former Vanderbilt holdings are now owned and controlled by the United States government as the Pisgah National Forest, a vast forest preserve. The Cherokee, Nantahala and Unaka National Forests are also near Asheville. A bill has been passed by congress and signed by President Coolidge authorizing the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where shall be preserved perpetually Eastern America's great wilderness.

These United States government properties are open to the people, who are free to make full use of the privileges of camping, motoring, hiking—and, under suitable restrictions, fishing and hunting

INSPIRING SCENERY

1. Mount. Mitchell highest mountain in Eastern America.  Thousands of visitors make the climb to the summit each year.  2. Beautiful Catawba Falls near Asheville.

10

PORTAL OF THE LAST EASTERN WILDERNESS

Portal of the Last Eastern Wilderness

Great mountain forests, preserved by the United States, as a playground for its citizens, gorges in whose granit walls nature has carved its epic of the centuries, natural wonders which have inspired travelers from all over the world—these are the scenic attributes of Western North Carolina. More than a thousand miles of motor highways make every portion of "the Land of the Sky" easily accessible.

Within a few hours easy drive over motor highways from Asheville are natural wonders which have excited the awe and admiration of visitors from all over the world.

There's Chimney Rock and the valley of the Rocky Broad —where the Rocky Broad River long ago carved its way to the sea leaving thousands of prankish and unusual rock formations in its wake.

The Linville Gorge is equally impressive, the Linville River flowing through a natural cathedral of sheer rock walls. The Nantahala River makes its way to the west through another miraculous gorge. The valleys of the French Broad and the Swannanoa are green and verdant, marked by unusually pro­ductive farms and resembling in no small degree the countryside of old England's upland shires.

Every portion of the mountains is easily accessible. The trip from Asheville to the crest of Mt. Mitchell which, at an altitude of a mile and one-quarter is the highest peak, consumes but three hours over a remarkable motor highway. The trip to Mt. Pisgah, another famous peak, is equally easy and enjoyable —or to Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain. There are charming little inns along the way where one can stop and rest far from the busy roar of city life. Little Switzerland, High Hampton, Caesar's Head, Sunset Mountain, Royal Gorge, Happy Valley, Toxaway, Tuckaseegee Falls, Hot Springs, Andrews Geyser, Eagle's Nest—the names of a few of the many

EASTERN AMERICA'S LAST WILDERNESS

1. The bill which shall turn the Great Smoky mountain area into a National Park has already passed Congress and been signed by President Coolidge. There are still spots in these virgin forests which the white man has never penetrated.  2. The last portions of the Cherokee Indian Nation, which once roamed the forests from the Blue Ridge to the Mississippi, are found in their reservation near Asheville.  3. A Cherokee family.

2. Cherokee Indian Nation

3. A Cherokee Indian family

2. Miles of well-marked trails

365 INSPIRING DAYS EACH YEAR                     13

interesting points around Asheville give an inkling of the variety of appeal which these mountain beauty spots hold for the visitor to "the Land of the Sky."

MAN-MADE LAKES
 

The hurrying rivers of the Land of the Sky long ago cut their channels deep through the mountains—removing all natural dams, all barriers behind which water might be im­prisoned. As a result, there are no natural lakes in Western North Carolina. But man has remedied this oversight and there are now scores of artificial lakes.

The largest of Western North Carolina's lakes is that at Marion—Lake James, where three mountain rivers were im­pounded behind dams 190 feet high. The area of Lake James is over ten square miles. Its shore-line measures 152 miles in length. Other lakes include Junaluska, Eden, Summit, Kanuga, Osceola, Highland, Sapphire and Fairfield—and, in the imme­diate vicinity of Asheville, Lake Craig, Beaver Lake, Lake Kenilworth, and Lake Ashnoca—all of them favored spots for swimming and water sports. Two other large lakes, provided primarily for recreational purposes, have recently been completed. These are Lake Lure which has been formed in the Chimney Rock country and Lake Tahoma, in the foothills of Mt. Mitchell near Marion.

365 Inspiring Days Each Year

Mile-high mountain •walls shelter "the Land of the Shy from the atmospheric disturbances of the outside world, giving it a climate that is delightful the whole year 'round. Cool summers and mild winters combine here to form an unusually healthful climate.

THE climate of the mountains of Western North Carolina has long been a primary attraction, since it is free from the objectionable extremes of temperature, with season blending into season so gradually that the change is almost imperceptible.

WHERE EVERY SEASON IS DELIGHTFUL

1. Rhododendron in blossom on Pinnacle Mountain. Asheville is the gateway to a paradise of wild flowers which are, perhaps the best sign that nature intended "the Land of the Syy" for a world-wide playground. 2. Miles of well-marked trails, all of them commanding superb views, wind through the mountains in every direction.

365 INSPIRING DAYS EACH YEAR      14

The annual mean or average temperature of "the Land of the Sky" is 55 degrees. This is approximately the mean temper­ature of Asheville. A maximum temperature of 96 degrees was reached only three times in Asheville during the period from 1903 to 1924 and a temperature of 90 degrees or over was recorded but three times in two years. Zero has been reached only ten times in the 22 years. Cool nights are the rule—a blanket being a delightful necessity even in the warm months of July and August.

And while it does snow in Western North Carolina, yet the winter's total averages little more than ten inches. Only four of the last twenty-four years saw more than six inches of snow

PLAY TAKES ON ADDED MEANING IN ASHEVILLE

1. Lake Craig, one of the four beautiful bodies of water in the immediate vicinity of Asheville. The Lake, 56 acres in area, is a part of the City Recreation Park. 2. Several new records were set by the Women's Olympic Swimming Team in the pool at Beaver Lake.  3. The annual horse show, held at Biltmore Forest, is one of the most colorful events of the spring season at Asheville.

2. Pool at Beaver Lake

3. Annual horse show at Biltmore Forest.

2.Scenic motor highways

3.Pisgah National Forest

•ASHEVILLE IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE---

on the ground at any one time, while in eight of these years there

The records of the U. S. Weather Bureau show that in Asheville the month of May, on the average, for example, has only eight days that are cloudy. Thirteen days out of the month are partly cloudy while the remaining ten are clear. The average for November shows eight cloudy days, seven that are partly cloudy and fifteen entirely clear. Days of sunshine predominate throughout the year, sunshine that is tempered in summer months by the cool, crisp breezes that are constantly blowing down from the mountain tops.

The humidity in this region is exceptionally low, the dry crispness of the atmosphere adding greatly to its refreshing qualities. In sunlight hours, absence of fog, moderation of  rainfall, the balance between aridity and humidity, radiation; in the consistent and sustained quality of balmy, genial and bracing weather -- the "Land of the Sky" climate stands supreme and winter—all the year! The chart will show the variations of temperature.

HOURS OF HAPPY OCCUPATION

Asheville offers unexcelled facilities for every outdoor sport from horseshoe pitching to polo. 1. Bringing down clay birds at the Asheville Gun Club.  2. There are over a thousand miles of scenic motor highways such as this in Western North Carolina.  3. Campers are free to enjoy a season under canvas in the Pisgah National Forest where the government has laid out hundreds of camp-sites.

[Table]

Western North Carolina occupies a most strategic position in regard to the leading cities and ports of the eastern and middle-western part of the United States. The main-line of the Southern Railroad, from Cincinnati to Charleston, gives Ashe­ville direct connections with the middle-west, the south and southwest. Another line of the Southern, joining Asheville with the eastern division, which is double-tracked between Washing­ton and Atlanta, brings in through Pullmans from the cities of the East.

Through Pullman sleeping car service is maintained all the year between Asheville and New York, Washington, Richmond, Goldsboro, Raleigh, Charleston, Columbia, Miami, St. Peters­burg, Tampa, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Memphis, Louisville, St. Louis, New Orleans via Birmingham, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Cincinnati. Additional through sleeping cars are operated during the summer season between Asheville and Norfolk, Wilm-

IN THE GREAT PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST

1 — There are several hundred miles of trout streams, constantly restocked from government hatcheries, within a short motoring distance of Asheville. This mountain brook, in the Pisgah National Forest, is a favorite among anglers. 2 — Deer hunting is a popular sport in Western North Carolina. The deer are carefully protected and are increasing rapidly in numbers. This fawn was photographed in the 100,000 acre Pisgah Game Preserve maintained near Asheville by the Federal Government.

2. Deer hunting. Fawn in the Pisgah Game Preserve

1. The new City Building.

2. A view of the municipal Golf Links.

ASHEVILLE                                                       21

Washington, Birmingham, Macon, New Orleans via Atlanta, and Savannah.

Limited sections of Western North Carolina are also served by the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio, the Louisville and Nash­ville, the Norfolk and Western, the Seaboard Airline and several local railroads. A table is given showing the shortest railroad schedule time between Asheville and a number of important cities.

YOU CAN DRIVE TO ASHEVILLE BY MOTOR A number of national trunk-line motor highways enter Asheville—these include the Appalachian Scenic Highway, from Quebec to Florida and New Orleans, and Route A of the Dixie Highway which runs from Detroit to Fort Myers, Florida. The North-South Short Route between Cleveland and the Southeast also includes Asheville in its route. Other highway connections are the Black Bear Trail and the Buffalo Trail. Asheville also occupies an important place in the highway system of North Carolina which includes at present over 7,000 miles of improved highways and which is still being extended at the rate of 1,000 miles a year. There are over a thousand miles of motor highways in the immediate vicinity of Asheville alone— making it possible to visit practically every section of "the Land of the Sky" and view all its wonders without once leaving the hard surface road and the comforts of your car.

Asheville's strategic position for prompt transportation is not only bringing visitors here by the hundreds of thousands— but is playing a very important part in the industrial and com­mercial development of this section.

ASHEVILLE

Asheville is the center around which the development of "the Land of the Sky" is taking place. Asheville can be your head­quarters for one of the finest vacations you have ever known. Asheville's business progress only indicates the opportunities

IN the very heart of this country above the clouds is Ashe­ville—its largest city. Asheville is the headquarters from which visitors set out to view the natural wonders of Western North Carolina.

A PROGRESSIVE CITY

1. The new City Building.

2. A view of the municipal Golf Links.

From this hub stretches a net-work of motor highways and railroad lines affording easy access to every portion of "the Land of the Sky."

Asheville's   hotels   take   rank   among   the   very   finest   in America -- with splendid facilities for entertaining conventions and other large gatherings.

Asheville is the commercial and industrial center of Western North Carolina, the manufacturing, distributing, mercantile and banking business of the city running up into the millions and engaging the efforts of thousands of people.

There are fifty-four distributors located in Asheville. There are fifty manufacturing plants of varying size actually within the city limits and scores of factories in its district employing thousands.

Asheville is the distributing point for the agricultural production of the farms of Western North Carolina. Grapes, apples poultry, and other specialized crops are shipped from here through the marketing channels of the Farmers' Federa­tion. Considerable produce is grown for home consumption and sold to the residents of Asheville in the City Market House.

Asheville has one of the finest public school systems in the South, with new and up-to-date buildings and equipment. Here are fine churches among which every denominatin is represented. Here are private schools that are nationally known for the quality of their work and the class of people they attract.

A program of civic improvement is steadily transforming Asheville into a City Beautiful — according to a City Plan which represents the efforts of that master of City Planning, Dr. John Nolen, and which provides for every improvement that is likely to become necessary within the space of the next generation. The Asheville city government has taken upon itself the responsibilities of providing facilities for the recreation and play of its citizens and visitors — and the accomplishments along these lines include several parks in the residential sections, a large recreation and amusement park, including a 56-acre lake, an eighteen-hole municipal golf course planned by Donald Ross, two large swimming pools and the finest baseball park in any

RADIO AND RECREATION

1. Radio Station WWNC at Asheville is owned and operated by the Chamber of Commerce. The station is heard in all parts of the United States.  2. An airplane view of the Asheville Recreation Park.

2. An airplane view of the Asheville Recreation Park.

2. Swimming is truly delightful in the beautiful pool in Biltmore Forest.

3. The tennis championships of the South have been played on Asheville's courts. 

4. Children learn to ride early in Asheville.

______                                                                                                ___________25

minor-league city in America—McCormick Field. A municipal football stadium has been completed and is the scene for many football games and for community festivals and pageants.

Practically every business and every profession is represented  in  Asheville.    The  steady  increase of population  is constantly opening up new opportunities for others.

Hike and camp in the famous National forests of "the Land of the Sky." Play golf every day in the year over courses which rank among America's finest. Fish and swim in mountain lakes and streams. Whatever your favorite sport may be—here you can play amid perfect surroundings.

In Asheville, or in the immediate vicinity, may be found facilities for practically every wholesome outdoor sport that one could desire.

Golf is undoubtedly the king of sports in Asheville and "the Land of the Sky." Asheville's courses are always maintained in perfect condition and are open for play every week in the year, in a winter and summer climate that is genial at either extreme.

There will be five courses open for play in Asheville next Country Club and the Biltmore Forest courses, both of eighteen-hole length, are among America's finest, having been the scene of many important tournaments. A nine-hole course is located in Malvern Hills. The new courses include one of eighteen holes at Lakeview Park and the supreme contribution of the City to the recreational requirements of its citizens and visitors —the eighteen-hole municipal course, now complete for play. The latter course was planned and constructed by Donald Ross, in the beautiful Swannanoa valley. The visitor to Asheville can arrange to play over any of these courses.

HUNT AND FISH IN MOUNTAIN PRESERVES Those who love to penetrate the mountain fastnesses in search of game will find the surrounding forests packed with thrilling

PLAY ALL THE YEAR

1. The waters of the "land of the Sky" offer plenty of sport for canoeists. 2. Swimming is truly delightful in the beautiful pool in Biltmore Forest. 3. The tennis championships of the South have been played on Asheville's courts.  4. Children learn to ride early in Asheville.

sport. Bear and venison are merely a part of the bag which includes nearly every variety of game that roamed the Western North Carolina wilderness in the days when Daniel Boone first pushed through on his way to the west. The hunter in the North Carolina forests is only asked to obey the wise laws which have been laid down to conserve the supply of game and which true sportsmen will so eagerly defend.

It is only natural that these dashing mountain streams should offer the finest kind of appeal to the angler. The brooks around Asheville are inhabited by the gamest and sportiest of all fresh-water fish—brook and mountain trout. The rivers contain black and small mouth bass, rainbow trout and pike. Most of the lakes have been stocked and in their depths can be found fish of both game and tamer tendencies. And the majestic king of inland waters, the doughty muskallonge, is well estab­lished in the streams of the Great Smokies. Exceptionally fine catches are made in Pisgah National Forest under permits that are issued for a very nominal fee. Guides and equipment may be obtained in Asheville.

The mountains themselves offer a challenge to those who find the thrill of exploring the innermost depths of nature a fascinating and healthful sport. Trails, miles of which are suit­able for horseback riding, pierce the green depths of highland forests -- trails from which can be seen mountain views of indescribable magnificence. There are easy foot-paths, as well as motor roads, to the top of Sunset, Beaucatcher and Elk mountains overlooking the City of Asheville from which scores of visitors have experienced the unique pleasure of seeing a city arise from the soft grey mists of the dawn.

THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

Forty miles west of Asheville lie the Great Smoky Mountains. Much has been written about them during the recent campaign which resulted in the creation, here, of a National Park. But the Great Smokies cannot be adequately described. They must be seen to be fully appreciated. There is about them an untamed beauty, a primitive wildness that sets them apart from the other mountain ranges which furrow the surface of the plateau so

CIVIC PROGRESS

1. One of Asheville's splendid High Schools.  2. Pack Memorial Library.  3. An Asheville Grammar School. 4. An exciting moment during a football game in the Asheville Memorial Stadium.  5.  The splendid swimming pool at the Asheville Recreation Park.

A NATURAL PLAYGROUND                      29

aptly termed, "The Land of the Sky." Barricaded behind precipitous foothills they look down upon a region through which lead few man-made trails and which harbors an even lesser number of cabin clearings. In the deep valleys which lie at their feet may be found the gum and sycamore indigenous to northern Georgia. At their summits flourish Canadian lilies shaded by somber spruce and balsam. The Great Smoky Mountains were chosen by the National Park Commission as a site for a National Park because they are unique. They are an isolated bit of primeval American wilderness kept inviolate because of inaccessibility. In their forests may be found deer, bear, elk, ravens and other rare forms of animal life. On their slopes grow trees which are older in number of years than is compassed by the history of the United States.

The opening of this National Park to the public is already under way. Seven hundred thousand acres will eventually be included within the Park boundaries. The purchase of the first four hundred and fifty thousand acres is now being negotiated.

A CITY-OWNED BASEBALL TEAM

Baseball in Asheville, more than ever, commands the interest of the City since the team is actually owned and managed by the citizens themselves, and games are played on the municipally-owned McCormick Field—one of the finest minor league base­ball parks to be found anywhere. With the new City football field open for play this year—the college teams that come to Asheville for their important games find perfect facilities.

There are tennis courts in the City parks, at the country clubs and at the Asheville School—courts where the South's net cham­pions have won their laurels in heated contests. A well-organized gun club provides for those whose game is an elusive clay bird whizzing up from a trap.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE OUT-OF-DOORS

The country around Asheville represents a paradise for the camper.

There are scores of organized camps in "the Land of the Sky" -- summer communities in which boys and girls alike are given full opportunity to develop body and mind in the great

A GOLFER'S PARADISE

1. The Asheville Country Club course is at the foot of Sunset Mountain. 2. The Biltmore Forest Country Club. Golf reaches its most delightful form in the Asheville courses. Four courses are open for play in Asheville the whole year 'round.

university of nature whose lessons are so interesting and helpful to youth. Thousands of campers hike and ride horseback through beautiful forests and swim and dive in the crystal streams and lakes which are so numerous. Western North Carolina camps are known to parents throughout America and draw campers from every section of the United States.

The lure of the open does not only hold its appeal for the younger generation. Grown-ups, too, find a season under canvas something worth remembering in the way of a vacation. The United States government has set aside many camping sites in the National Forests of Western North Carolina which are provided solely for the people to use and enjoy.

FOR SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION

The largest religious assemblies and colonies in America are located in tie region of which Asheville is the center. Denomi­nations which are represented have a total membership number­ing over twenty million. Attracting delegates and visitors from all nations, these great assemblies bring brilliant speakers, famous teachers and leading ministers to the conventions which are held for workers in every branch of religious activity.

The assembly of the Methodist Church, South, is located in a beautiful area surrounding Lake Junaluska. Conventions oi the Y. M. C. A. are held at Blue Ridge, whose magnificent white-columned structures stand out impressively at the head of the Swannanoa Valley.  The Presbyterians meet in their summer colony at Montreal and the Baptists at Ridgecrest.

Where Hospitality Is a Tradition

The experience of Asheville hotels in catering to the comfort of their guests dates back one hundred years when the first resort hotel was established here. You can stop at hotels which are hvovin throughout the world jar their luxury. Or seek out, if you prefer, one of its quiet little inns far off the beaten path.
 

JOHN PRESTON ARTHUR, faithful historian of Western North Carolina, writes:   "On the last day of February, 1827, Robert Henry and his slave, Sam discovered Ashe-ville's Sulphur Spring and about the year 1830 his son-in-law,

THE RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLIES

1. At Lake Junaluska. 2. The Adinistration Building at Ridgecrest.  3. Robert E. Lee Hall at Blue Ridge, the Y.M.C.A. Assembly.

2. The Adinistration Building at Ridgecrest. 

3. Robert E. Lee Hall at Blue Ridge, the Y.M.C.A. Assembly.

2. The Langren. 

3.  The Battery Park. 

4.  The Asheville-Biltmore. 

5. The Manor. 

6. Kenilworth Inn.

WHERE HOSPITALITY IS A TRADITION           33

Colonel Reuben Deaver, built a wooden hotel on the hill above and began taking summer boarders. As many as five hundred are said to have been there at one time and the patronage was such that an addition had to be made to the hotel every year." This marks the beginning of Asheville's experience in catering to its visitors.

Every hotel in Asheville has its adherents who can set forth scores of reasons for their choice. It speaks very highly of Asheville's hotels that their guests no sooner return home than they send friends to fill their places, thereby creating a circle of good will which extends throughout America.

The finer hotels of this remarkable City rank with the best and most unique to be found anywhere in the world. It is possible to occupy every hour of the day without once leaving the roof of the large hotels in Asheville, so complete are the facilities for pleasant activity. Hostesses or management soon make the guests acquainted with others, and friends of one's own kind can readily be found. There are concerts, lectures, dances, recitals, club meetings, bridge games, teas and dinners without end. Spacious  and luxuriously-equipped lobbies and public lounge-rooms offer all the attractions for hours of conversation with friends. Wide and extensive verandas overlook impressive views of mountain ranges.

METROPOLITAN LUXURY OR HOMEY INN Asheville would never be able to welcome its endless stream of visitors without hostelries quite various, sizeable and adequate to the task of giving them comforts and hospitalities sufficient and suitable for thousands of varied tastes. There are leading hotels in every section of Asheville—from the center of the down­town district to quiet and exclusive spots in the suburbs.

Unlike the great majority of resorts, the hotels of Asheville, without exception, have never closed their doors for even so much as one day since their opening. Visitors to Asheville find its appeal not limited to any one particular season, being supremely delightful every day throughout the year.

A complete list of hotels, apartment houses and boarding houses in the City with their rates, is published by the Chamber

AMONG AMERICA'S FINEST HOTELS

Asheville's hotels are among the finest in America.  1. Grove Park Inn.  2. The Langren.  3.  The Battery Park.  4.  The Asheville-Biltmore.  5. The Manor.  6. Kenilworth Inn.

of Commerce. A copy will be sent to any one who desires to make reservations in advance which is always advisable.

A CONVENIENT CONVENTION CITY
With a central location so convenient to the great population hotel facilities, it is only natural that Asheville should frequently be chosen as a convention city. Asheville has already acted as host to hundreds of conventions. Asheville knows how to enter­tain, and delegates to gatherings in this city long regard their visit as a red-letter event.

The City-owned auditorium, soon to be replaced by a larger and more modern structure, provides seating accommodations for 2,500 people, and is turned over to convention visitors for their sessions. The whole City works as a unit in seeing that delegates enjoy their stay in "the Land of the Sky."

The Convention Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce will gladly serve organizations desiring detailed information.

Municipal Progress

Asheville's City government is doing things! Millions of dollars have been spent for civic improvements, schools and parks dur­ing the last few years. Asheville's supply of pure and sparkling water is brought from guarded mountain tops -- enough for a city of 3000,000 people.

MILLIONS of dollars have been spent by the City of Asheville in the construction of civic improvements during the past few years.

A City Plan, worked out by John Nolen, nationally known authority, was adopted two years ago. And this plan outlines a program of improvement and civic construction for the next generation which insures the harmonious development of Ashe­ville into a "City Beautiful."

There are seventeen public schools in Asheville with build­ings and equipment worth $3,500,000, Additional schools under construction, including a new senior high school, will cost $1,500,000.

SPLENDID ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE VISITOR

Asheville offers hotel accommodations to suit the taste and requirements of every visitor.  1. The Jenkins.  2. The Margo Terrace.  3. The Princess Anne.  4. The Swannanoa-Berkeley.  5.  The George Vanderbilt.

2. The Margo Terrace. 

3. The Princess Anne. 

4. The Swannanoa-Berkeley. 

5.  The George Vanderbilt.

2. One of the beautiful old residential streets in Asheville.

 3. Montford Park, a beauty spot in one of the residential sections.  4. The new City Market House. 

MUNICIPAL PROGRESS                         37

Streets are durably paved and boulevard thoroughfares pro­vide convenient and rapid access from the various residential sections of the City to the downtown business and shopping district.

The new City Market House, recently completed, is one of the most unique buildings of its kind in the South, providing sanitary stalls for more than a score of food dealers. Con­struction work is already under way on the new City and County buildings, which shall house the Asheville and Buncombe County governmental departments.

HELPING A CITY TO PLAY
The Asheville Recreation Park, located a few miles out of the City in the beautiful Swannanoa valley, provides facilities for play and recreation which have been used by hundreds of thousands since its opening. The municipal Lake Craig, 56 acres in area, further adds to the charms of this recreation center. One of the facilities provided here is a spaciously large out-of-door swimming pool, one of the finest municipally-owned pools in America.

The 18-hole municipal golf course, planned and constructed for the City by Donald Ross, whose keen golfing sense is responsible for many of America's leading courses, is now open for play.

No finer water is furnished anywhere in America for drink­ing purposes than that which is found in ample supply in Asheville. Flowing from a City-owned mountain watershed of approximately 16,000 acres, this system is being enlarged to insure plenty of water for a city of 300,000 inhabitants. The further extension of the system has been planned and a large impounding basin of 670,000,000 gallon capacity has been completed. The complete water system of the City will represent an investment of several million dollars and will be one of the outstanding gravity systems of the country.

Asheville owns and manages the City auditorium and the Municipal Stadium. McCormick Field, the City-owned base-

UNUSUAL CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1. McCormick Field, the finest minor league ball park in America. Asheville is the only City in the United States to own and manage its baseball team.  2. One of the beautiful old residential streets in Asheville.  3. Montford Park, a beauty spot in one of the residential sections.  4. The new City Market House. 

       A CITY OF CULTURE                         38

ball park, is one of the finest minor league parks in America. It is the home field of the Asheville baseball club, member of the South Atlantic League, which enjoys the distinction of being the only team playing organized baseball which is actively owned and managed by its City.

Two smaller parks—Montford and Aston—are also main­tained by the City government. Another swimming pool is pro­vided in Aston Park, as are tennis courts and other facilities for games. Playgrounds are a part of each school property.

A City of Culture

Asheville's system of public schools is modern and complete. Fine private schools, churches, theatres and clubs give Asheville truly metropolitan qualities of culture which add to the enjoyment of life in this remarkable City.

THE visitor to Asheville is at once favorably impressed with its many well-equipped public schools. He is equally interested to learn that additional public  schools are under construction, to cost nearly as much again as the system now in operation.

Asheville has two [?] splendid high schools. There are fourteen public schools of grammar grade and two others are being built. Private schools include the Asheville School for Boys, the Bing-ham Military Academy, St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines, Grove Park School, Asheville Normal School and several others, as well as a number of special classes which are engaged in the study of subjects such as art, music or dramatics. A number of splendid institutions of higher learning are located in the Asheville district, including Weaver College, at Weaverville.

MAKING GRAND OPERA PAY
Two facts speak very highly of Asheville's cultural stand­ing—one, the Pack Memorial Library which leads the libraries of the State in volume of service to the community with its books being more widely read than those of any other North Carolina library; and second, the consistent success of its Summer season of Grand Opera. Asheville is the only city in America to

ASHEVILLE APARTMENT HOUSES

1.  The Longchamps.  2. The Jefferson.  3.  The Carolina.

A CITY OF CULTURE                                          41

produce grand opera and have the venture make good financially as well as artistically from the very beginning.

The Pack Memorial Library, whose handsome new home is the architectural feature of historic Pack Square, contains 21,000 volumes among which are many reference works. Exclusive of books, this library represents a $275,000 gift to the City. It also contains the O. Henry Memorial Library made up of the works of the world's foremost modern novelists, many of whom have sent autographed copies of their favorite volumes as a contribution to the memory of this  of this beloved American writer whose last years were spent in Asheville and whose remains are buried here.

The handsome structures which house Asheville's religious denominations would bring credit to any community. Practically every denomination is represented. Asheville has large and well-equipped Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. buildings in which the youth of the City receive that training for which these organizations are famous. Charities and philanthropic works are financed through a Community Chest.

SEVENTEEN CLUBS FOR WOMEN
A beautiful new club house has recently been completed by the City Federation of Women's Clubs. With an architectural treatment that is Georgian in character, with interior decorations carried out to harmonize with the Colonial period—the club house makes a splendid home for the seventeen women's organizations of Asheville. Included in the building is an attractive auditorium, seating 700 people, with a well-equipped stage and a. $12,000 pipe organ.

In addition to sanatoria widely recognized throughout the medical profession for their success in the treatment of tuber­culosis, there are five modern general hospitals in Asheville, all of which are manned by competent staffs of surgeons and physicians. All of the tuberculosis hospitals are located in their own private grounds from which they do not encroach upon the business or residential sections of the City.

EVERYTHING A CITY MIGHT NEED

1. St. Joseph's Hospital.  2. The dam at Bee Tree, part of the new Asheville water system which will provide plenty of sparkling pure water for a city of 300,000.  3. Asheville Mission Hospital.

The City-owned Auditorium is the scene, not only of Ashe-ville's brilliant season of grand opera, but of many of each year's outstanding theatrical productions, the great majority of America's famous stage stars having appeared in this City. Keith vaudeville plays throughout the year at the Plaza Theatre.

The high-class buying taste of Asheville's cosmopolitan population is shown in its splendid shops and stores which compare favorably with those found in the largest cities.

Happy, Substantial Homelife

Nowhere in America will you find finer homes than in Asheville. From the cozy little cottage nestling back among caressing pines to the magnificent mansion which overlooks, a world of vivid wonders -- whatever your home ideal may be, you can find it or build it in Asheville.

When George W. Vanderbilt, with every resource of one of America's largest fortunes at his command and the whole world from which to choose, selected Asheville as the site of his estate and here erected what is generally considered the finest country home in America -- he recognized the remarkable qualities which raise home life in "the Land of the Sky"  to such a high and happy plane.

Nowhere else in the world is it possible to build a home amid surroundings more attractive than those which abound in Asheville and its nearby vicinity. Here are sites commanding panoramas of mountain ranges which extend on every side as far as the eye can see. Here are woodlands which form perfect settings for the distinctive residences of those who prefer some quiet and sheltered nook. Nights are forever cool and restful, even in Summer's warmest months.

COTTAGE OR MANSION
The homeseeker in Asheville will have no trouble in finding a house or a setting which will measure up to his highest expectations

A CITY OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES

1.  One of the attractive and substantial homes that are found in such great numbers in Asheville.  2. The home-builder will find precedent for every type of homw in the residential diestricts of the City.  3. Rare natural beauty and substantial improvements mark the newer home sections of Asheville, a scene at Lakeview Park.

2. The home-builder will find precedent for every type of homw in the residential diestricts of the City. 

3. Rare natural beauty and substantial improvements mark the newer home sections of Asheville, a scene at Lakeview Park.

2. Harvesting potatoes on the famous Biltmore Farms. 

3. Grapes thrive on the mountain-sides.

And yet, considering the advantages of climate and natural beauty which even the most insignificant property m Western North Carolina enjoys in some degree—prices of residential property in Asheville, no higher than similar locations in other cities of like size, are very reasonable indeed. It is possible to spend from $500 to $50,000 on a homesite in Asheville—and both properties will represent a genuine and substantial value for the amount of money invested.

There are a number of modern apartment houses for those who do not desire to undertake the management of a home and others are under construction as the demand for such accommodations is growing constantly.

The Chamber of Commerce will be glad to furnish a list of Asheville realtors who can accurately answer your specific inquiries regarding homes or homesites.

Where Farming Pays

The State of North Carolina has paved the way for the-farming development of "the Land-of the Sky." Western North Carolina offers splendid opportunities for those who would profit exceed­ingly -well in the cultivation of the specialized crops for which these verdant farmlands are perfectly suited.

THERE were 2,766 owner-operated farms in Buncombe County in 1920.    On January 1, 1925, this total had grown  to  3,768—an  increase  which  proves  beyond question the success which "Land of the  Sky"  farmers are enjoying.

Western North Carolina's agricultural possibilities are only now being realized. With the building of good roads and the formation of co-operative marketing associations—farmers can now engage in agriculture along scientific lines, and make money.

Apples, cherries and other orchard crops succeed well in "the Land of the Sky." Apples of this region are ready for shipment several days before they are ready in any other section of the United States and have thus practically captured the

FARMING ON A BUSINESS BASIS

1.  Barns of a modern Western North Carolina Dairy.  2. Harvesting potatoes on the famous Biltmore Farms.  3. Grapes thrive on the mountain-sides.

WHERE FARMING PAYS                                   46

export trade. Certain areas of the mountains are so well protected by air drainage that they are immune from early Fall or late Spring frosts. Raspberries, gooseberries, currants and other small fruits form a valuable crop as well as the strawberry which naturally grows wild and nourishes all over the western half of the State. The Southern states always furnish a good market, for the mountain region is like a portion of the North extending down into the South and vegetables can be raised here at a season when the South's greatest demand for products of this sort is on.

A COUNTRY PERFECT FOR DAIRYING
A yield of from 75 to 100 bushels of corn to the acre is not unusual.    Western North  Carolina soil is  free from  potato diseases and Irish potatoes are grown advantageously.    Green vegetables thrive.

Cool Summers, mild Winters and a grazing season six weeks longer than in the North well adapt "Land of the Sky" farms to dairying. The cool, pure water of springs and creeks adds to the health of the cattle and aids in the preservation of dairy products as in no other part of the South. With the luxuriant growth of pasture lands, milk and cream can be produced as cheaply here as in any other part of the United States. Sheep flourish on the well-drained hillsides and poultry is another crop which is rapidly becoming a source of wealth.
 

The State of North Carolina, through its test farms where the possibilities for success in the production of various spe­cialized crops are constantly being analyzed and reported to farmers of the section, has led the way for Western North Caro­lina's agricultural progress. < A strong Farmers' Federation, which helps to market agricultural products and saves money to farmers through the co-operative purchase of farming essen­tials, has helped establish "Land of the Sky" farmers on a money-making business basis. The opportunities for those who would engage in farming here are unlimited.

BUILDING FOR FUTURE PROSPERITY

2. The Beaucatcher Tunnel for motor traffic, now under construction. 

3.  One of the numerous hydroelectric dams now being built to harness Western North Carolina streams.

PROGRESS IN BUSINESS AND MANUFACTURING                                              50

industrial property and a payroll which exceeds three million dollars annually.

Many statistics can be given to show the substantial growth of business which Asheville has enjoyed during the past few years.

The volume of check transactions, as reported by the Ashe­ville Clearing House Association, amounted to $140,040,000 in 1919. The total grew to $438,000,000 in 1926—an increase for Asheville of 212 percent compared with an increase for the country as a whole of only 26 percent. Post office receipts climbed from $35,577 in 1901 to $355,827 in 1926. Building permits for 1926 amounted to $9,300,000—in which 900 new residences were included. Bank deposits in Asheville had more than tripled in the years between 1919 and 1926—the total for December 31, 1926, being $30,050,000. Assets of $3,626,000

LEADING THE STATE IN BUILDING

In the building of homes, apartments and hotels, in industrial and commercial expansion, in the increase of recreational  facilities and municipal improvements—there are very few cities anywhere of Asheville's approximate size that have surpassed Asheville's record of progress.

During the past two years, new business and public buildings have been completed or started representing total investments of more than $8,000,00. More than 2,000 new residences in the City and suburbs have been completed, or construction started since January, 1926, with a total value of more than $10,000,000.

From 80,000 to 110,000 cars of freight are handled monthly in the Asheville yards according to the figures of the Southern Railroad—further proving Asheville's growing importance as a distribution point.

The thousands of people who are coming to Asheville are

scenery—but to live and work twelve months out of the year in a country which abounds with splendid opportunities for success.

MOUNTAIN STREAMS OPERATE INDUSTRIES According to the reports of the U. S. Geological Survey, the Hydroelectric power represented in the streams of Western North

Carolina and still undeveloped is in excess of 1,000,000 horse­power.

This statement is made even in face of the fact that millions of dollars have already been spent in Western North Carolina's hydroelectric development, that hundreds of thousands of horse­power are already being generated by its mountain streams to turn the wheels of industry.

It is estimated that the value of hydroelectric plants in operation , or financed and actually under construction in "the Land of the Sky," is more than $150,000,000.

A large development of this sort is now under way on the Pigeon River near Asheville.  This plant, known as Waterville and being erected by the Carolina Power and Light Company will have an initial capacity of 70,000 horse-power and an ultimate capacity of 124,000 horse-power.

Western North Carolina's tremendous hydroelectric resources make electrical energy cheaper here, practically, than in any other section of the United States—a fact that is responsible in no small degree for the great increase in industry and manufacturing in the vicinity of Asheville during the past few years. Large and small users of electric light and power can benefit through Western North Carolina's tremendous hydroelectric

A LOGICAL INCREASE IN REALTY VALUES
As a city grows in population, so must the value of its real estate naturally increase.   Asheville and Western North Carolina properties have been steadily growing in value during the past twenty years.

Asheville's Real Estate Board, a member of the National Association, is working with the Chamber of Commerce and facts which bring out the true responsibility and purpose of developers have been secured by these bodies and are available to the public. Any person considering the purchase of land in Asheville or Western North Carolina may, for a nominal fee, have the appraisal committee of the Real Estate Board appraise the land and make a report on its actual value.

The Chamber of Commerce Can Help You
 

The Asheville Chamber of Commerce offers to the visitor, the home-seeker, the farmer and the business man the full services of an efficient and helpful Bureau of Information which mil ac­curately answer any question you may ask about Asheville and Western North Carolina.
 

WOULD you like to know more about Asheville and "the Land of the Sky"?    Would you like to have accurate answers to any specific questions you might ask about this City and Western North Carolina?

Do not hesitate to direct your inquiries to the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. This organization has assembled in booklet form a wide range of facts covering every phase of life, play and business opportunity in "the Land of the Sky" which are yours for the asking.

If you are a visitor, here is a folder of hotels, apartments and boarding houses, with their rates, offering a wide range of accommodations from which you may choose. Here are folders

help you enjoy every minute of your stay.

If you are considering a home in Asheville, the Chamber of Commerce will mail you a booklet of facts and photographs describing possible sites throughout the City and a list of Realtors who can tell you more.

If you are a farmer, write for details regarding crops and the soil, available farm locations, roads and markets.

If you are a manufacturer, the Chamber of Commerce will furnish you with a special and impartial survey of the facts in which you might be interested enabling you to make your own decision to your greatest advantage.

Chamber of Commerce will outline the opportunities in your particular field of endeavor and do its best to bring about the contacts which will help you in getting settled.

When you come to Asheville, make the offices of the Chamber of Commerce your headquarters. We are at your service.