University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register
for

Ted and Elizabeth Carter

OH-VOA C372 Te

Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNCA

Title

Creator

Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection

Subject

LCSH:
Carter, Ted
Carter, Elizabeth
Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Depressions -- 1929 -- North Carolina -- Asheville
World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives
Prohibition -- North Carolina -- Asheville

Subject

Keyword: World War II ; Prohibition ; Bootlegging ; Depression ; UNC Asheville ; Asheville-Biltmore College ; Asheville Citizen-Times ; Asheville High School ; Buck's Restaurant

Description

Abstract: Ted discusses his writing experience, and talks about his book of Asheville anecdotes, Checking the Drag.  He describes places that were popular in Asheville. He and Elizabeth talk about Asheville during the boom time when it was considered the Miami Beach of the mountains, and discuss how the city went downhill after the City Bank and Trust failed.  Ted discusses his experience in WWII, and describes life in this area during prohibition.  He traces the history of the development of UNCA from a two-year free junior college on the top floor of the high school.  They discuss changes in the area over time.

Publisher

D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804

Contributor

Date

Electronic Record Issued: 2002-04-03

Type

Sound ; Text ; Image

Format

Physical Description: 10-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette and 1 copy ; 4 color photographs ; 2 books ; newspaper articles

Identifier

Source

OH-VOA C372 Te

Language

English

Relation

References: VOA Bob Terrell Oral History ; VOA Mary Ellen Wolcott ; VOA John and Janet Buchanan Oral History ; VOA John Reynolds Oral History ; Asheville: Checking the Drag and Sweet Talking by Ted Carter ; Vest Pocket History of Asheville and Western North Carolina by Ted Carter

Coverage

Acquisition

Donor number: 146 ;  Date of acquisition: 1998

Processed By

Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff

Interview Date

Interview Location

Biography

List of names

Side 1:

[7] Ted was born in Cussin' Knob in Madison County.  He has been fascinated with North Carolina place names and has written about them: e.g., Rabbit Hop, Possum Trot, Pitchin' Fork, Sandy Mush and Pig Pen.

[28] He spent his professional life coaching basketball in Western North Carolina.  He started in Walnut, NC and spent 15 years at Asheville High until he retired.

[36]  For the paper he wrote an article thanking his sport fans for their support.  He wrote so well that he was invited to write further (see enclosure). He has written two books (enclosed ) and has four more in process. One on sports, one called Men to Match the Mountains, and Asheville: Checking the Drag, and Sweet Talking.  He reads excerpts from them on the tape.

[59]  He has taught history classes in the high school and found the students interested in WWII (see enclosed), writers and cartoonists. [James Street, Ernie Pyle, Bill Mauldin]

[66]  Again he reads from his writing and mentioned the sports writers.  [Grantland Rice, John P. Greer]

[77]  He lists men who have made Asheville famous: Pack, Grove, Sondley, Vanderbilt, Sammons, Vance, Wolfson, Graham, Ramsey, and Charlie Metcalf.

[96]  From Checking the Drag he mentions Eckerd Drug Store on Patton and Goode's Drug Store, the Imperial, Plaza and Paramount theaters and the Bon Marché Department Store.  On weekends there were always cars "checking the drag" and ending up at Buck's or Babe Maloy's (see Buchanan and Wolcott tapes)

[164]  Elizabeth used to do all of his typing for him.  She met him when she was in Mars Hill College and he was teaching in the Buncombe County schools.  They were married before the war and lived in Hendersonville and Gastonia before returning to Asheville.

[179] Ted grew up on "Gooch's Peak", now called Reynold's Mountain.  His father was a doctor and, during the Depression, people brought produce rather than money.  He was even given a baby fox.  Ted had to work his way through school.  (Photo enclosed) [Robert Reynolds]

[194]  He learned writing skills while in college.  People at the paper were good to him.  Terrell (see his tape) was a sports writer and they became friends.  [Bob Terrell]

[203] Elizabeth doesn't consider she is really from Asheville.  She lived in Hot Springs and shopped here with her mother. She went to Blanton's Business School for awhile.

[239]  He reads more from his writing about Christmas - a short story "Dear old Dad" and about the Civil War where Damn Yankee was one word.

[384]  She has started Christmas shopping for their son who manages a sporting store outside Greensboro and her grandsons, who will be visiting for the holiday.  [Michael Carter, Chad Carter, Mike Jr.]

[445]  They both talk about Asheville during the boom time when it was considered the Miami Beach of the mountains.  When the Central Bank and Trust failed the misery was deepened by a drought and infestation of grasshoppers from the west.

[473]  No one wanted the job of getting the area back on its feet.  Weir took over the city, Candler took over the county and the bonded indebtedness was paid off.  [Weldon Weir, Coke Candler]

[522]  He autographed the enclosed books for this file.

[544]  Their son went to UNCA.

Side 2:

Ted told about his war experience - Fort Bragg for basic training, Fort Sill for artillery training.  His wife went with him until he went to North Africa.  He was in the Battle of the Bulge and stayed with the army until the bomb was dropped on Japan.  Service people brought dogs they had adopted in Europe home with them on the boats.

[2/125]  He describes Beaver Lake swimming pool - beach, volley ball, admission fee and night club run by Overton.  When they were living in Hendersonville they spent an afternoon at the pool.  He fell asleep in the sun and, while he was sleeping she painted his toe nails.  He had a lot of explaining to do at Fort Bragg. [Ralph Overton (Wife Ruth listed 1941 phone directory)]

[2/158]  Liquor could be bought at a gas station opposite Jesse Ray funeral home - now a doctor's complex.  Asheville was known as the little Chicago of the south.  Liquor came from Indiana.

[2/167] During prohibition he got a job working at the Do Drop Inn (where Akzona Bldg. is today) and learned that there was a button under the counter which, when a policeman was coming, warned the patrons and gamblers upstairs.  Liquor coming from Marshall over River Road (known as Thunder Road)  came by convoy with horns blowing.  This was the famous "white lightning."  He ran an article on it and there was a movie made about people wrecked on the bridge while running from the law.

[2/193]  The sheriff developed a device on his car called a "grabber.'"  The object was to drive up to the back of a bootlegger's car, make it stop and grab hold to take it to town.  Unfortunately this worked in reverse; the sheriff's car was dragged through West Asheville at 90 miles an hour and couldn't get loose.  The grabber was junked.

[2/212] When Bailey was around many people got "sick" and got doctor's orders to purchase alcohol.  [Jesse James Bailey]

[2/233]  The original Buck's restaurant started over the Plaza Theater.  Good food was served.  They then moved to Tunnel Road and, in time, became classy with the Red Carpet Room (see Buchanan tape). Mary Ellen Wolcott talks about "checkin' the drag" (see her tape).  [Mary Ellen Wolcott]

[2/253]  He traces the history of the development of UNCA from a two-year free junior college on the top floor of the Buncombe County High School (now the Buncombe County Sheriff's office (see Highsmith and John Reynolds tapes).

[2/273] The Dean of Men suggested that the college have a football team.  Coleman was recruited; the team became very successful and people were drawn to the college.  [Herb Coleman]

[2/291] "Choo Choo" had 4 brothers almost as good football players as he - one was slower and called "Put Put."  Terrell wrote a book on them (see enclosure). ["Choo Choo" Justice, "Put Put" Justice, Bob Terrell]

[2/311]  He feels that the city has not changed much.  The center of the city just died and the Enka (Akzona ) building killed more (see Duckworth tape).  The various festivals are nothing to compare with the Rhododendron Festival, drawing people from all over Western North Carolinian (see Hearn tape).  National name orchestras came and everyone celebrated.  All important stores have moved out to malls and there is a new development going up near Oakley.

[2/348]  West Asheville has always been popular and you can get anything you want on Haywood Street.  He goes over to Harry's Pontiac (Patton Ave.) for his car, buys grain for his ducks and has his lawn mower sharpened in that area.

[2/397] Sears, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Montgomery Ward and Lowe's are unbelievable.

[2/412]  He said he has exhausted himself in writing.  He had to travel to get material and she said that as a typist, she is played out.  He advertised for information on the CCC and received stacks of material.  He wrote on the Farmer's Market but feels that the new one is too far away (see Hollifield tape).

[2/514]  His aforementioned books are ready except for typing.

Return to Top         Oral History Collections