Series statement from publisher's website.

Excerpt from Asheville and Vicinity: A Handbook of Information, Containing an Exhaustive History of Asheville, Also Accounts and Statistics of Churches, Public and Private Schools, Benevolent, Secret, and Other Societies and Associations, Besides Other Miscellaneous Information It is hoped that it will meet with the demand so frequently made for a work both accurate and attractive. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

"Asheville, North Carolina, grew from humble beginnings as a hamlet for local livestock handlers to become one of the most culturally and artistically diverse cities in the South. This book has all the fascinating history of Asheville, complete with a rich array of photographs. Multiple appendices reveal details concerning many lesser-known aspects of Asheville's unique history"--Provided by publisher.

Beyond the beaten path of local landmarks, residents and tourists can find curious secrets, lost mysteries and fascinating legends. The famed Hope Diamond once found itself, and its mysterious curse, buried in an Asheville girl's sandbox. Elvis once handed a cherished guitar to a local man at an Asheville concert, and he held on to it for forty years. At a flea market, an Asheville attorney paid a few bucks for an old tintype likely of Billy the Kid, and it may be worth millions. Native author Marla Hardee Milling recounts odd, but true, stories hiding behind Asheville's picturesque beauty.

Asheville has been a restaurant town for two centuries, since stagecoaches arrived bringing the first tourists. Neighborhood cafés and busy lunch counters, raucous roadhouses and white-linen dining rooms provided the backdrop for much of Asheville's development as a world-class foodie destination. Some, like the Stockyard Cafe and Three Brothers Restaurant, have vanished without a trace, while others, including the Art Deco S&W Cafeteria and the Woolworth soda fountain, are easy to spot because they have barely changed. Longtime residents will recognize recipes for Rabbit's apple cinnamon pork chops and High Tea Café's Eggnog Colbert. Author Nan K. Chase reveals the hidden history of Asheville's restaurants, including the struggles of desegregation and the decades when downtown Asheville was almost dead.

Buried deep within the hills and hollers of North Carolina's majestic Appalachian Mountains are stories, traditions and a proud cultural heritage unlike any other. Hidden History of the Western North Carolina Mountains reveals the people, customs and folklore of the region, exploring bygone traditions, fascinating real-life characters and tales so tall they rival the peaks that shape the landscape. What was life like for workers in the gristmills? Was Abraham Lincoln actually born in Bostic in Rutherford County? Who was Amos Owens, and why was he known as the "Cherry Bounce King"? Journey through the mountains with North Carolinian Alice Sink as she investigates these and other questions, unveiling the history of life in western North Carolina that traditional accounts have overlooked.