History of the River Arts District

The River Arts District’s name pays homage to the French Broad River that runs beside it. The French Broad River is an anomaly in many ways. The Eastern Continental Divide is situated about 25 miles south of Asheville. As a result, the French Broad River runs north as it moves through Asheville, which can be disconcerting as most rivers tend to run south. In many other places, "a river running through it" creates focus, yet with natural beauty abounding in the area, the French Broad River gets little attention and visitation, which makes it one of the best kept secrets of Asheville.

In the late 1800’s, the population of Asheville knew about the river. There was a lovely stretch of park, filled with lagoons, gazeboes and strolling paths along the banks of the French Broad River... A riverboat took people up and down the river, and there were plans for a docking marina. With the Victorian Era marking the beginning of Asheville’s prominence as a tourist destination, many visitors arrived in Asheville by private train cars. These travelers would disembark near the river and stretch their legs along its banks...

Early in the 1890’s, however, industry began to take notice of the prime, flat real-estate to be found near the river. The Asheville Tannery, now known as The Candlestation was built circa 1896. Carolina Coal & Ice Company & The Asheville Electric Company set up shop in the early 1900’s. By 1907, George F. Scott Lumber Yard and The Gas Works of Asheville Power & Light Company had moved into the neighborhood.

Then on July 16th, 1916, mother nature said, “not so fast”.....

"With flood waters subsiding, Asheville is today carrying out relief work and taking count of the loss of life and property from the storm. Along the river fronts in the Swannanoa and French Broad valleys industrial plants have been submerged and wrecked. The damage in Asheville is estimated at $1,000,000; in Buncombe county the loss will add close to two million to this sum. (Asheville [NC] Citizen, July 16, 1916, front page story.)

The park disappeared, yet even though the river crested at 21 feet, with flood stage at 4 feet, not all the buildings were destroyed. When you visit Warehouse Studios, notice the small white curvy line to the left of the door for Riverlink. It denotes the high water mark in 1916.

Once the flood waters receded, industry took over the French Broad River Valley. Among the many buildings going up were a series of buildings erected on Roberts Street that served as a produce and grocery purveyors’ market. These buildings were renamed The Wedge in 2002 by it’s current owner, steel sculptor, John Payne. It is now called home to just about every conceivable artistic endeavor. The Phil Mechanic Building, as it is now known, built circa 1925, was erected to house a variety of supply businesses. It has only recently become home to some great wood & metal workers.

In October of 1929 the stock market plunged. As with most of the country, Asheville’s economy ground to a halt. Asheville Ice & Storage Company, and what are now known as Railside Studios and Roberts Street Studios were built some time in the middle of the 20th century. Yet much of the neighborhood fell into disuse, allowing the scrap yards to multiply, a reality that continued into the 1980’s when Porge Buck bought the 1901 Carolina Coal & Ice Building. Unknowingly, Porge gave birth to the River Arts District by creating Warehouse Studios, currently the home of six painters and one quilt artist. 

Around 1985, Highwater Clays relocated from Biltmore Village to Lyman Street. Highwater Clays later expanded around the corner to Clingman Avenue and opened Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts, in a building that was originally built to house a munitions factory to supply the troops in World War II. Highwater is now planning to move their clay warehouse and store a bit further up Riverside Drive to a 35,000 square foot location. Sometimes bigger can be better. The move will allow the establishment of additional clay studios on Clingman Avenue.

The French Broad Food Co-op relocated from downtown to the Old Chesterfield Mill in the 1986 to open it’s first full time retail space. It joined Mountain Foods, an existing produce wholesaler and 15 other businesses. The Co-op moved to it’s current home, on Biltmore Avenue, in 1988. It was lucky. On April 2nd, 1995, The Old Chesterfield Mill burned to the ground, reportedly by a fire set by two 14 year old girls.

The fire also destroyed most of the large manufacturing campus of the 1896 home of The Asheville Cotton Mill. The 1995 fire precipitated the unexpected result of the renovation of the remaining remnant of The Cotton Mill. In 2003, this building was purchased by Marty & Eileen Black, and is now home to their clay studio, The Potter’s Mark as well as numerous painters, dancers, flute makers, etc.

In 1989, clothing designer & quilter, Pattiy Torno bought the Jim’s Auto Body & Painting buildings. After a stint as a rock club, the location that once housed M.T. Mitchell Distillery circa 1907 and Standard Oil Company, circa 1917, was renovated to created Curve Studios. Curve Studio now is home to a glass blower, wood worker, photographer and quilter.

As a river meanders, so too does the history of the River Arts District. The River District Artists invite you to come and help create the newest chapter.