Vance Monument & Downtown Asheville History

Downtown Asheville has one of the most intact Art Deco streetscapes in the eastern United States, and it's all free to walk through. The story behind it is genuinely interesting for kids who like history: Asheville experienced a massive building boom in the 1920s, then the Depression hit so hard the city couldn't afford to demolish and redevelop — which meant the 1920s architecture survived while other cities tore theirs down.

The result is a downtown where nearly every block has examples of ornate 1920s and 30s buildings: carved stone facades, terra cotta ornamentation, geometric Art Deco patterns, and gargoyles that kids immediately spot once you tell them to look up. The S&W Cafeteria building is particularly spectacular; the Asheville City Hall, with its pink Georgian Revival brick, is another landmark. The Flatiron Building (a North Carolina original, not New York's) sits at the corner of Battery Park and Wall.

For families, the best approach is to use the Urban Trail map (30 marked stations) or download the Explore Asheville architecture guide and turn it into a scavenger hunt. Older kids who are interested in history, design, or just how cities work will find it genuinely engaging.