The French Broad River that runs through Asheville is the third oldest river in the world and one of the few rivers that flows north. Starting with the Cherokee nation, who inhabited this area for 10,000 years, several groups have used the river as the center point to their settlement, trade, and industry. However, after The Great Flood of 1916 shut many of the factories down and the urban renewal projects in the 1970s displaced and destroyed the remaining Black community buildings and shops, the area was left vacant.

In the mid 1980s, artists moved into the remaining warehouse buildings, and the River Arts District was officially formed in 2005. For the next two decades, more and more artists flocked to the area and helped to create a vibrant and diverse arts scene of over 300 artists. Sadly, in September of 2024, Hurricane Helene destroyed 80% of the area.  I visited just 6 months later, and while the area was still obviously recovering from the hurricane, the River Arts District artists have done all they can to recover from the devastation.  Upper River Arts studios have taken in displaced artists, artists have cleaned up and salvaged some of their artwork, and artists have used the experience as inspiration for new work.  While only one third of the artists still have studio space in the River Arts District, I was still impressed by how many studio spaces there are. 

Although many of the artists’ works are also featured in downtown art galleries, this is where they create the work. Many of the artists were on site, currently working on art pieces, and all of them were happy to talk to visitors about their process and inspiration.  With the vast range of art genres, price points, and content, there really is something for everyone. Among the artists I talked to, I learned about the process of working with street signs, painting college campuses, using fire to add character to the paintings, and searching the woods for inspirational pieces for the sculptures.

After perusing the studios, I enjoyed a cold drink at the Wedge Brewing Company in the basement of the Wedge Artist Studios. Decorated with salvaged metal parts, Wedge Brewing embraces the grittiness and resilience of these artists. Asheville has several good breweries, and the River Arts District houses a few of them.

The day before I visited another brewery on the other side of the French Broad River. While New Belgium Brewery’s home base is Colorado, they opened up their second brewing location in Asheville in 2018.  The large industrial indoor space, wide open patio, and large green space outside makes this brewery popular with multi generational groups. My original plan for the evening was to head into downtown Asheville to check out one of the rooftop restaurants, but the great music (shout out to Sun Goblin), friendly crowd, relaxing atmosphere, and yummy food options here made me change my mind. 

Driving home from New Belgium, I wanted to check out the view of the city from a nearby outlook.  At the small overlook on Riverview Drive, locals have created a memorial arch to share their hardships, memories, and inspirations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Throughout my visit, I was awed by the resilience and hope that the residents of this area have, and this was just another reminder. 

A little further down the river is the French Broad Chocolate Factory and Cafe.  While I wasn’t able to fit a tour of the factory into my schedule, I made sure to at least stop by and check out some of the bonbon flavors and take a look through the glass at the machines that help make these yummy treats. 

Nearby is the Asheville Botanical Garden. They too are still recovering from the hurricane; that plus the fact that I visited in April means that I didn’t get to see the gardens in their full beauty.  Still, I enjoyed meandering around the paths and learning about the native plants to the area. I also saw a yellow lady slipper – something I’ve never seen before. It was a nice place to start my day.

I’m an English teacher, and I’ve taught The Great Gatsby more times than I can count, so when I found out that the hospital where Zelda Fitzgerald spent her last years was just around the corner, I couldn’t help but stop by.  Both the memorial plaque and the original set of stairs from the burnt down Highland Hospital (the 1948 fire that claimed her life) are part of a current facility that wants to protect the privacy of their residents, so be mindful of that if you choose to visit.