Black Mountain Downtown Historic District

Black Mountain's downtown commercial district covers about 14 acres along Black Mountain Avenue, Sutton Avenue, Cherry, Broadway and State Streets. The town began in 1880, when the Western North Carolina Railroad established a station here. It grew into the largest community in Buncombe County east of Asheville. Most of the 76 resources are one- and two-story brick storefronts, many built after a fire devastated the community in 1912. Styles include Commercial, Craftsman, Classical Revival, Art Deco and Art Moderne. Notable buildings are the 1909 depot, the 1921 firehouse designed by Richard Sharp Smith, the 1927 town hall, and several structures faced with river rock. The oldest building, from 1880, used stone salvaged from the Old Fort railroad tunnel excavation. Later growth followed State Street, which became the main highway route in the 1920s. Tourism has encouraged restoration, and the district is still the town's commercial center, with 75 percent of its resources contributing.