Bent Creek Campus of the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station (Boundary Decrease)
Also known as: See Also:Bent Creek Campus of the Appalachian Forest Experim
Why it's listed
Bent Creek Campus of the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station is a historic district southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, associated with Forest Service research during 1925-1942. This amendment shrinks the district by roughly 15 acres, from about 35 acres to about 20. The excluded land lay on the north bank of Bent Creek and had once held a white pine experimental plot, an arboretum, an archery practice ground and a base camp for unemployed men who cut firewood. Those uses had largely ended by the close of the period of significance, and the ground has since returned to mixed forest. Investigators found no visible above-ground traces of the earlier activities. Because the area had lost its historic integrity, it was removed. None of the district's counted resources were affected. The new southern boundary follows a modern fence and an existing National Park Service boundary, and the remaining forest still frames the campus.
Significance in brief: The district was originally listed for its Forest Service experiment station resources from the period 1925-1942. The amendment argues that the removed area on the north bank of Bent Creek had lost its historic integrity, since its earlier uses had ended and no visible above-ground evidence remained. The remaining district keeps enough wooded setting to preserve its rustic character.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95001187, listed December 30, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Brevard Rd. S of jct. with I-26, Asheville |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | December 30, 1996 |
| Reference number | 95001187 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1925-1942 |
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture, Conservation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The removed area has reverted to mixed deciduous forest with undergrowth, and it contains part of a Blue Ridge Parkway access road, several unpaved forest roads and a modern chain-link fence. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Within district | Bent Creek Campus of the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station |
| Coordinates | 35.50403, -82.59704 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95001187.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.