Downtown Asheville Historic District (Boundary Increase II)
Also known as: Ravenscroft Amendment; See Also:Downtown Asheville Historic D
Why it's listed
This small residential enclave in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, sits along Ravenscroft Drive, Church Street and Hilliard Street beside the existing downtown historic district. It holds 13 contributing and 4 non-contributing buildings, mostly houses built between the late 1890s and 1927. Three Queen Anne houses with towers and wrap-around porches are the oldest. Craftsman bungalows, American Foursquare houses and a brick duplex followed after the surrounding land was platted as the Ravenscroft subdivision in 1910 from Episcopal church property. Its plat was prepared by Chauncey Beadle. Elsewhere downtown, houses were largely replaced by commercial development, leaving this group as the most intact residential cluster in the central business district. The area shows that housing close to the city center, like the suburbs, was developed and speculated on during Asheville's growth. Many buildings now serve as offices or rentals while retaining their architectural character.
Significance in brief: The area is the most intact surviving residential cluster in Asheville's central business district. It shows how land near downtown was platted, developed and speculated on during the city's rapid growth, much as suburban tracts were. It also preserves Queen Anne, Craftsman bungalow, American Foursquare and Revival-style houses.
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 90001342, listed August 23, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Church St. and Ravenscroft Dr., Asheville |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | August 23, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001342 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | C. 1898 - 1927 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Bungalow/Craftsman; Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings have been modified for commercial or office use while keeping architectural integrity; some are used as single or multiple dwellings. One non-contributing 1984 commercial building is vacant. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Downtown Asheville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.59177, -82.55301 (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 90001342.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18149496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.