Manor and Cottages
Why it's listed
Albemarle Park, on the western slope of Sunset Mountain in Asheville, is a resort district centered on the Manor, an inn conceived by Thomas W. Raoul as an English country house in the mountains. Construction began in 1898, and the inn and two cottages opened on January 1, 1899. A lodge arching over the entrance drive was the first building, and wings were added in 1903 and 1913-1914. Nineteen cottages with individual names, such as Columbus, Clio and Cherokee, were built mainly between 1899 and 1920, and later houses fill out the park. The buildings combine Shingle, Tudor-style and gambrel-roofed Colonial Revival elements. The Manor's interior includes carved woodwork said to be by craftsmen from the Biltmore Estate. The district was listed as a rare surviving example of the picturesque resort developments of the North Carolina mountains. The Manor now operates as a retirement hotel, and most cottages are private residences or apartments.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the group forms a highly picturesque district evoking Asheville's turn-of-the-century resort boom. Its craftsmanship and combination of Shingle, Tudor and gambrel-roofed Colonial Revival elements relate to Biltmore Village and early twentieth-century Asheville housing. It is described as one of the rare surviving picturesque resort developments in the North Carolina mountains.
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 78001934, listed January 26, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 265 Charlotte St., Asheville |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | January 26, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001934 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1898 to present |
| Architectural style | Shingle, Tudoresque and Dutch/Colonial Revival (picturesque resort architecture) |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Manor is still used as a retirement hotel; the Club House has been altered for offices; most cottages are private homes or apartments. |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Coordinates | 35.60823, -82.54251 (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 78001934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18154076
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.