 | wnc business & community directory |
|
The mountains of Western North Carolina are a favorite destination for visitors from all over the country, and Hendersonville offers the unique experience that only a small town can give. While many visitors might flock to larger cities, those who are interested in the side roads and smaller, but equally appealing, by-ways available, will find everything they are looking for in Hendersonville.One of the loveliest historic restoration areas in all of Western North Carolina is Hendersonville's Historic Downtown District. The area on and around Main Street is busy and bustling, just as it was in years past. The Historic Henderson County Courthouse, located at 113 North Main Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as are a great many other buildings in the area. The Courthouse building is the site of many of Hendersonville's outdoor community activities, including music and dancing, throughout the summer season.
The Hendersonville and Flat Rock Area Visitors Center, located at 201 South Main Street, is not only a great place to park for a stroll through the downtown area, but can provide almost any information that a visitor might need for a visit to the area.
While Thomas Wolfe's famous novel, Look Homeward Angel, put Asheville on the literary map in the 1920's, that famous angel is, itself, located in Hendersonville's Oakdale Cemetery. The cemetery is located on Highway 64, just west of town. The statue and the gravesites for which it was bought are now enclosed within a six-foot iron fence, but are easily seen by visitors to the cemetery.
|
It is just this type of community involvement that gives Hendersonville its well-deserved small-town flavor. A stroll through the tree-lined downtown area will reveal the many shops and a clear understanding that Hendersonville uses and takes pride in this part of the community. This is no "tourist area," although many visitors to the area are drawn here; life-long Hendersonville residents frequent the shops and businesses located throughout the district. 
For railroad buffs, the Hendersonville Depot, originally built by Southern Railway between 1902-1904, is worth the time to visit. Located on the corner of 7th Avenue and Maple Street, the depot is registered on the National Register of Historic Places, and restoration to the building is ongoing. It has been painted and returned to its original colors, and a model railroad exhibit is housed in what was once the baggage room. A Southern Railway caboose is on permanent display on the south end. The depot is open year-round on Wednesdays from noon to 3PM and on Saturdays from 9AM to noon.
Hendersonville has numerous bed and breakfasts, chain hotels, and quaint inns in which to spend a week or a weekend. For more information on where to stay, please contact the Hendersonville Visitors Center at 828-693-9708.