Downtown in Asheville in Buncombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Oscar Wong

Founder Highland Brewing Company

— Brewing at 12 Old Charlotte Hwy —

Oscar Wong Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

1. Oscar Wong Marker

Inscription. Oscar Wong was born in Jamaica to Chinese parents and immigrated to the United States to attend Notre Dame. After a successful engineering career, he moved to Asheville. In 1994, he opened Highland Brewing Company, the city's first legal brewery since Prohibition.

Here in the basement of Barley's at 42 Biltmore Avenue, Oscar's brewery became the birthplace of Asheville's craft beer industry.

Oscar received the Brewers Association's Recognition Award in 2020 for his vision and support of the craft beer movement. He is widely recognized as the

"Godfather"
of Asheville Craft Beer

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1994.

Location. 35° 35.594′ N, 82° 33.064′ W. Marker is in Asheville, North Carolina, in Buncombe County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Biltmore Avenue (U.S. 25) and Ashton Street, on the right when traveling north on Biltmore Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 42 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC 28801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Catholic Hill School / Stephen’s – Lee High School (within shouting distance of this marker); Hotel District (within shouting distance of this

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

marker); Isaac And Delia Dickson (within shouting distance of this marker); Lynching in America / The Lynching of Bob Brackett (within shouting distance of this marker); Railroad Workers (within shouting distance of this marker); Cornerstone of Culture (within shouting distance of this marker); Triangle Park Mural (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The YMI & William and Georgia Roland (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Asheville.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Asheville (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).

Oscar Wong Marker at the far right post at Barley's image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

2. Oscar Wong Marker at the far right post at Barley's

Barley's entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, August 29, 2025

3. Barley's entrance

Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 88 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 30, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.