Crossroads of Culture

Crossroads of Culture. . City Center, The intersection before you was an important crossroads long before Asheville came to be. indigenous people traveled the path of this road that would later become a popular route with drovers bringing their livestock to market. The Buncombe Turnpike, completed in 1827, contributed to Asheville's population boom and helped many local farms flourish., Today this busy intersection, known as Pack Square, is the heart of Asheville's cultural crossroads. The large glass structure of the Asheville Art Museum adds a modern facade beside the historic building that once housed the county's public library. A row of popular restaurants and their lively patios occupy some of the oldest sending structures in the city, dating to the 1880s. half a block to the south, the Wortham Center hosts world-class musical and theatrical performances. Across the square to the east, the Black Mountain college Museum + Arts Center tells the story of one of the nation's most creative experiments in arts education., Just east of the art museum is the 13-story Jackson Building, the tallest skyscraper in North Carolina, when it was completed in 1924. The seven-story Biltmore Building, with its rows of windows designed to reflect the Jackson Building to pedestrians crossing the square, was envisioned by renowned architect I.M. Pei, who also created the Louvre Museum's glass pyramid., Culinary Creativity, Asheville draws on its deep farm heritage and traditions of Southern hospitality to now rank among the top culinary destinations in the U.S. More than a dozen James Beard Foundation-recognized chefs and culinary experts call Asheville home, using local ingredients to create farm-to-table flavors inspiredly cuisines near and far, from Indian street food to Spanish tapas, and Carolina barbecue to authentic Appalachian cuisine., And the innovation doesn't end with the plate. Artisans are roasting, steeping, and fermenting craft beverages from coffee to kombucha, in addition to the 50+ breweries that transform clear mountain water into craft beer varieties. Creative takes on ice cream, pizza, tacos and biscuits fill the menus of area eateries and food trucks alike., Pull up a chair and place your order, or go straight to the source by visiting a local farm, perusing a tailgate market or enjoying one of the area's many food festivals., (captions) , Below Asheville's first skyscraper, the Jackson Building, towered above the 1920s skyline. (Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Public Library, Asheville, North Carolina), Left More than a dozen tailgate farmers markets line up across the Asheville area each week, perfect for taking home locally grown produce, fresh baked gods or artisan wares., Below Asheville's sidewalk dining patios are part of what earned the city the nickname "Paris of the South." Enjoy a farm-to-table meal, a craft beverage or a late night treat al fresco., Left Pack Square has often been the site of public celebrations and demonstrations, such as this one at the beginning of World War I in 1917. (Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Public Library, Asheville, North Carolina)