Thomas Wolfe Monument by Joshua Darty
Cemetery Walking Tour a Who’s Who of the Region
More than 40 notable figures in the history of the South and Western North Carolina are laid to rest in the wooded acres of a 131-year-old cemetery in the heart of Asheville. The Preservation Society, a local history group, plans an educational fall tour of the gravesites at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 15.
History enthusiasts will be stationed at the headstones of such notables as Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry—both internationally known writers—and Biltmore Estate architect Richard Sharpe Smith to highlight the contributions of many figures in the history of the region and beyond.
This is only the second self-guided tour of Riverside Cemetery by the Preservation Society in 20 years. The first tour sparked interest in documenting the many important people who are buried on the 87 acres. “Our tour at that time sparked the then-cemetery manager to develop a map of the historically interesting gravesites,” says Jeanne Warner, society board member.
Artists, governors, senators and Civil War generals are interred at Riverside, which encompasses 9,000 monuments and 12 mausoleums. Visitors will hear a brief history of the cemetery and tour at their own pace. Volunteers will present information at several graves and may include historical re-enactments of the most famous, Warner says.
Wolfe, perhaps the most well known figure buried on the grounds, gained international fame for his novel, Look Homeward Angel, based in a fictionalized Asheville. O. Henry, the pen name for W.S. Porter, wrote the famous short story, The Gift of the Magi. Among other notables on the tour are Kenneth Noland, a prominent abstract artist of the ’60s, and Zebulon Baird Vance, two-time governor of North Carolina and confederate officer. Riverside Cemetery, founded in 1885, is an attraction for other reasons. “During the time Riverside was developed, cemeteries were meant to be like parks with landscaping,” says Warner, and to this day, the grounds draw more than 2,000 visitors a year.
Riverside Cemetery is located at 53 Birch Street, Asheville. No reservations are needed for the tour; simply gather at the cemetery office inside the grounds at 2 p.m. October 15. A donation of $10 is suggested. For more information, visit the Preservation Society website at psabc.org.
