Ashville Museum of History

The Asheville Museum of History is located in the Smith-McDowell House, the oldest standing house in North Carolina.

Plus, it’s rumored to be haunted.

So, off to the AB Tech Campus I went, to get the inside scoop.

The historic home is open Wednesdays–Saturdays from 11–5, so I suggest swinging by Ultra Coffeebar for an early lunch before you head over. It's in the River Arts District, and absolutely adorable.

Ultra has a wide variety of vegan and GF options, plus they’ve got this cute little tree decorated in birdhouses:

I’d imagine the branch on the left is where the birds hold their HOA meetings.

I had the Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Breakfast Bagel Sandwich, a Cha-Cha (Green Tea Matcha Chai), and ordered a Vegan Brookie to take home for dessert.

After you stop by Ultra, head over to the Asheville Museum of History.

Turn into the dirt driveway that leads up to the house. Parking is conveniently located next to the home, and there’s a handicap-accessible entrance.

The museum officially opened in 2023 and offers a glimpse into the history of Asheville, the house itself, and all of Western North Carolina.

Katie Richie (Visitor Services and Development Manager) began our tour and said that while she hasn’t experienced anything ghostly herself, employees from 20–25 years ago reported activity in the basement.

That area, sadly, is where enslaved people would have lived and worked for quite some time.

What I appreciated most about the museum is that it respectfully recognizes the dynamic history of the region.

Did you know that WNC was once a haven for tuberculosis patients?

A solarium was added to the property in the 1880s.

Interested in grisly WNC history?

Check out the exhibit on the Marion Mill Massacre.

And now, for the ghost story Katie did tell:

A ghost was reportedly sighted in the Fernihurst Mansion, which was also built in the 1800s and now houses the culinary program at AB Tech.

One snowy night, AB Tech police thought they saw a little girl outside Fernihurst, so they went investigate. When the officer got closer, the girl ran to the door of the mansion and then simply vanished—leaving behind a trail of small footprints in the snow.

These are just a few of the stories and pieces of history the Asheville Museum of History keeps alive. Go check it out, talk to Katie for a deeper understanding of the home and the region’s past—and don’t forget to stop by Ultra Coffeebar for something good to eat.