Welcome to The Settings of Black Mountain
North Carolina Real Estate overlooking historic Black Mountain
Shopping in Black Mountain
Since the Native Americans first set foot here, the Black Mountain area has been known as a serene place for healing and reflection. The peaks tower above the nearby slopes of the Blue Ridge, losing themselves in the clouds 4,000 feet above. The thick, coniferous forest appears the deepest shade of green, almost black, hence the name Black Mountain.
Art, Festivals and Shopping
Historically, Black Mountain had its beginnings as an artist colony, centering around Black Mountain College, one of the most fabled institutions in art education and practice. It’s still a haven for craftspeople, visionaries and creators. Throughout the town, you'll find a number of galleries, crafts shops and picturesque spots that seem to take you back in time. While Black Mountain features plenty of festivals year-round, two are definitely not to be missed: Spring's "Taste of Black Mountain" and the Lake Eden Arts Festival, better known as LEAF.
The Black Mountain Center for the Arts has a rich heritage of arts and culture that is apparent at every turn, so are exciting opportunities for shopping, antiquing, dining and theater.
Black Mountain Dining
Asheville:
Shopping:
Whether you're nostalgic for the big shopping malls you left back home or intrigued by the kind eclectic galleries and antique shops you find only in Asheville, you'll be able to lose yourself in a wide array of one-of-a-kind finds and exquisite offerings. Walk down the street and you'll pass literally dozens of art galleries and antique shops.
More art awaits you in Asheville, where the River Arts District, filled with dozens of working art studios, makes up one of the Asheville area's unique arts neighborhoods. In Asheville, you'll find hundreds of fine artists, performing arts venues, mountain crafters, folk artists, numerous galleries and countless events. In the city's many arts districts, hundreds of artists ply their crafts. Asheville has been heralded as a prime arts destination by the New York Times, Southern Living, Travel + Leisure and American Style magazine, to name a few.
Asheville Dining:
You will find everything from Italian and Vegetarian to Greek and Mexican and more. The downtown Asheville area provides many choices of cuisine within walking distance to one another.
You can savor the art of Carolina cuisine at about 45 farmer tailgate markets in the region. Two must-see destinations are the Grove Arcade, a block-long arcade of shopping and dining venues, and Historic Biltmore Village, in which the original peddle-dash homes once owned by George Vanderbilt are now gourmet restaurants, charming bistros, fascinating boutiques and inviting art galleries.
Asheville Music Scene:
From native North Carolina bluegrass to national rock, pop and country acts, Asheville abounds in musical entertainment choices, including opera, symphonic and experimental jazz. From grand concert halls to funky clubs to casual bistros, music in Asheville is alive and well. In fact, local street performers entertain crowds on nearly every corner of downtown for much of the year.
Asheville Theatre:
Asheville Community Theater productions always draw raves, with the troupe's insightful interpretations of classic and modern works. Looking for something more cutting edge? The organization's new performance space 35below features more intimate surroundings and is committed to supporting works by local playwrights through full productions, staged readings, or developmental workshops.
Biltmore Estate
Just 15 minute away in Asheville, you can view some of the most elaborate artistry from all over the world at the famed Biltmore House. Four acres under one roof, the "world's largest home" was built for George Vanderbilt between 1889 and 1895. Mr. Vanderbilt opened the house to family and friends for the first time on Christmas Eve in 1895. As you'd expect, he filled it with the luxurious furnishings commissioned specifically for his place in the mountains, along with many artistic treasures he found while canvassing the globe.
Black Mountain College
Though the famed Black Mountain College enrolled less than 1,200 students during its 23 years of existence, its influence is still felt in the town. You can view the best of the school and learn about its historical importance at the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
In Asheville, it's impossible to escape the presence of novelist Thomas Wolfe. Readers of his novel Look Homeward Angel enjoy touring the "Old Kentucky Home" boarding house where Wolfe grew up-and which served as a model for "Dixieland" in his first novel. The house stands preserved as the centerpiece of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial and is one of the most famous literary landmarks in the country.
