Stories from the

Gray Rock Inn

1932 Mrs. Sorrell’s Boarding House

Wouldn’t it be a shame, Flora thought, the box of True American Diamond Matches rattling in her hand, wouldn’t it be a shame if the old place burned down? The cool night air tugged at Flora’s apron, somewhere down the way a dog barked. Biltmore Ave. was deserted...

1928: The Doll Sanatorium, Part 4

The year 1928 was momentous for Asheville and surrounding areas. Asheville High School was being built, Beaucatcher Tunnel was being blasted into the city’s downtown mountain, and an hour and more further west, the first phases of the Great Smoky Mountains National...

1962 Maria Fletcher’s Parade

Maria Fletcher was crowned Miss America in 1962, after becoming Miss Asheville 1961 and Miss North Carolina 1961. A parade was given in her honor in November of 1962, featuring local organizations and beauty queens from the WNC region.

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