If you seek the warmth and energy of urban Asheville, but the words “new” and “condo” aren’t quite your speed, Montford offers many wonderful residential opportunities. Take a quick walk from the heart of downtown, and you will find yourself in the midst of a close-knit, historic neighborhood with large old trees, lush lawns, public spaces, diverse architecture, and thriving community connections.
Here’s a short list of the best things about living in Asheville, NC’s historic Montford—a traditional neighborhood with modern amenities.
Montford has history
As implied by its moniker, Historic Montford has a rich and vibrant history. The roughly 300-acre neighborhood is home to more than 600 buildings, most of which were built between 1890 and 1920. Early homes, built around 1895, are of Victorian and Queen Anne styles. A little later, architects like Richard Sharp Smith, the supervising architect of the Biltmore Estate, left their mark on the neighborhood. Sharp Smith alone designed more than 70 houses in Montford, bringing more Arts & Crafts influences. The result is an overall complex quality of designs and artistic talent throughout the neighborhood that reflects the cosmopolitan character of Asheville during the turn of the 20th century. Additional home styles seen include Neoclassical, Colonial Revival, and castle-like motifs.
A portion of the neighborhood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. And in 1981, the Asheville City Council designated Montford as a local historic district. Today, a number of its charming Victorian homes have been converted to bed and breakfasts, offering 250 rooms for weekend guests. The History@Hand walking tour series is the best way to take a formal tour of the neighborhood throughout the year.
Montford was designed for modern living
With a wide main thoroughfare, established sidewalks, and its own selection of attractions, Montford was designed to offer residents the best of 20th century living. Those features have aged like fine wine to bring Montford’s residents squarely into the 21st century today.
Though there’s little evidence of it now, Asheville had the first electric streetcar system of its kind in all of North Carolina—and only the second in the South. Montford was the city’s first trolley suburb, offering residents an easy way to access the heart of town. That legacy is why Montford Avenue is so wide. The trolley line was positioned down the middle of the street, and two lanes of horse and carriage traffic ran on either side of the trolley line.
Today, Montford Avenue’s homes still sit back from the street, offering serene front yards. And sidewalks direct residents towards downtown, following the former trolley route.
Montford has many amenities…
Montford’s variety of amenities and attractions draw residents and visitors alike, including Reed Creek Greenway, Montford Park, Magnolia Park, and Hummingbird Park.
Located in the heart of the neighborhood, the city-run Tempie Avery Montford Community Center features a climbing wall and gymnasium. The renovated center was dedicated to Tempie Avery in 2017, a prominent African-American nurse and midwife who lived on the site in the early 1900s. Sign up for one of dozens of clubs or children’s summer programs that operate in the center. Or just stop by in the afternoon for pick-up basketball. The center is surrounded by the Montford Recreation Complex, which features a playground, lighted ball field, amphitheater, and more on 17 acres.
The Montford Community Association is very active, coordinating lots of monthly outreach programs through their website and newsletter. Many residents of Montford are very concerned about the environment and sustainable living. The MCA’s monthly newsletter includes green tips like weeding out invasive plants from your garden, updates from the city’s recycling program, or the best way to compost your jack-o-lantern.
…including great restaurants!
Eat where the locals eat! Montford is home to local restaurants and takeout options.
Sitting at the edge of Asheville’s historic Montford neighborhood, Five Points offers a casual meal that’s sure to please. Locals have flocked to this delicious diner for more than 50 years when they crave classic American breakfasts and local fare, as well as fried seafood and Greek and Italian dishes.
Prepare to wait in line at All Day Darling if you’re going for brunch. This popular standby for fresh-baked pastries, hearty breakfast plates, market-focused salads, and tasty sandwiches offers cozy digs indoors, as well as patio seating. All Day Darling is part of two-time James Beard Award nominee and acclaimed Chef Jacob Sessoms’s Perfectly Ad Hoc hospitality group.
Since 2008, Nine Mile has offered a casual and eclectic, Caribbean-inspired menu in the heart of Montford. (The local restaurant also has locations in West and South Asheville.) Many of Nine Mile’s pasta and rice dishes are vegetarian friendly, and generous dinner portions are sure to satisfy. But don’t forget to save room for locally made desserts!
Montford is health conscious
While most of the early development in Montford was single-family residential, the neighborhood was also dotted with private hospitals. Founded by Dr. Robert S. Carroll, a distinguished psychiatrist, the old Highland Hospital located off the northern end of Montford Avenue was a sanitorium for “for mental and nervous disorders.” Today, the hospital site is home to offices and shops, and Dr. Carroll’s nearby home, his Beloved Homewood, serves as a wedding and event space.
The neighborhood still hosts quality behavioral and therapeutic clinics. The Pisgah Institute is the largest, most comprehensive behavioral health practice in the region. They provide a wide variety of mental-health treatments in a home-like atmosphere. For something a little more hands-on, so to speak, book a session with Daoist Traditions College Acupuncture Clinic. They offer a variety of acupuncture and Chinese medicine services.
There’s always something going on
Montford residents stay busy year round, but summers are alive with activity. The Montford Park Players, North Carolina’s longest-running Shakespeare troupe, presents free outdoor theater all summer long. The company coordinates a long season, typically running from May–October, at the Hazel Robinson Theater. In operation since 1973, they are one of only 15 Shakespeare troupes globally to have performed every single Shakespeare play. Best of all, they operate by donation, making public theater affordable for all. Just bring your lawn chairs, a picnic basket, and enjoy!
The Montford neighborhood hosts additional events throughout the year, including 5K races, historic home tours, festivals, and more.
And we can’t forget about Riverside Cemetery
A neighborhood bragging about its cemetery? Why, yes!
Historic Riverside Cemetery is a Victorian rural garden cemetery, as well as one of Buncombe County’s treasure tree repositories. Riverside is the final resting place of a number of famous people, including Asheville authors Thomas Wolfe and William Sydney Porter (better known as O. Henry). Lillian Exum Clement Stafford became the first woman elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 1920. Many visit her gravesite on election days, leaving their “I Voted” stickers. And George Masa, a Japanese immigrant called “the Ansel Adams of the East Coast”, has a resting place near the entrance gates of the cemetery.
North Carolina governors Vance and Craig, congressmen, well-known artists and craftsmen, and even a personal bodyguard to President Abraham Lincoln continue to draw visitors to pay their respects.
Plus, Montford is within walking distance of downtown Asheville and more!
The beautiful historic Montford neighborhood is just a stone’s throw from the heart of downtown Asheville—well within easy walking distance to dozens of restaurants, museums, and attractions.
As the seat of Buncombe County and the largest city in the region, Asheville offers many amenities within minutes, including public, private, and charter schools. UNC Asheville, a nationally ranked four-year public liberal arts university, is also within walking distance. The university offers more than 30 majors, 16 Division I athletic teams, and dozens of campus clubs and organizations. At the edge of the Montford neighborhood sits the Lenoir-Rhyne Graduate Center. Their state-of-the-art learning space has full-time, terminally-degreed faculty to direct the graduate programs, mentor students, and develop community partnerships.
Buncombe County also hosts an extensive library system, including the main library branch downtown. Asheville residents enjoy access to state-of-the-art medical facilities, including Mission Hospital, the largest in the region. And there are innumerable shopping, entertainment, and dining options throughout the city! Asheville is also conveniently located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah National Forest, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, a sightseer’s and cyclist’s haven.
Find your next home in Asheville, NC’s historic Montford neighborhood
Montford’s proximity to both downtown Asheville and UNC Asheville’s residential campus attracts residents reflecting a wide mix of ages and interests. Historic home tours, affordable theater, innovative restaurants, and public parks draw locals and tourists into the neighborhood on a regular basis. And Montford’s history, beauty, and community mindedness encourage many to stay for life.
See the tradition of Montford for yourself! Read more about Montford, see more photos, or search for homes in the area, from our Allen Tate/Beverly-Hanks Montford community page.
