Who were the early tourist pioneers and where did they stay?
Before there were tourists’ courts, there were automobile tourists’ camps. They were most typically, in this area, cabins or shacks. “Tourists’ Camps” found its own subject listing in the business section of the Asheville city directories in 1936, which listed three camps:”Babblin Brook” on the Weaverville Highway at Newbridge, the Beaucatcher Tourist Camp on Tunnel Road, and the Asheville Mineral Springs Cabins also on Tunnel Road. Could the buildings in the two photographs below, which we have been told were on Tunnel Road, possibly be of the Beaucatcher Tourist Camp?
One of the nicest tourists’ camps, and surely the longest lived is Homeland Park Cabins and Cottages. Begun in 1947, Homeland offered a large, central dining room for guests who wanted to dine there. Many of the vegetables served were from their own garden.
Known for its large metal coffee pots at entrance.
Homeland Park development, four miles east of Asheville on U.S.70. Homeland offered modern, deluxe cabins.
Malvern Springs Park was laid out with a nice entrance and a winding drive.
Malvern Springs Park, West Asheville, NC.
Entrance to Malvern Springs Park in West Asheville
A unique take on the tourists’ camp, someone had the idea to use defunct street cars.
“Fortune’s Street Car Tourist Camp, Asheville NC,” on Hendersonville Rd/US Hwy 25.
Post by Zoe Rhine, Librarian.
This is the one I was telling you about from the library. Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 19:26:12 +0000 To: amh299@hotmail.com