I'm sorry, I'm from New York State, and North Carolina, your library system SUCKS. Southern culture…read moreis more than "To Kill a Mockingbird." Anybody ever heard of a man called William Faulkner? Carson McCullers? Ring a bell? Walker Percy, one of the best American novelists EVER imho? This is an urban library- an urban library in a hip relevant very cool unique city, but when it comes to their library we're talking Harlequin romances in giant print. If you're really community-oriented and intellectual- as this city posits itself, the library should be so much more. It should be a cultural hub. Anyway, I find this library has a relative paucity of material. It needs to expand its section of classics. And for a city that calls itself progressive, how about some progressive literature? Thomas Pinketty, make the New York Times available. How about books on climate change, homesteading, crafting, DIY, farming, animal care, bicycling, Christianity, environmental concerns, Appalachian music, Appalachian culture, animals and plants of the region, history of the region, tourism, the Vanderbilts, the Biltmore Estate, the French Broad River, the Scots-Irish, the American South, the fight for civil rights equality, auto repair, mountain ecology, the Baptist religion, Hee Haw, the Scottish ballad tradition, snake handling, forestry, the Cherokee, Dolly Parton, Mount Mitchell, folk legends, Andrew Jackson, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, the Appalachian Trail, fiddling, clogging, kilts, rodeos, classic cars, logging, But, no. Harlequin romances in giant print, some third-rate hand-me-down same ol' same ol' pablum/fodder. It's like stale standards of the cathedral of general political correctness. Anyway, this is one of the few aspects of Western Carolina that makes me miss my NY roots.

Love our local library system. Stop cutting their budget!!! Pay some taxes folks!!! Jeez this is…read moreAmerica!!! Thomas Jefferson espoused virtues of books and education for the masses. When libraries are laying off because of budget cuts, we miss opportunities for real early child development and a chance at community. Stop being skinflits!!!! Love the library!!!!!

What an adorable local library. If you have a buncombe address, you can go to any so we opted for…read morethis one last week as it was the closest. Pleased to find an open lot, easy entrance and an adorable exterior. Lots of benches, ads for local events and wildflowers. What a library should show, in my opinion. Looks like this is a true community space we need to show love for. The staff were so welcoming and kind. We got cards here and it was simple (just have a license from the area or a license and some mail). The books were plentiful and well organized. Kids section was inviting and adorable. Overall an excellent experience.

It's everything I want in an older, outdated library. Have normal expectations and you won't be…read moredisappointed. Very friendly staff, decently stock books and rotating selections. I enjoy this library very much.

The Friends of the Library books store is an amazing second hand book store for a town that does…read morenot have a book store. If you are a quilter, there are hundreds of quilt books and other crafting books. The staff are very helpful. They are very organized...You can find what you're looking for easily. They have large print section too and jig saw puzzles, childrens' books, cookbooks, videos and DVDS. Don't show up if you have a time crunch, you'll want to poke around.

Truly a wonderful Library. Wow! It's big, well organized, Quiet areas to study & helpful staff…read more Thank you. I use the library all the time to simply catch up on my Email, make copies of items and to just relax and get caught up with life. The staff is very helpful and considerate. So thank you!

Friendly and helpful librarians, nice selection of books and a huge selection of DVDs.read more

Do you like GHOST STORIES and tales of haunted places? Then Helen's Bridge will be of interest to…read moreyou. Also known as Zealandia Bridge, it was constructed in 1909 as a roadway to Zealandia Estate, where there is (or once was) a mansion that looks like a castle. According to Urban Legend, a woman by the name of Helen who lived near the mansion hung herself from the bridge after her daughter died in a fire. The same designer of the bridge (R.S. Smith) also worked on the design of Biltmore Estate and Kanuga Lake Club, now know as Kanuga Conference Center near Hendersonville, NC. Kanuga is a Cherokee name thought to mean "gathering place". He also designed the Henderson & Swain County courthouses. ~ THE EXPERIENCE & LEGEND We learned about this bridge from our hotels front desk staff, whom also used to be a ghost hunter. She said there are stories of people having mysterious handprints on their cars if they parked near the bridge overnight. Some even say their car wouldn't start or the locks wouldn't work. She said some have even seen the distressed ghost asking passers-by if they've seen her daughter. INTRIGUED, I searched for more of the story and found several. Here is the one I liked best: Helen was single mother in her mid-40's when a fire broke out while cooking. She ran upstairs to get her newborn daughter but was overwhelmed by smoke and fainted. The baby and Helen were rescued by fire fighters, however, the baby could not be resuscitated. Helen, drowning in grief, wandered into the woods where she found the bridge and committed suicide by hanging herself. She remains attached to the bridge to this day not wanting to leave her daughter. Another report says she was the mistress of the mansions owner and decided to kill herself when she discovered she was pregnant with his child. In any case it could not have been the original owner John E. Brown, since he died 14 years before the bridge was built. Near the top of the bridge there is niche in an outcrop of stone that has a few figurines places in it. Our hotel staff member said it was placed there after a car accident death OR maybe Helen is still trying to find her daughter. Whatever you choose to believe, the aging bridge and its legend still stand after more than 109 years. ~ HISTORY Zealandia Castle was built by John Evans Brown in 1889. John inherited the land from his father whom died in 1884. John was living in New Zealand at the time in an area he helped establish called Swannanoa, which he named after the Swannanoa Valley in North Carolina where his father lived. John left North Carolina in 1849 at age 22 to head out West during the days of the Gold Rush. He eventually migrated to New Zealand where he became a gold miner, farmer and a member of Parliament. Tragedy claimed his eldest and youngest sons, first wife and then his father back in the United States. After returning with his new wife he discovered isinglass on his newly inherited land. It was a popular mineral at the time used in making a variety of heating items such as stoves, lanterns and carriages, and made him even wealthier! He died in 1895 at 68 years of age. The castles new owner, Philip S. Henry, added to its size in 1908 making it a 62 room home, but it was reduced to 28 rooms in the 1950's after demolition of the original John E. Brown structure. Much of Mr. Henry's art collection was featured in the very first Art Museum of Asheville established in 1948. If you are a fan if the movie THE LONGEST RIDE (written by the author of The Notebook), then you no doubt remember the Black Mountain College art featured in the movie. THIS was that art! ~ FINAL THOUGHTS To an unsuspecting passerby it's just an old unused bridge. But it has so much more intricate history than that! Now you also know why there is a New Zealand town named after North Carolina, and a North Carolina estate named after New Zealand! Isn't history fascinating? 2018/68

I love a good ghost story or a haunted place! Do you? If…read moreyou're anything like me you'll love this bridge. Urban Legend says that a woman by the name of helen hung herself from this bridge after her daughter died in a fire. She lived in a mansion near by. All I can say is the feeling I got at this bridge felt .... heavy. Like hard to breathe. Definitely one of the creepiest feelings I've ever felt. You come around a corner and there's a deserted area right by the bridge that you can park at. Don't park on the street it's on a curve and people might not see your car turning. I crossed the bridge and cut through some of the bushes .. through the fence you can see a portion of the mansion that she lived in and you can still see the burns from the fire on it!

They assisted me with kindness and speed today after a minor incident today. Greatly appreciate…read moreeverything they do and wish them well while caring for our communities

The services provided are convenient and well run; very professional. Parking is a bit limited, so…read moreplan ahead if you have an appointment or meeting. We found staff to friendly and efficient. This location is a huge improvement from their old office on Main Street.

Friendly counter service and I got cute Love stamps. Has ramp for wheelchair access. Easy in and…read moreout.

Super friendly post office…read more Love the staff and the help they provided us. Cheerful and kind! A huge plus for any post office.

Detoured off the highway for traffic, it was a plus because I got to see this marker that would…read moreotherwise have been missed! Yes, "Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908). Builder who developed tile construction method widely used in vaults & domes. Designed vaulted ceilings at Biltmore in 1894. Lived 1 mile SE." The marker is at the intersection so there is plenty of room to stop and read. And if you've made it this far, don't miss the Biltmore! Online, there is more information. "Rafael Guastavino, Sr. (Rafael Guastavino y Moreno) was born in Valencia, Spain in 1842 and graduated with the title of "master of the works" or "master builder" from the Escola Especial Des Mestres d'Obres (Special School for Masters of Works) in Barcelona in 1872. Drawing on a traditional Mediterranean technique of building with thin mortared tile, Guastavino became an innovator in the construction of lightweight, fireproof vaults and domes." "Thin tile construction (called "cohesive construction" by Guastavino and also known as "timbrel" or "Catalan" construction), was a technique well known to traditional builders in Guastavino's native Spain. The method is thought to date to Roman times or may display a Persian influence. In cohesive construction, thin ceramic tile is mortared together in layers to create lightweight vaults that support floors and ceilings, and to create large and complex stair and dome structures." "The house, neglected and fire damaged, was destroyed by the 1950s. The portion of land encompassing the house and kiln site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and is in the ownership of the Christmount Retreat, Camp, and Conference Center, which maintains the remnants of the "Rhododendron" estate and plans to develop a museum facility to interpret Raphael Guastavino's life and achievements." [Review 547 of 2024 - 3603 in North Carolina - 21578 overall]