The third oldest river in the world, the French Broad River, along with its tributaries, has been an integral part of the lives of people across the Blue Ridge Mountains for as long as there have been people here. Like a lifeline pulsing through our region, today the river brings countless resources and industries to […]
Rivers are an essential component of our region’s lifestyle. They offer a continuous source of enjoyment for the people who live here, as well as visitors from near and far. People of all ages enjoy fishing, paddle sports, and just quietly walking through greenspaces alongside the banks. Throughout the summer, it’s common to see streams […]
What three words would you use to define the riverside town of Rosman, NC? Located southwest of Brevard along Rosman Highway (U.S. 64), this Transylvania County town sits atop several major natural and manmade intersections. It’s location has made the town the perfect spot for scientific research, outdoor recreation, and building a tight-knit community. There […]
As Asheville native and environmental icon Wilma Dykeman once wrote: “Water is a living thing; it is life itself. In it, life began.” It is no coincidence that many of Western North Carolina’s towns were built along rivers. In addition to their life-giving waters, WNC rivers have played an important role in facilitating manufacturing and […]
The evolution of brachiopods. Giant insects. The entire history of the dinosaurs. The rise of mammals. Possibly four of Earth’s five prehistoric mass extinction events. The mighty French Broad River has seen it all. Continue reading for: French Broad River at a Glance French Broad River History & Geography French Broad River Climate & Wildlife […]
“Water is a living thing; it is life itself. In it life began.” —Wilma Dykeman, The French Broad What is the Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan? The Wilma Dykeman RiverWay Plan connects 17 miles of existing and projected greenway systems along the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers, from Biltmore Village north to the edge of […]
RiverLink brings kids and nature together. Photo from RiverLink. It’s a simple question: Would the reboot of Asheville be possible without the restoration of the French Broad River? “I don’t think so,” said Garrett Artz, executive director of RiverLink. “Our organization was formed 32 years ago out of a study that asked the question, […]
Western North Carolina is home to a variety of outdoors activities, from mountain hiking and professional biking to lazy days tubing down the river. One activity that’s becoming more popular every day is birding. With our mountainous topography and four-season climate, there’s no better place to see such a wide variety of birds than right […]
A rising jewel of the Southern Appalachian art scene is the River Arts District, a small but vibrant commercial section sandwiched between downtown and West Asheville. Decades ago, the River Arts District may well have been called the River Industrial District. The area sits low along the French Broad River and train line, which made […]
A rising jewel of the Southern Appalachian art scene is the River Arts District, a small but vibrant commercial section sandwiched between downtown and West Asheville. The district is an ever-expanding complex of studios and galleries near the French Broad River that’s also becoming one of Asheville’s culinary and entertainment hubs. There are many […]