AYPROS Lunch & Learn: The Past, Present & Future of Downtown Asheville

AYPROS Lunch & Learn: The Past, Present & Future of Downtown Asheville - FREE COWORKING DAY INCLUDED!
When: Wednesday, August 20th, 2025 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Where: Hatchworks Coworking, 45 S French Broad Ave, Asheville, NC
Presented by: Heath Towson (Mountaineer Motor Tours)
Lunch Sponsor: Mountaineer Motor Tours

Event Overview:
Your city of Asheville was once a hardscrabble mountain town, mostly populated by farmers and visited by drovers taking their animals to market. But after a chance visit by American aristocrat George Vanderbilt, the town would never be the same.
When Vanderbilt built his Biltmore Estate, he brought with him artists, architects, and tradespeople. Many of them stayed, influencing Asheville’s design, culture, and identity for generations. What followed was a boom that turned this rugged mountain town into a destination city, drawing people from around the country for its mild climate, medical care, and mountain beauty.
Want to know more?
Join us for a story-packed, high-energy Lunch & Learn with Asheville native and local historian Heath Towson, founder of Mountaineer Motor Tours. Heath will walk us through 100+ years of downtown Asheville’s development, from the days of the railroad and Gilded Age opulence, through the crash of the Great Depression, and into the city’s modern creative revival.
We’ll explore:

• The evolution of Asheville's built environment
• The rise, fall, and renaissance of downtown Asheville
• Why architecture, urban design, and fine arts still shape Asheville’s identity
• And all the quirky, little-known facts you never knew you needed

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, an armchair architect, or just curious about the city you call home, this session is for you. Come for the lunch, stay for the stories, and leave with a whole new perspective on Asheville.
Your RSVP also includes a free coworking day at Hatchworks Coworking. Come early, stay late, and get a feel for Asheville’s most loved workspace.
Free with RSVP. Space is limited.
We’ll see you there!