Asheville High School

E. M. Ball Collection,  N1812 - UNCA
Title: Asheville High School
Alternate Title: Lee Edwards High School
Creator - Architect(s):  Ellington, Douglas 
Creator - Architectural Firm: Palmer-Spivey, et al.
Building Address: 419 McDowell Street, Asheville, NC
Subject - Keyword: Asheville High School; Lee Edwards High School; Douglas Ellington ; Biltmore College ; schools ; colleges ; education ; Valley Street
Subject - LCSH: Asheville (N.C.) -- History
Mountains -- North Carolina
Asheville (N.C.) -- Buildings, structures, etc
Architecture, Domestic -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Description: Situated on fifty acres of meadows and woodlands, Ellington's design creates symmetry without disturbing the natural lay of the land. Three equal wings radiate from the central entry tower and rotunda. “Balfour Pink” granite, white granite and slabs of orange-colored stone enhances the beauty of the design and geometric patterns provided ornamentation. The ornamental seal of Asheville was set into the central tower in colored tiles. [ See: [Home Page: History of Asheville High School compiled by Mollie Warlick  for additional details.]
Publisher: heritagewnc.org ;
Contributor: Asheville Art Museum ; Asheville High School Home Page ;
Date Building Constructed / Ended: 1927 - 1929
Date Building Destroyed: Building is intact
Building Type: School
Architectural Style: Romantic Art Deco influence
Building Current Function: High School
Building Historic Function: School
Tenants: NA
Format: collection ; text ; image
Identifier:  
Source of Item: UNCA ; Asheville Art Museum ;
Language:  
Related: Asheville's Built Environment in www.heritgewnc.org, Douglas Ellington and the History of Asheville High School created by Asheville Art Museum ; [Home Page: History of Asheville High School compiled by Mollie Warlick
Bibliography, Related, Is Referenced By References:  
Related Images:  E. M. Ball Collection Photographs, UNCA:

N1955 David Millard Junior High School, one wing was site of Biltmore College, 1934-40, NE corner of Oak and College streets, 1921.
N1656 Lee Edwards High School, just completed, no shrubbery.
N1657 Lee Edwards High School, stage door.
N1658 Lee Edwards High School, close-up of stone construction.
N1659 Lee Edwards High School, side door.
N1660 Lee Edwards High School, back of rotunda.
N1661 Lee Edwards High School, heating plant.
N1662 Lee Edwards High School, entrance.
N1812 Lee Edwards High School, just completed
N1827 Lee Edwards High School, just completed
N1985 Lee Edwards High School, front.
N3290 Lee Edwards High School, entrance, 12-44.
N3746 Valley Street, intersection of Valley, College, and Poplar streets before 1978 change, 5-11-51.
N3294.4
 
Coverage - Temporal:  
Coverage - Spatial: Asheville, NC
DC Record Type:  
Rights: UNCA images require any display, publication, or public use must credit the D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville.Copyright retained by the creators of certain items in the collection, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Asheville Art Museum images are restricted. Photographs of Asheville High collection of the Asheville Art Museum. All rights reserved. Images and text may not be reproduced by any means without prior permission of the Asheville Art Museum.
Processed By: NRHP; UNCA Margaret Mitchell ; Asheville Art Museum
Updated: UNCA; Bray Creech, 10/2005 ; hw 03/19/06
HISTORY: [Provided by the Asheville Art Museum]


Asheville High School under
construction, c. 1927.


 
Asheville High School today
   

 Douglas Ellington's design for Asheville High School, completed in 1929, was originally planned to have a neighboring municipal community college. Due to the Great Depression the college was never built.  

Asheville High School has a central tower, from which radiates three wings. Two wings house classrooms and the third wing has an auditorium. The six-sided tower is related to the eight segmented dome of his First Baptist Church and the octagonal roof of the Asheville City Building.

The terraced slope leading up to the front of the school has a central walkway and flanking drives that lead to the central tower. This formal arrangement pattern contrasts with the more open landscaping on the rear of the school leading down to a stadium.                           

Photographs in History from Asheville High collection of the Asheville Art Museum. All rights reserved. Images and text may not be reproduced by any means without prior permission of the Asheville Art Museum.