1961 Map of Asheville

About this map

The French Broad River serves as the central artery for this mid-century survey, dividing the urban center of Asheville from the expanding neighborhoods of West Asheville. During this period of growth, institutional landmarks like Asheville Biltmore College and Highland Hospital established the city's character, while the southern reaches remained defined by the affluent enclave of Biltmore Forest. The map captures a landscape in transition, where legacy infrastructure like the Southern railroad and Riverside Cem meet modern developments such as the Blue Ridge Parkway. To the west, the Pisgah National Forest and Pisgah Wildlife Management Area preserve the mountainside, contrasting with the industrial and residential clusters of Sayles Village and Murphy Junction along the river's bend. Small airfields like Owen Airfield and Emma Airpark reflect the era's local aviation footprint before later suburbanization.