Edgemont Rd

Return to the intersection of Macon and Sunset Terrace. Turn to your right and follow Edgemont Rd until it ends at Charlotte Street. All of the homes on this charming street are noted as “contributing” in the Grove Park Neighborhood’s National Historic Register recognition. Here are some highlights among those homes to admire along the way:

• 86 Edgemont, The Albemarle Inn: Dr. Carl Reynolds constructed this very large neo-classical home in 1909. Dr. Reynolds was known for bringing sanitation standards, vaccinations and dairy production standards to Asheville. The home later changed hands in 1920 and became a prestigious private school for girls and later a school of creative arts. In 1980, the house became the attractive and popular bed and breakfast inn that it is today. Composer Bela Bartok lived at the Albemarle Inn when he composed his 1943 Asheville Concerto and this gorgeous building was awarded its own National Register listing in 1982.

• 81 Edgemont: Built by George W. Pack, this expansive home was the original Asheville Country Club. Golf had become very popular in Asheville and the Asheville Country Club originally stood behind the Albemarle Inn adjoining Sunset Terrace. The house was moved sometime between George Pack’s death in 1906 and 1917 as it appears on the 1917 Sanborn maps of the Asheville area. Additional exterior details were added in the 1920’s to blend with the apartment building next door at 83 Edgemont.

• 80 Edgemont: When this charming home was built in 1908, Edgemont was named Grand Avenue. Its yellow color and huge front porch create great curb appeal. Another Richard Sharp Smith design, the home is a variation on the American “Four Square” i.e. 4 square rooms on one floor and 4 square rooms above, all designed with comfort and harmony.

• 72 Edgemont: One of the earliest homes in the area, this 1904 home’s generous wrap-around porch adds outdoor living space. Its current owners have also created an addition in the back of the home that blends seamlessly with the original architecture.

• 73 Edgemont: This very attractive home was built in 1959 and extensively renovated in 2012 by its current owners to blend in with the neighborhood. The original 1950’s ranch house was expanded through the addition of a second floor and both interior and exterior transformed into a wonderful Arts and Crafts style home.

• 68 Edgemont: This impressive home’s first owner was J.M. Parker in 1912. Notice the wonderful “pebbledash” material used on the exterior of this prestigious home. Pebbledash along with its earlier cousin, “roughcast”, was an essential material for the exterior of many Edwardian and Arts and Crafts era homes. To create this finish, pebbles were mixed with mortar and plaster to create the effect you see on these exterior walls. The wide front door with its leaded glass window adds to this home’s curb appeal.

• 52 Edgemont: Designed by renowned architect Richard Sharp Smith in 1915, this unique home was built with concrete block to lower the risk of fire. The house retains many original elements including a side porch entry. The home is a more modest interpretation of the grand Oates House which is on the Blue Route of this tour.

• 41 Edgemont: The Swiss alpine feel of this home’s fretwork, brackets and gridded woodwork differentiates this house from others on the street. Built sometime between 1910 and 1917, there are also plenty of classic Arts and Crafts details, too. The rear deck and east bay were added in the 1990’s to blend with the home.

• 14 Edgemont: This home, built in approximately 1911, has one of the most attractive wrap-around porches (a carry-over from many Victorian era homes) with supporting classical columns. Like many homes in the area, a second story sleeping porch was enclosed and converted to interior space.

• 15 Edgemont: This is one of the earliest homes on the street dating from 1909. Throughout this tour, you’ve probably noticed that the windows on many homes have “muntins”. A muntin is a strip of wood or metal that separates and supports smaller pieces of glass within a windowpane. They can be found in doors or windows and are an important decorative feature of many early 20th century homes.