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A Timeline of Automobile Evolution in Asheville, North Carolina
- Heath Towson
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
While out on tours, I often think about how automobile history unfolded in Asheville. In a lot of ways, the automobile might have changed the built environment and culture here more than many other factors during the 20th century. Consider this a jumping off point for future articles as we take a big picture look at how the automobile changed Asheville’s built environment. The popularity of automobiles and tourism as a major economic factor in Asheville. led to some of the greatest concentration of scenic motor roads. If you have a memory that is not listed, please leave a comment below! Think of this as a living document that can be continually added to.
The focus of this article is to highlight pioneers in Asheville automotive history, major roadways and impacts to our automotive culture in the city. Below is a timeline, starting with the delivery of the first automobile in 1900 and going up to the early 2000s. In my memories and recollections, I haven’t seen any major motorsports events or car shows in the Asheville in at least 10 - 15 years.
We believe it’s time to make some new history with our old cars. I hope you will join us in May of 2026 for the Chrysler 300 Club International meet being held here in Asheville. If you are interested, check out our meet information page here:
There is still a lot of car history to be found at Asheville’s only car museum, the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum:
And now… on to the show!
Timeline of Automotive and Motor Road Development in Asheville:
1900 – Asheville native Eugene Coston Sawyer brings the first automobile to the city, a 1901 Locomobile Steam Car. Sawyer will be the only automobile dealer in the city from 1901 – 1906. His business, the Asheville Cycle and Auto Company, provided bicycles and automobiles for many Asheville residents. It would later become The Sawyer Motor Company.
1901
March 10 – Buncombe County Good Roads Bill approved – Authorizes $20,000 in bonds for road improvements and paving (around $700,000 in 2025 dollars)
1906 - Two of the first motorized fire trucks are purchased by the City of Asheville. They are said to be the first motorized fire engines purchased in the state of North Carolina.
1909 -George Vanderbilt has his first recorded purchase of an automobile in Asheville: a 1909 Chalmers-Detroit Model 7 from Eugene Sawyer. Sawyer would go on to help Vanderbilt hire a chauffeur and broker 4 other automobile sales to him.
1911 - James Edwin Rumbough, the first and only mayor of Montford (its own town at the time, later annexed into the City of Asheville) is said to be the first person to climb the Appalachian Mountains in an automobile.
1912
-First Hill Climb (time trial) races on South French Broad Avenue for cars and motorcycles
-First Asheville Police Patrol Vehicle is purchased from Eugene Sawyer – Chase Model H Truck
-E.W. Grove Automobile Road opens (later known as “Old Toll Road”)
1913 – Town of Woolsey (now known as “Woolsey Dip in the area near Merrimon Avenue and W.T. Weaver Boulevard) imposes first speed limit: 12 miles an hour
1915 – First Asheville Automobile show in the city held in Old Dreamland Theater Building, College Street
-The Mt. Pisgah Toll Road Opens
1922 – Mt. Mitchell tourism road opens June of 1922.
-Lillian Slocumb Emerson Terry is first woman to ascend the road in a 1917 Peerless Model 56
Lillian Slocumb Emerson Terry and her 1917 Peerless Model 56. Photo Courtesy of Swannanoa River Valley Museum
1923 – Coxe Avenue Motor Mile Development Starts – E.W. Grove is developer
Coxe Avenue and Southside Avenue, Early 1920s courtesy of UNCA Special Collections
1924 – Richbourg, Sawyer and Conabeer Motor Buildings are constructed as first automobile dealers on Coxe Avenue
Sawyer Motor Building under construction, 1924, Asheville Citizen-Times
1925 – John Nolen (noted urban planner contracted by the city. Studied under Biltmore landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. and Jr.) City Master Plan is published to improve traffic through the city and advocate for better roadways and more efficient city design.
-Rolls-Royce Dealer, Weaver Motor Company, opens at 31 Spruce Street (eventually will close in 1928)
1928 – Beaucatcher Tunnel Construction completed
Beaucatcher Tunnel under construction, photo courtesy of UNCA Special Collections
1929 – Stock Market Crash
1930 – 8 banks close in Asheville in one day.
1935 – Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway Begins in Asheville
1939 – Construction of Town Mountain Road begins
Photo from Asheville Citizen-Times, November 8, 1939
1941-1945 – United States Involvement in WWII – brings many military personnel home to Asheville with new mechanical skills and a need for speed.
1947 – Rabbit’s Motel opens on McDowell Street. Becomes a hot spot for good food and culture in the African American tourist and auto community. One of the only places other than the Booker T. Washington hotel for African Americans to stay in Asheville during segregation and the Jim Crow era.
Rabbit’s Motel
1949 – Asheville – Fairview Speedway (Hollywood Road) opens. This will be Asheville's first real oval racetrack and will be the origin of stock car racing in the city.
Asheville Citizen-Times advertisement for Asheville Speedway – Saturday, September 24, 1949
1950 – Asheville-Weaverville Speedway opens
Asheville-Weaverville Speedway Grand Opening – Sunday, August 20 1950, Ad from The Asheville Times
1955 – Asheville Motorama Car Show opens after a hiatus since the beginnings of the Great Depression and WWII. This will display all of the newest models from local automobile dealers. Organized by the president of the Asheville Automobile Dealer’s Association, Harry Blomberg of Harry’s Cadillac and Pontiac.
1955 Asheville Motorama held in the City Auditorium (now Thomas Wolfe auditorium) Asheville Citizen-Times, February 4, 1955
1956 – McCormick Field Speedway Opens
Grady Cox and Dick Plemmons rounding the field at McCormick Field Speedway, photo courtesy of Jack Pike
-The First Chimney Rock Hill Climb Sports Car event occurs.
Herschel Harkins (left) and R.G. Austin stand beside their cars at the inaugural Chimney Rock Climb in 1956. They would be among a field of 30 cars. Harkins is next to a Jaguar XK140MC and Austin is driving an Austin Healey 100. Harkins would go on to run the Foreign car dealership on Coxe Avenue, Manor Motors selling Jaguar, Austin and Fiat.
1957 – In September, filming of cult classic, Thunder Road, starring Robert Mitchum takes place.
Robert Mitchum during filming of Thunder Road at Asheville’s Sky Club
-Grand Opening of Eddie Joyner Speed Shop
1959 – McCormick Field Speedway closes
-Drag racing at Emma Air Park Begins
1962 – New Asheville Motor Speedway Opens
1966 – Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum Opens, Asheville’s only car museum for many years
Harry Blomberg, founder of Harry’s Motor Inn, Harry’s Cadillac and Pontiac and the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum, Owner of Biltmore Industries Homespun Weaving
1970 – Asheville-Weaverville Speedway closes to become the campus of North Buncombe High School.
1974 – The Movie, Challenge, starring Shelby native Earl Owensby films several chase scenes on Tunnel Road in Asheville, as well as scenes through Black Mountain. The famous chase scene between a Pantera and Chevrolet Corvette were filmed from the Tunnel Road Shopping Center (later Innsbruck Mall) while the cars raced down Tunnel Road.
1977 – Beaucatcher Mountain/I-240 “Open Cut” construction begins
Beaucatcher Tunnel and “Open Cut” Construction, Courtesy UNCA Special Collections
1980 – Beaucatcher Mountain/I-240 project is completed
1989 – Bele Chere: First Sports Car Autocross event held on South Charlotte Street, July 29, 1989.
1994 – First Honda Hoot Motorcycle Event
1995 – The last Chimney Rock Hill Climb event is held
1998 – Shades of the Past Car Museum in Swannanoa opens
1999 – New Asheville Motor Speedway closes
2000 – Last Honda Hoot Motorcycle event held
2007 – Last Bele Chere autocross held. In 2006, 101 cars participated
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