History of Weaverville, North Carolina

Pioneers began settling in what was still Cherokee territory in the 1700’s. Weaverville in the 1800’s was home to grand hotels, such as the Dula Springs Hotel and Blackberry Lodge, where Low Country visitors could escape the heat and pestilence of Southern summers.

Author O. Henry spent some of his last days in Weaverville, regaining his health before returning to New York City and squandering it again.

Weaverville College, later renamed Weaver College, contributed a defined element to the small town for 60 years until it closed in the 1930’s. The creation of Lake Louise in 1910 (then known as Lake Juanita) made Weaverville an idyllic destination in the country.

Around the same time, an entrepreneur by the name of Rex Howland built a trolley line that could carry hotel guests and day visitors the six miles from Asheville to Weaverville's downtown for 35 cents, and in only 45 minutes. Howland's trolley line ceased operation little more than a decade later, but Weaverville's reputation as a resort destination was established.

The town of 2,500 boasts several active civic groups and the city has been named a Tree City USA every year.