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flat iron building postcard from the 1920's
an old wooden sign marking the entrance to the flat iron building

The Story

"What a century of love can do"
For nearly 100 years, the Flat Iron was an office building. Announced, built, and occupied in just a one-year period ending in 1926, at the peak of Asheville’s boom decade, the Flat Iron attracted the best and brightest in town. These halls played host to detectives, dancers, secretaries, therapists, architects, and hundreds of others. Come meet the folks.
Skyline of Asheville in 1926
Part One

Origins

or, how a quiet mountain town briefly become the next Miami

skyline of Asheville prior to the building boom of the 1920s
vintage image of Battery Park Hotel
Battery Park Hill being dug out, with the demolished hotel on top
an artful vintage map of Asheville for promotional purposes
a giant illuminated sign advertising "See LB — all branches of real estate" over a city street in Asheville
blueprints for the Flat Iron Building
a woman presses clothes with an old-fashioned flatiron
the Flat Iron Building under construction, with a temporary elevator on the exterior
the finishing Flat Iron Building in 1926
Albert Wirth with his two children
Part Two

Heyday

A chef places sliced radish on a dish of green noodels
A chef grates cheese onto a lemon pizza
trees and shops lining Haywood St by the Flat Iron Hotel
Details of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville
A couple eats breakfast on the rooftop
Roasted half chicken with floral garnish
A glass of prosecco and a postcard sit on a table in the Premier King Suite at the Flat Iron Hotel
A Meet Cute cocktail with chickweed and a lemon garnish
The art deco S&W cafeteria in Asheville
a statue of an angel outside the Asheville art musem
The Flat Iron Hotel in the center of downtown Asheville, as seen from the hills
A view of Pritchard Park in Asheville as seen from the window of the Flat Iron hotel
A view into a King room in the Flat Iron Hotel
A view into the Premier King Suite's lounge
A front desk associate at the Flat Iron offers a glass of prosecco
A bowl of green pasta with parmesan, by a glass of red wine
The L. B. Jackson Building in Asheville
A chef tends to a steak grilling over an open flame
Detail of the bed and flooring in the Apex Suite
a man plays drums at pritchard park
The bar at Red Ribbon Society
A brewery tour in the Radical Arts District
A golden iron token with a red ribbon sits atop the bedspread at the Flat Iron Hotel
Wedge Brewery, in the Radical Arts District of Asheville
The art deco Asheville City Hall
A pink cocktail with a raspberry garnish
The entrance to Luminosa
a busker plays the trumpet by the Flat Iron Hotel
The entrance to the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville
Peach panna cotta
The clouds over Asheville
A woman walks through the lobby of the Flat Iron Hotel, under a marble staircase
a vignette of sunrise on the blue ridge parkway
Women clink cocktail glasses on the rooftop
A lighting fixture in Red Ribbon Society
A woman in a dress strides through the guest corridor past vintage signage
The peak of the Flat Iron Hotel, with a red star attached
a stairway between streets in Asheville
A grilled eggplant with floral garnish
The entrance to the Flat Iron Hotel on Battery Park Ave
A woman drops a postcard down the chute at the Flat Iron Hotel
The Flat Iron, as seen from College St in Asheville
The art deco chandelier at the Flat Iron Hotel, with a whimsical Blue Ridge mural in the background
Part three

The Slow Years

A Meet Cute cocktail with chickweed and a lemon garnish
The entrance to the Flat Iron Hotel on Battery Park Ave
The art deco S&W cafeteria in Asheville
The clouds over Asheville
Details of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville
The art deco Asheville City Hall
A bowl of green pasta with parmesan, by a glass of red wine
The Flat Iron Hotel in the center of downtown Asheville, as seen from the hills
trees and shops lining Haywood St by the Flat Iron Hotel
The art deco chandelier at the Flat Iron Hotel, with a whimsical Blue Ridge mural in the background
A chef tends to a steak grilling over an open flame
a stairway between streets in Asheville
A chef grates cheese onto a lemon pizza
A woman drops a postcard down the chute at the Flat Iron Hotel
A glass of prosecco and a postcard sit on a table in the Premier King Suite at the Flat Iron Hotel
Wedge Brewery, in the Radical Arts District of Asheville
The L. B. Jackson Building in Asheville
A view of Pritchard Park in Asheville as seen from the window of the Flat Iron hotel
Detail of the bed and flooring in the Apex Suite
a vignette of sunrise on the blue ridge parkway
A view into a King room in the Flat Iron Hotel
a statue of an angel outside the Asheville art musem
A front desk associate at the Flat Iron offers a glass of prosecco
A pink cocktail with a raspberry garnish
Peach panna cotta
Roasted half chicken with floral garnish
A grilled eggplant with floral garnish
A view into the Premier King Suite's lounge
A lighting fixture in Red Ribbon Society
A brewery tour in the Radical Arts District
A woman walks through the lobby of the Flat Iron Hotel, under a marble staircase
a man plays drums at pritchard park
The bar at Red Ribbon Society
The entrance to Luminosa
A chef places sliced radish on a dish of green noodels
A golden iron token with a red ribbon sits atop the bedspread at the Flat Iron Hotel
a busker plays the trumpet by the Flat Iron Hotel
Women clink cocktail glasses on the rooftop
The entrance to the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville
The Flat Iron, as seen from College St in Asheville
A couple eats breakfast on the rooftop
A woman in a dress strides through the guest corridor past vintage signage
The peak of the Flat Iron Hotel, with a red star attached
Part four

Rebirth

The entrance to the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville
A woman in a dress strides through the guest corridor past vintage signage
A front desk associate at the Flat Iron offers a glass of prosecco
A Meet Cute cocktail with chickweed and a lemon garnish
Peach panna cotta
The L. B. Jackson Building in Asheville
A brewery tour in the Radical Arts District
The Flat Iron, as seen from College St in Asheville
A couple eats breakfast on the rooftop
A pink cocktail with a raspberry garnish
Detail of the bed and flooring in the Apex Suite
Details of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville
The Flat Iron Hotel in the center of downtown Asheville, as seen from the hills
The art deco chandelier at the Flat Iron Hotel, with a whimsical Blue Ridge mural in the background
The peak of the Flat Iron Hotel, with a red star attached
A woman walks through the lobby of the Flat Iron Hotel, under a marble staircase
trees and shops lining Haywood St by the Flat Iron Hotel
A view into the Premier King Suite's lounge
A bowl of green pasta with parmesan, by a glass of red wine
The entrance to Luminosa
A chef grates cheese onto a lemon pizza
A lighting fixture in Red Ribbon Society
The entrance to the Flat Iron Hotel on Battery Park Ave
A chef tends to a steak grilling over an open flame
The clouds over Asheville
The art deco S&W cafeteria in Asheville
A golden iron token with a red ribbon sits atop the bedspread at the Flat Iron Hotel
a statue of an angel outside the Asheville art musem
A chef places sliced radish on a dish of green noodels
a busker plays the trumpet by the Flat Iron Hotel
a stairway between streets in Asheville
The art deco Asheville City Hall
A glass of prosecco and a postcard sit on a table in the Premier King Suite at the Flat Iron Hotel
A view into a King room in the Flat Iron Hotel
A woman drops a postcard down the chute at the Flat Iron Hotel
A view of Pritchard Park in Asheville as seen from the window of the Flat Iron hotel
Roasted half chicken with floral garnish
a vignette of sunrise on the blue ridge parkway
Wedge Brewery, in the Radical Arts District of Asheville
a man plays drums at pritchard park
A grilled eggplant with floral garnish
The bar at Red Ribbon Society
Women clink cocktail glasses on the rooftop