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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

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

The Slow Years

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

Rebirth

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