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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

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

The Slow Years

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

Rebirth

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