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

The Slow Years

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

Rebirth

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