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

The Slow Years

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

Rebirth

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