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

The Slow Years

The art deco Asheville City Hall
A view of Pritchard Park in Asheville as seen from the window of 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
Women clink cocktail glasses on the rooftop
A chef tends to a steak grilling over an open flame
A couple eats breakfast on the rooftop
A brewery tour in the Radical Arts District
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 woman drops a postcard down the chute at the Flat Iron Hotel
A chef grates cheese onto a lemon pizza
Wedge Brewery, in the Radical Arts District of Asheville
A grilled eggplant with floral garnish
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 lighting fixture in Red Ribbon Society
A Meet Cute cocktail with chickweed and a lemon garnish
a busker plays the trumpet by the Flat Iron Hotel
The bar at Red Ribbon Society
A pink cocktail with a raspberry garnish
The Flat Iron, as seen from College St in Asheville
The L. B. Jackson Building in Asheville
a statue of an angel outside the Asheville art musem
A view into the Premier King Suite's lounge
The Flat Iron Hotel in the center of downtown Asheville, as seen from the hills
A front desk associate at the Flat Iron offers a glass of prosecco
Peach panna cotta
trees and shops lining Haywood St by the Flat Iron Hotel
The entrance to the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville
a man plays drums at pritchard park
The art deco S&W cafeteria in Asheville
The entrance to Luminosa
A chef places sliced radish on a dish of green noodels
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
Detail of the bed and flooring in the Apex Suite
The clouds over Asheville
a stairway between streets in Asheville
Details of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville
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
Part four

Rebirth

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