At 5:30 p.m. on three Mondays in July – July 15, 22, and 29 -- guided history walks along Hendersonville’s meandering Main Street will enlighten dedicated history enthusiasts and others. Or choose the Sunday at 2 p.m. walk on July 7. The walks will be about 90 minutes and will be held rain or shine. Visitors will find that as mountain towns in the southern Appalachians go, yes, Hendersonville has quite a history … and interesting architecture as well.
Cost is $10 per person 10 years and older. Children under 10 are free with a paid adult. Reservations are suggested. Meet in the lobby of Hendersonville City Hall at the entrance to the Police Dept. to begin the walk. City Hall is at the corner of Fifth Avenue East and King Street. Free parking is available at the Police Dept. entrance.
Tour guide Mary Jo Padgett will answer questions and tell stories of the past, such as -- who donated the land where the new town would be built, what is the age of the oldest block of buildings, what was on the third floor (and in the basement) of the old City Hall, who named the county – with extra news blurbs on the bordellos, shoot-outs, and old trolley lines included. Find out about the Historic Courthouse, Skyland Hotel, City Hall, and other historic shops and structures along Main Street.
Private tours are available anytime for groups of eight or more for Guided Walks on Main Street as well as tours in Historic Oakdale Cemetery and along 7th Avenue Historic District. Phone Mary Jo at 828-545-3179 or send an email to
“Locals and visitors may join me to celebrate and share the interesting location, history and architecture of downtown Hendersonville,” Padgett said. “I believe that knowing our history enriches our lives.”
Padgett served on Hendersonville City Council for eight years, is a journalist and public relations consultant, co-founder and former executive director of ECO, was associate editor at The Mother Earth News magazine, and conducts programs and guided tours in Paris, France, on the American Revolution. Her parents spent their honeymoon in the Skyland Hotel on Main Street. She grew up on a farm in Rutherford County, and has lived in a 100-year-old house in downtown Hendersonville for 37 years.
To make reservations or for more information, phone Padgett at 828-545-3179 or email
