About Hendersonville

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WSPA)- Hendersonville was founded in 1847 that grew around the original Henderson County courthouse that was built around 1842.

Michael Arrowood, of the Hendersonville Visitors Center, said the town really started to grow in 1849 when the railroad arrived.

A new courthouse was built in the early 1900s, which is the historic county courthouse that is located between First and Second Street in the heart of downtown.

It stayed that way until the early 2000s when it was transformed into the Henderson County Heritage Museum, which holds memories of the long history of Hendersonville.

A large part of the museum is the long military history in the town, stretching from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm.

Hendersonville was not yet a city during the Revolutionary War. However, soldiers who fought in the war were buried in what we know as Hendersonville.

“This was actually Cherokee Indian Territory,” Arrowood said. “There were a number of Patriots that did fight and are buried in Henderson County.”

In the historic city, you can also find planes dating back to World War I at the Western North Carolina Air Museum which is one of Hendersonville’s best-kept secrets.

Hendersonville also recently celebrated its 175th Anniversary and dating back to the 1800s it was known as a tourist town when the first people came from Charleston.

The town has a long connection with apples and has been celebrating its annual Apple Fest for 76 years.

“It has a long history of hospitality,” Arrowood said. “The city was filled with hotels and guest houses.”

It’s no surprise that tradition continues, the historic downtown area is filled with shops, entertainment and plenty of places to eat.

Arrowood said, “downtown is our greatest treasure.”

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