Amenities Book Digital

History of
Hendersonville
Hendersonville, North Carolina was founded in 1847 as the county seat of Henderson County. The city is named
after Leonard Henderson, a former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Founding
Location: The location of Hendersonville was controversial, with some wanting it along the French Broad River
and others wanting it along the Buncombe Turnpike.
Land donation: Judge Mitchell King donated 50 acres of land for the town.
Main Street: Main Street was designed to be 100 feet wide so that a team of horses and a wagon could turn
without backing up.
Growth
Henderson County: In 1838, Henderson County was split off from Buncombe County.
Apple growing: Hendersonville became a center for apple growing and is still one of the largest apple growing
regions in the country.
Notable events
First Baptist Church: The first church in the city limits was founded in 1844.
Sixth Avenue School: Opened in 1916 for Black American students.
Grey Hosiery Mill: Opened in 1915.
Balfour Mills: Opened in 1923, later renamed Berkeley Mills.
Hendersonville High School: Built in 1926.
Current City Hall: Built in 1928.