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Description
Join us on Thursday, July 10th, from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) for a special History Hour program: The Story of Asheville’s Water, with Michael Holcombe. Light refreshments will be available. Also, Michael's newly published book, The Story of Asheville’s Water: Before and Beyond Hurricane Helene, will be available for purchase before and after the program.
About the Program:
Michael Holcombe's presentation will introduce attendees to his research and the story of the Asheville, North Carolina water system, and focus on the water sources for the city, from 1883 through to the present day (Along with interesting factoids!).
From the prologue of The Story of Asheville’s Water:
This is the story of the Asheville, North Carolina water system; how it was the basis of Asheville’s beginnings, how it fueled the City’s astonishing growth in the early twentieth century, how it became a step-child of the State of North Carolina Legislature in the 1930s, how it expanded to become a Western North Carolina regional asset, attracted the craft brewing industry, and how it was then temporarily destroyed in 2024 by Hurricane Helene.
Asheville has been described by others as a future “climate haven”. The primary reason for this designation is the Asheville water system. From its 20,000+ acre protected watershed to the confluence site of the Mills and French Broad Rivers, Asheville has practically unlimited future supply of drinking water.
Here then, will be its story. Resurrecting itself again after Hurricane Helene, Asheville’s water system will always attract people and development, as it always has.
About the Speaker:
Michael Holcombe is a native of Asheville(!), and a product of Asheville City and Buncombe County school systems. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University, and also holds a Certificate in Municipal Administration from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mike went to work for the City of Asheville in 1978 in the Finance Department, and was promoted to a senior financial/management executive position in the Water Resources Department in 1979. He was promoted to Director of Water Resources in 1993. After leaving the City in 1999, he changed careers and started the Healthcare Leadership & Management Education Department at the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville. He retired from MAHEC in 2014.
Mike and his wife Pam have five children, and four grandchildren. They live in South Asheville, and enjoy traveling to various points on the globe. This is Mike’s first, and likely only, book!
Tickets:
$10 General Admission / FREE for Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) members. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able, please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who could not attend otherwise. Tickets are limited for in-person lectures, so don't miss your opportunity to secure a spot!
Location:
The historic Smith-McDowell House, home to the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH), 283 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC, 28801
For questions about this event, email education@ashevillehistory.org or call the Asheville Museum of History (AMoH) at 828-253-9231.
Date & Time
Thu, Jul 10, 2025 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Venue Details
Asheville Museum of History
283 Victoria RoadAsheville, North Carolina 28801
