Battery Park Book Exchange

The Battery Park Book Exchange

At this eclectic bookstore in Asheville’s Grove Arcade, wine and espresso entice as many customers as the 30,000 gently used books. Here, old and new collide in a rich, decadent decor that resembles the arcade’s original purpose: to create an ambiance of extravagance.

american chestnut tree in maggie valley

The Lord of the Forest: the American Chestnut

The American chestnut ruled our forests for centuries, but a killer blight made up of microscopic spores needed only 50 years to wipe the giant from the face of North America. But we still have buildings made from it, and we still have people pulling for it. An organization based in Asheville wants to bring it back from memory and make the chestnut stand tall again.