by Dale Wayne Slusser
“Governor -elect Locke Craig within the next few weeks, will begin the erection of a modern country home on his property on the Swannanoa River.” -Asheville Citizen-Times, January 9, 1913.
In 1949, North Carolina erected a historical marker along the Swannanoa River Road, directly in front of the Governor Locke Craig house, which was then still standing. Actually, the marker was put in front of ONE of five houses that Locke Craig, who was then the Governor of North Carolina (1913-1917), built along the Swannanoa River-four for himself and one for his son. Given names such as “Riverlea”, “Chisky Hall”, and “Governor’s View”, these houses were built near to each other and were all built between 1913-1924. Not surprisingly, they were built on both sides of what is now called Governor’s View Road in East Asheville. Three of these houses remain and two have been lost, yet essentially all five have been “forgotten”.
Attorney Locke Craig, c. 1892-1896 Image E779-5 -Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville, NC.
Locke Craig was born on August 16, 1860, in Bertie County, NC to Baptist minister Andrew Murdock Craig and his wife, Clarissa Gilliam Craig. Craig attended local schools until he was around 14 years-old, when he was sent off to the Horner Military Academy in Henderson, NC. Craig’s father died in 1874, and shortly thereafter, his mother sold the family farm and moved with Locke to Chapel Hill, NC, where Craig, at the age of 15, was enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Craig studied law at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1880. He passed the North Carolina bar in 1882, and moved to Asheville in 1883, intending to practice law. Finding that it was difficult to obtain clients, Craig decided to teach in the local schools, to supplement his income. By 1886, Craig had also gotten involved in local and state politics. However, according to his biographer, it was in 1891 that Craig “began the practice of law in earnest”.[1]
1891 was also the year that Locke Craig married Anna “Annie” Burgin, daughter of Joseph Benjamin Burgin and Margaret E. Burgin of McDowell County, NC. The couple married on November 25, 1891, at the home of the bride’s parents in Morganton, NC. After their honeymoon, the couple was reported to have “gone into housekeeping in Mr. Craig’s new house in Montford”.[2] Locke Craig, had purchased a huge lot (184 x 303 feet) [3] on Montford Avenue in May of 1891, no doubt in anticipation of his marriage.[4] Craig sold off the western section of the lot [5] and built his new house on the eastern section of the lot. Addressed as 398 Montford Avenue, this house became known as “Hill House” after its purchase in 1923 by Dr. Robert S. Carroll [6] to become part of the Highland Hospital Campus (the house is no longer standing and has been replaced by a brick ranch house-addressed as 406 Montford Avenue). The original stone retaining wall and entrance steps at the sidewalk remain, marking the site of the house built by Craig in 1891.
Locke Craig built this house at 398 Montford Avenue in 1891. This photo shows the house after it was purchased by Highland Hospital in 1924. The hospital added a third-story to the house and turned it into a nurses’ residence called “Hill House”. Image G543-8 -Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville, NC
In 1890, Craig was a candidate for the House of Representatives in the Democratic primary elections.[7] Although not elected, this would be the start of a long and lifetime political “career”. In 1892 and 1896 Locke Craig served as a presidential elector for William Jennings Bryan. This experience, in turn led to his election to the North Carolina House of Representatives for two terms (1899-1900 and 1901 sessions). During these years of his rising political career, Locke Craig, became a property investor, buying and selling land and houses. He developed a habit of building a house, living in it for a few years, then selling it and building another house.
In 1893, Locke and Annie Craig sold their house at 398 Montford Avenue to J. D. & Mary Murphy for $4,900.[8] From later evidences, it seems that Craig’s modus operandi was to sell his current house, then move into a rental property until the next house was built. In 1894, Craig & Annie purchased a lot (for $400) directly across Montford Avenue from the house they had just sold.[9] The lot was on the northeastern corner of Montford Avenue and Zillicoa Street. Addressed as 389 Montford Avenue, the Queen Anne “Colonial” house that Craig had built on his new lot faced Zillicoa Street. This house remains to this day, in much the same way as it was originally built, and the house is now more correctly addressed as 15 Zillicoa Street.
Craig had this house built in 1894, directly across Montford Avenue from his former house at 398 Montford Avenue. This house still stands at 15 Zillicoa Street–Photo by Dale Wayne Slusser.
“Another Residence”, announced the July 1, 1896 edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times, “This One To Be Built for Locke Craig on Montford Avenue”. The article further reported that Craig had hired contractor J. A. Wagner to build “a handsome seven-room cottage”, on a lot “on the east side of Montford Avenue, a short distance south of Montford Park”. [10] Previous to the announcement, in May of 1896, Craig had sold his house at the corner of Montford Avenue and Zillicoa Street to Herbert C. Allen.[11] The new house that contractor Wagner built for the Craigs, was a two-story Queen Anne-style house, complete with a second-story balcony and accompanying turret. This house still stands at 327 Montford Avenue. The Craigs moved into the house at 327 Montford Avenue in September of 1896. After living in his new house for less than a year, Locke Craig decided to sell his house, and build another house further south on Montford Avenue. To that end, in August of 1897, Craig sold the house at 327 Montford Avenue to “Mrs. N. D. Huguendin for $3,500.[12] Craig then purchased a lot on the on the same side of Montford Avenue (east) from real estate agent A. J. Lyman.[13]
Craig built this Queen Anne-Style house at 327 Montford Avenue, in 1896. –Photo by Dale Slusser.
With the announcement of Craig’s purchase of his new lot (addressed as 169 Montford Avenue), it was also reported that he would “at once have work begin on an eight-room residence on his new purchase.”[14] Craig chose to build his new house in a plain “Colonial” style, with a large columned front porch. The Craigs lived in the house at 169 Montford Avenue, for fifteen years, the longest time that they had (and would) ever live in any one house!
169 Montford Avenue – Photo by Dale Slusser
But alas, the year 1912 dawned. Craig had been active in politics since the early 1890’s, including serving as an elector in the Electoral College in 1892 and 1896, and serving as a representative in the North Carolina House of Representatives, as well as two failed attempts at higher offices, losing in a bid for his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1903 and having to withdraw from his first run for the North Carolina governorship in 1908. But then in November of 1912, running under the slogan of “The Little Giant of the Mountains”, Locke Craig was duly elected to be the fifty-third governor of North Carolina.
Due in Raleigh on January 13, 1913, Craig had less than two months to “sell up” before his move to Raleigh. The first of his properties to sell was an investment property of 110 acres which he had purchased in 1908 with business partner Garland A. Thomason.[15] The property, which was along the Swannanoa River Road, and which abutted Craig’s “Riverlea Farm” to the west (which he and Annie had purchased in 1906), was sold to a young Atlantan businessman, Austell Thornton in December of 1912.[16] Then in late December, the Craigs sold their residence at 169 Montford Avenue to Mrs. Mai Lowndes Tate for $9,000.[17] This residence was no longer needed, as one reporter noted, because the Craigs would “reside for the next four years at the Governor’s mansion in Raliegh.”[18]
Governor Craig at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh -his residence from 1913-1917. -Image E778-11 -Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville, NC.
Of course, all this “selling up” worried the citizens of Asheville that Governor-elect Craig may not be returning to live in Asheville following his term in office. However, their fears were quickly relieved , after just two weeks, when on January 9, 1913, just a few days before Craig was to be sworn in, the happy news broke in the Asheville Citizen-Times that:
Governor -elect Locke Craig within the next few weeks, will begin the erection of a modern country home on his property on the Swannanoa River. Architect R. S. Smith having been engaged to draw the plans for the residence. The news that Mr. Craig is to build a home here for his own use at the end of his term as governor of the state will be learned with pleasurable interest by his friends in Asheville, who regard his action as an assurance that he intends to return here after four years’ residency at the capital city. The residence will be modern in every respect.[19]
Richard Sharp Smith, was a British architect who had come to Asheville during the 1890’s in connection with the building of the Biltmore Estate. Smith designed a small, hipped roof one story “modern” bungalow that was built on the top of the hill on the Riverlea property. Construction of the Craigs’ new house began in early 1913 and was completed in just a few months. Although remodeled in 1961 by U. S. Builders, as part of their “Woodsworth Park” development project, this 1913 house remains standing today at 5 Violet Hill Circle.[20]
The Craigs built this small bungalow on their Riverlea Farm in 1913. Although remodeled in 1961 by U. S. Builders, as part of their “Woodsworth Park” development project, this house remains standing at 5 Violet Hill Circle –Photo by Dale Slusser
As Governor’s View Road was not yet built, access to Riverlea farm and the new house was directly from Swannanoa Drive (now called Swannanoa River Road). From old maps and aerial photography, it appears that the current Swanna View Drive was the original driveway to Riverlea Farm. Although it is now a “no outlet” road, it appears to have formerly come up the ravine and wind up the hill to connect with the current-day Violet Hill Circle.
Locke Craig’s “love affair” with the Swannanoa River and its valley had begun back in 1883 when he first moved to Buncombe County. In his 1960 book, This Was My Valley, about the valley along the North Fork of the Swannanoa River, Fred Burnett recalls Locke Craig’s early years in Buncombe County:
A struggling young attorney from Eastern North Carolina lived at my father’s [Marcus Lafyette Burnett] home for some three years. He came to the mountains seeking better health. And he made himself so loved that his friends freely predicted that Locke Craig some day would be Governor of North Carolina, and he was.[21]
The Burnetts lived in the North Fork valley at the foot of Mt. Mitchell and the headwaters of the Swannanoa River. Craig’s first purchase of property in Buncombe County, in 1886, was a thirty-acre parcel along the North Fork which he purchased from the Burnetts’ neighbors, Lewis & Polly Patton.[22] Not surprisingly, in March of 1915, under the urging of Governor Locke Craig, a bill was passed in the State Legislature, naming Mount Mitchell State Park as the first state park in North Carolina.
During his four years as Governor, Craig and his family, or sometimes just his wife and children, would stay at their Riverlea farmhouse whenever they would visit Asheville on a break or vacation. Some summers they would stay for a few months at a time. However, although it appeared that the Craigs would retire to their Riverlea bungalow in 1917, upon the end of the Governor’s term of office, in 1916, the local papers made a surprising announcement: “GOV. CRAIG BUYS LOT FOR A HOME- Will Reside In Grove Park When Term As Governor Expires”. [23]
Again, Craig hired Architect Richard Sharp Smith to design his new house, which was to be built on Lot 12, on the south side of Glendale Road, east of Macon Avenue.[24] Richard Sharp Smith chose to design Craig’s new house in Grove Park in a grand Colonial-Revival style. I wonder if it was a symbolic choice, as a style befitting a statesman and Governor. Interestingly, Smith chose the same style the following year (1917) to design another house in Grove Park, for another statesman, and former ally, William Jennings Bryan.[25] The drawings for the Craigs’ new house at 25 Glendale Road are dated 1915 and so obviously were completed before the 1916 announcement. The contractor, J. W. Cowan obtained a building permit to build the “nine-room residence” in February 1916.[26] The estimated cost of the house was $8,625.[27]
Locke Craig built this house in the prestigious Grove Park neighborhood, at 25 Glendale Road, in 1916. The house was designed in the Colonial Revival-Style by architect Richard Sharp Smith –Photo by Dale Slusser
Although the Craig’s still owned their Riverlea farm with its 1913 house, when they returned to Asheville from Raleigh, in 1917, they chose to move into their new home on Glendale Road in Grove Park. They had “moved in” on August 1, 1916, occupying it on visits to Asheville until moving there “permanently” in 1917. However, just a year later, in April of 1918, Locke Craig decided to sell his new house to D. E. Doyne, a Dupont Company executive from Wilmington, Delaware.[28] The Craigs subsequently moved into a rental home at 41 Cumberland Circle.
Usually this was a signal (selling a house and moving to a rental) that the Craigs were about to build a new house. And although in this case it was a signal, this time their future plans were kept relatively quiet, until a small newspaper article in March of 1919 announced that: “Gov. Craig’s Family Moves to New Home”.[29] The article said that Governor Craig had moved his family “to his country place, “Riverlea” on the Azalea Road.” At first it appeared that he had moved into his 1913 residence at Riverlea farm, however, the article additionally noted that: “This place is just to the left of the former home of Gov. and Mrs. Craig, and has just been completed.”[30] This statement was troubling to me, as I assumed that there was only one house built on the Riverlea Farm property. However, looking into it more closely, and relooking at a c.1926 photograph, I realized that I was mistaking this 1918 house as the Craigs’ 1913 house. However, a photo, taken from the rear of the Sayles Bleachery complex, revealed (one must zoom in closely to notice this) that there was another house on the property next to what I thought was the 1913 house. The next-door house had a hipped roof just like the current house standing at 5 Violet Hill Circle. Further research found that the house at 5 Violet Hill Circle had indeed been on the Riverlea property and had been remodeled by a developer in 1962. Suddenly it made sense, the house at 5 Violet Hill Circle was the 1913 house and the house at 7 Violet Hill Circle was the 1918 house that was built “just to the left” of the 1913 house.
Although it is not certain, I suspect that the Craig’s 1918 house was also designed by Richard Sharp Smith. Beginning with his designs for the cottages in Biltmore Village, Smith had popularized and localized the English Arts & Crafts style of architecture (based on medieval architectural idioms). However, by 1918 Smith’s designs were becoming more eclectic, often reflecting the growing interest in the American Arts & Crafts architectural movement, such as the “Craftsman-style” promoted by Gustave Stickley. The Craftsman-style developed out of the late-nineteenth-century Aesthetic and Rustic Camp Revival movements. Smith designed a “modern” Craftsman-style bungalow for Governor Craig’s new 1918 home. The Craftsman-style features of Craig’s “bungalow” (itself a word rooted in the Arts & Crafts Movement) included a low-pitched side gable roof with wide overhangs and roof brackets and shingled exterior walls with simple wood trim.
This house at 7 Violet Hill Circle was built by the Craigs at their Riverlea Farm in 1918. It was built “just to the left” of their 1913 house (5 Violet Hill Circle). –Photo by Dale Slusser
Surprisingly, in August of 1920, Locke Craig decided to sell his 1918 house to Mr. & Mrs. Charles Abernathy, and move to a rental cottage in Biltmore Village.[31] Craig sold the house with 7 acres surrounding it, which also included the 1913 house. However, although Craig retained the remaining acreage of Riverlea farm, he decided to purchase 75 acres of the “Jackson Place”, next-door to the east of Riverlea Farm.[32] The “Jackson Place” was actually the former Thornton Farm which Locke Craig had previously had half-ownership in the property. M. C. Jackson purchased the 110-acre farm from the Thorton heirs earlier in 1920.
Just a few weeks after the announcement of the sale of Craig’s 1918 house to the Abernathys, on August 27, 1920, it was publicly announced that Craig had purchased 75 acres of the Thornton property and had “already started the erection of a new home”.[33] The new house was being built to front on Swannanoa River Road, “between the Thornton house on the knoll and the road”.[34] The two-story Colonial-Revival house, estimated to cost $10,000, was designed by architect Richard Sharp Smith, and contained the following features: “24 x 40”; frame; brick basement; composition shingle roof; oak and rift pine floors; interior tile; rolling partitions; Hot-water heat, $1500.”[35] Contractor (and neighbor) J. H. Shytle was hired as the builder of the new home.[36]
By 1920, Locke Craig was in poor health, and had been since leaving the Governor’s office. Craig was suffering with rheumatoid arthritis, for many years. In fact, in 1916, while still in office, Craig had sought treatment at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD for “chronic rheumatism”.[37] Despite his declining health, in May of 1920, Craig was one of two candidates considered for a position on the Internal Boundary Commission.[38] Supporters of Craig were lobbying for Craig to be appointed to this $7,500/year salaried position for they said that “it is contended too that the governor has never accumulated very much wealth, and a position of this kind would hardly be turned down by this Asheville man”.[39] The International Boundary Commission, was set up on June 4, 1908, when the United States and the United Kingdom (on behalf of Canada), signed a treaty to create the International Boundary Commission whose role was to mark and oversee the boundary between the United States and Canada.[40] Although Craig was never offered the position on the commission, and despite his declining health, he continued to be active in local civic and political events. He did accept the position of “referee in bankruptcy” in the U. S. District Court, which was a paid position for a term of two years.[41]
This house, demolished in the 1970’s, was built by Locke Craig in 1920, along the Swannanoa River Road (508 Swannanoa River Road). –Image N260-5 -Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville, NC
The 1920 Craig home on the Swannanoa River Road was the home in which on July 31, 1921, Governor and Mrs. Craig hosted a dinner party in which the invited guest was the newly elected governor of North Carolina, Cameron Morrison and his family, and the ex-Governor Thomas Walter Bickett (succeeded Craig as governor-1917-1921). It was reported that this was the second time that “the present governor and his two immediate predecessors have come together for enjoyable evenings.”[42] However, it would be the last time the three got together as Thomas Walter Bickett died in December of 1921.
In 1922, George W. Craig, son of Locke Craig, who along with his other two brothers, Carlisle and Arthur had served in the U. S. Navy during the First World War, was instrumental in forming the “Swannanoa Valley Electric Company. The newly formed company’s goal was to “extend its lines further up the Swannanoa Valley supplying houses along the way with electric current for lights and power”.[43] Connecting to the sub-station at the Biltmore Development Company temporarily, until they could build their own plant, the company’s first goal was to supply lines to the Governor’s neighborhood (Governor, George Craig, C. P. Ambler, Frank Reed and others nearby).
Locke Craig had a serious health scare in November of 1922. On November 13, 1922 it was reported that “Former Governor Locke Craig is slightly ill at his home”,[44] but then on November 19th the headlines reported: “LOCKE CRAIG ISN’T EXPECTED TO LIVE”.[45] This pattern of back and forth continued for the ensuing month—November 22 it was reported: “Slight Improvement Noted in Condition of Gov. Craig”[46]; November 24th-“Believe Gov. Craig Has Passed Crisis”.[47] On December 1, 1922 it was reported that: “Craig Considered Out of Danger Now” [48], and yet just one week later the headlines read: “Condition Governor Craig Critical”[49]. Although never telling the public what his “condition” was, except to report if it was good or bad, the reports continued to use words such as “critical”, “serious”, and “relapse”, until December 21st when it was announced that “FORMER GOVERNOR CRAIG TAKES TURN FOR THE BETTER”.[50] On December 31st it was reported that Gov. Craig had been suffering with “Rheumatic Trouble”, but that he was now cured of his Rheumatism as a result of an intervention surgery performed by Dr. M C. Millender. However, the following day, on January 1, 1923, Dr. Millender made a statement correcting the mis-information. Dr. Millender first pointed out that although Gov. Craig has been suffering with “rheumatic arthritis” for many years, the doctor stated that: “…as far as I know there is nothing in medicine or surgery or prayer that can materially mitigate, much less cure this intractable disease.”[51] The good doctor went on to describe what the “recent illness” had been:
Dr. Millender further reported that “since establishing drainage”, Governor Craig “has steadily improved” and will soon seek a change in climate.[53] The planned trip to Florida was not taken, but Craig did slowly regain his strength, but it was not until June 1923 that he was well enough to be able to take a car ride.[54]
In 1923 Governor Craig’s son, George Winston Craig commissioned architect Richard Sharp Smith to design a one-and-a-half story bungalow to be built adjacent to his father’s house along the Swannanoa River Road. The house stood at 510 Swannanoa River Road until destroyed by Hurricane Helene in 2024. –Drawing- Image RS0447.4 -The Richard Sharp Smith Architectural Drawing Collection, Asheville Art Museum, accessed via Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, Asheville, NC
House Photo – NCMMLS c. 2007
As Governor Craig continued to improve, his son, George W. Craig, began developing the lands around and on part of his family’s estate. In June of 1923 Governor Craig’s son, George Winston Craig (who had married in 1921) commissioned architect Richard Sharp Smith to design a one-and-a-half story bungalow [55] to be built adjacent to his father’s house along the Swannanoa River Road. George W. Craig was then a lawyer, a bankruptcy referee (like his father had been), and an up-and-coming real estate investor/developer. Although the drawings for the George Craig house survive with the date of June 1923, little other information about its building is known, such as the builder and the timeline construction. The house was later addressed as 510 Swannanoa River Road.
In addition to building himself a new home, George W. Craig also began developing the Craig and adjacent lands. The first step to development was to put in a new road through the family property to connect the Swannanoa River Road with the Haw Creek Road. The new road, appropriately named “Governor’s View Road”, wound up the hill from the river near the boundary lines of the Riverlea Farm and the A. H. Jackson Place (both then owned by Locke Craig). In 1923, George Craig sold his acreage at the top of the plateau to Brown Realty to be developed into a new residential development called “Arco Gardens”. To facilitate this new development and subsequent development in the area, Georg Craig, along with business partners Garland A. Thomason (a former business partner of Gov. Craig), and Robert H. Brown (Brown Realty), in May of 1923, formed the Haw Creek Water and Light Company [56], which brought electricity and city water to the Haw Creek area. This new company superseded the Swannanoa Valley Electric Company, which was subsequently dissolved in 1924.[57]
By the Fall of 1923, Governor Craig was feeling so much better that he not only began taking a great interest in his son’s land development, but he also agreed to an interview with a local reporter, in which he gave his endorsement for the new Arco Gardens development. Sitting on the front porch of his house on the Swannanoa River Road, Governor Craig gave a resounding endorsement for the new development:
Arco Gardens is on the highest point of the plateau, and although I have been well acquainted with this section, I had no conception of this magnificent location and the grandeur of this locality until I drove along the road recently opened by the openers of Arco Gardens. To the south one has an unsurpassed view of Pisgah; to the east and northeast a wonderful panorama of the Craggies, Black Mountain, Gray Beard, and Pinnacle, and the circle of the Blue Ridge in the far horizon. This land and other holdings located upon this road are well adapted for residence purposes and it is but two and one-half miles from the public square of the city of Asheville. Governor’s View which has already been perfectly graded will soon be paved.[58]
This house at 162 Governor’s View Road is the final house built by Locke Craig in 1923. It was in this house that Governor Craig died in 1924. –Photo by Dale Slusser
The Governor was so enthralled with the new vistas from the opened plateau, that he decided to build a new house in this “magnificent locality”. Fortunately, the Governor did not have to purchase a new lot for his new house, as the northeast corner of his Riverlea Farm (which he still owned-minus the seven acres around his 1913 and 1918 houses) was on the plateau. The interviewer/reporter of the aforementioned article, described the Governor’s new project: “Governor Craig is now building a house on the plateau, at its highest point. The house will be the colonial type with twelve rooms and three baths, and faces south where a magnificent view is had of Mount Pisgah.”[59]
Less than six months later, in February of 1924, it was reported that the Governor’s family “has moved from the home on the Swannanoa Road to a home recently erected on the top of the hill almost back of their former residence. The new Craig residence commands a sweeping view of the surrounding country and is an ideal place”.[60] This new and last home built for Governor Locke Craig is still standing at the corner of Governor’s View Road and Overbrook Road and is addressed as 162 Governor’s View Road. The Governor named his new house “Chisky Hall”.[61] Unfortunately, he only lived in the house for four months, passing away at the new house on June 9, 1924.[62]
The adjacent GIS overlay map shows the locations of Governor Craig’s four houses along the Swannanoa River, as well as the location of his son George Craig’s 1923 house. Of the five houses, the three that were built at the top of the hill are still standing. The Governor’s 1920 house, which shows in “Cabins & Castles” (the 1970’s architectural survey of Buncombe County) was torn down in the late 1970’s.. The George Craig house of 1923, which was built adjacent to the Governor’s 1920 house, survived until recent years. Tragically, that house and three of its occupants were swept away in late September 2024, during a record-breaking flood, caused by Tropical Storm Helene.[63]
[1] Memoirs and Speeches of Locke Craig, Governor of North Carolina : a history, political and otherwise, from scrap books and old manuscripts., by Locke Craig and May F. Jones. (Asheville, NC: Hackney & Moale, 1923), p. 13.
[2] “CUPID’S WORK”, The Asheville Democrat, November 26, 1891, p. 1.
[3] Asheville Citizen-Times, May 19, 1891, p. 1.
[4] 05/19/1891 Asheville Loan Construction & Improvement Co. to Locke Craig MONTFORD AVENUE Lot 2 Blk. 14 Db. 77/521. Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[5] 07/28/1891 Locke Craig to K. C. Walke MONTFORD AVENUE Db. 78/493. -Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[6] 03/26/1923 Martin Teem to Dr. Robert S. Carroll PART LOT 2 BLK 14 BK 103 P 602 MONTFORD AVE Db. 267/287. – Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[7] “DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES”, The Asheville Weekly Citizen, October 2, 1890, p. 1.
[8] 06/03/1893 Locke & Annie Craig to Mary Murphy MONTFORD AVENUE-Eastern half Lot 2 Blk 14-Pl. 89/60 Db. 86/271. Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[9] 04/27/1894 George W. & Frances Pack to Locke & Annie Craig LOT 17 BLK 16 BK 89 P 60 Db. 90/248. –Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[10] Asheville Citizen-Times, July 1, 1896, p. 1.
[11] May 23, 1896 Locke & Annie Craig to Herbert C. Allen MONTFORD & ZILLICOA Db. 148/22. –Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[12] Asheville Citizen-Times, August 4, 1897, p. 4.
[13] 08/28/1897 A. J. & Julia Lyman to Locke & Annie Craig MONTFORD AVENUE LOT 14 BLK 3 Db. 103/120. -Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[14] “NEW RESIDENCE- City Attorney Craig Will Build On Montford Avenue”, Asheville Citizen-Times, August 9, 1897, p. 1.
[15] 03/05/1908 M. L. & Bethany B. Reed to Locke Craig & Garland A. Thomason 110 ACRES SWANNANOA RIVER Db. 152/185. Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[16] “AUSTEL THORNTON IS TO BUILD NEAR HERE”, Asheville Citizen-Times, December 26, 1912, P. 8. ; See also: Locke Craig & Garland A. Thomason to A. A. Thornton 110 ACRES SWANNANOA Db. 182/276. -Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[17] “CRAIG HOME SOLD TO M. LOWNDES TATE”, Asheville Citizen-Times, January 1, 1913, p. 5.; See also: 12/31/1912 Locke & Annie Craig to Mrs. M. Lowndes Tate LOT 18 BLK 3 BK 89 PP 60-61 Db. 184/233. -Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[18] The Union Republican, Winston-Salem, NC, January 9, 1913, p. 4.
[19] “GOVERNOR CRAIG WILL BUILD NEW HOME HERE”, Asheville Citizen-Times, January 9, 1913, p. 3.
[20] “U. S. Builders, Inc., remodel residence, 5 Violet Hill Circ., $2,500”, Asheville Citizen-Times, June 22, 1961, p. 15.; This property was “Lot 21” on the “Woodsworth Park” plat-PB 33/77, January 4, 1962- Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[21] This Was My Valley, by Fred M. Burnett; illustrated by Kenneth Whitsett. (Ridgecrest, N.C. :[s.n.],1960), p. 5.
[22] 02/16/1886 Lewis & Polly Patton to Locke Craig 30 ACRES SWANNANOA-NORTH FORK Db. 53/356. -Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[23] “GOV. CRAIG BUYS LOT FOR A HOME- Will Reside In Grove Park When Term As Governor Expires”, Asheville Times, January 14, 1916, p. 10.
[24] 02/09/1916 E. W. & A. G. Grove to Locke Craig SUNSET PARKWAY- LOT 12 BK 154 P 201 Db. 206/241. -Buncombe County register of Deeds.
[25] The W. J. Bryan House is still used as a family residence at 107 Evelyn Place.
[26] Asheville Citizen-Times, February 12, 1916, p. 10.
[27] Ibid.
[28] “Governor Sells Home”, Asheville Times, April 26, 1918, p. 2.
[29] “Gov. Craig’s Family Moves to New Home”, Asheville Citizen-Times, March 26, 1919, p. 5.
[30] Ibid.
[31] “LOCKE CRAIG’S HOME SOLD TO C. ABERNETHY”, Asheville Citizen-Times, August 21, 1920, p. 10.
[32] 08/24/1920 M. C. & A. H. Jackson to Locke & Annie Craig, THORNTON PLACE SWANNANOA RIVER Db. 240/42.; see also: 09/07/1920 (rec’d- 01/05/1922) M. C. & A. H. Jackson to Locke & Annie Craig, 75 ACRES SWANNANOA RIVER Db. 252/391. Buncombe County Register of Deeds.
[33] “GOV. CRAIG TO BUILD NEW HOME ON SWANNANOA”, Asheville Citizen-Times, August 27, 1920, p. 5.
[34] Ibid.
[35] Industrial Development and Manufacturers Record, Volume 78, September 9, 1920– p. 136
[36] Ibid.
[37] “GOVERNOR CRAIG AT THE JOHN HOPKINS”, The Salisbury Post, Salisbury, NC, December 2, 1916, p. 1.
[38] “CRAIG WILL BE OFFERED PLUM”, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC , May 20, 1920, p.5.
[39] Ibid.
[40] For more information and the history of the Commission see: https://www.internationalboundarycommission.org/en/
[41] Ex-Governor New Referee In Bankruptcy”, The Greensboro Record, Greensboro, NC, April 1. 1920, p. 1.
[42] Asheville Citizen-Times, August 1, 1921, p. 9.
[43] “ELECTRIC LIGHTS FOR SWANNANOA”, The Asheville Times, February 9, 1922 ·Page 2.
[44] “FORMER GOVERNOR IS SLIGHTLY ILL”, Asheville Citizen-Times, November 13, 1922, p. 12.
[45] “LOCKE CRAIG ISN’T EXPECTED TO LIVE”, Asheville Citizen-Times, November 19, 1922, p. 1.
[46] “Slight Improvement Noted In Condition Of Governor Craig”, Asheville Citizen-Times, November 22, 1922, p. 14.
[47] “Believe Gov. Craig Has Passed Crisis”, Asheville Times, November 24, 1922, p. 5.
[48] “Craig Considered Out of Danger Now”, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, December 1, 1922, p. 1.
[49] “Condition Governor Craig Critical”, Asheville Times, December 8, 1922, p. 2.
[50] “FORMER GOVERNOR CRAIG TAKES TURN FOR THE BETTER”, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, December 21, 1922, p. 1.
[51] “DR. MILLENDER GIVES DETAILS OF HEALTH OF GOV. CRAIG, Asheville Citizen-Times, January 1, 1923, p. 3.
[52] Ibid.
[53] Ibid.
[54] “Locke Craig Shows Much Improvement; Enjoys Auto Ride”, Asheville Citizen-Times, June 27, 1923, p. 2.
[55] See drawings for the George Winston Craig House: RS0447- The Richard Sharp Smith Architectural Drawing Collection is owned by and housed at the Asheville Art Museum, but can be accessed via Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Public Library, Asheville, North Carolina.
[56] “WATER & LIGHT COMPANY IS FORMED”, Asheville Citizen-Times, May 8, 1923, p. 8.
[57] “Certificate of Dissolution”, Asheville Times, April 11, 1924, p. 7.
[58] “SUBURBAN SECTION OF GREAT PROMISE AT ARCO GARDENS”, Asheville Times, September 2, 1923, p. 6.
[59] Ibid.
[60] Asheville Citizen-Times, February 16, 1924, p. 3.
[61] “Funeral Services For Locke Craig Will be Held Next Wednesday, Asheville Times, June 10, 1924, p. 1.
[62] Ibid.
[63] “Asheville mother loses parents, 7-year-old child, to Tropical Storm Helene’s floodwaters…”, Asheville Citizen-Times, October 15, 2024, p. A1. 11
