Visitors Information Center
800.828.4244
828.693.9708

Official site of Henderson County Travel & Tourism
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Historic Main Street Walking Tour - The tour starts at the Visitors Information Center, 201 South Main Street. Park your car in the Visitors Information Center parking lot, on foot head north to Historic Downtown Hendersonville.

Main Street - Downtown Hendersonville was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in March of 1988. The serpentine street features planter boxes brimming with seasonal flowers and trees. Thriving businesses such as specialty shops, antique stores and restaurants offer something for of all ages.

Walk one block to the Historic Henderson County Courthouse, located between First & Second Avenues.

Historic Henderson County Courthouse - The Courthouse was built in 1904 to replace to first courthouse, which was built on the same site in 1842. The Historic Henderson County Courthouse, (1905) was designed by Richard Sharp Smith, the supervising architect of Biltmore House.The Historic Henderson County Courthouse was built of brick in a neoclassical revival style featuring six Corinthian columns on the front and four columns for each of the two side porticos. On July 15, 1905, the keys were presented to the commissioners by W. F. Edwards, the contractor. The focal point of the Courthouse is atop of the copper dome, a 6-foot statue of “Lady Justice.” The statue is the Greek goddess Themis (“The Greek Goddess of Divine Justice and Law”) who is without a blindfold, holding a sword in her right hand and scales in her left. It is believed to be only one of only three in the United States without a blindfold, statues of Themis/Justice are blindfolded to typify that Justice should be impartial. Tours of the Courthouse are offered every Wednesday at 2:00PM.

The Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1979. Today the old Courthouse houses Henderson County Government Offices and the Henderson County Heritage Museum. The Henderson County Heritage Museum offers public display galleries, displays, artifacts, collections, archives, libraries, demonstrations, performances and other similar exhibitions relating to the history, culture, heritage and story of the founding settlement and development of Henderson County. The Museum hours are Wednesday - Saturday from 10:00AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday 1:00PM - 5:00PM. For more information call 828-694-1619. Opening April 11, 2008.

Continue north two blocks to the Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County, located on the east corner of Fourth Avenue.

The Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County - The Mineral & Lapidary Museum of Henderson County was established in 1997, housing exhibits from North Carolina, the Smithsonian,

English minerals, Indian artifacts, a specialty of a single mineral, fossils, fluorescent minerals and gems. The museum is open Monday-Friday 1:00PM-5:00PM and Saturday 10:00AM-5:00PM. Admission is free. The museum is located at 400 North Main Street, on the lower level of the Henderson County Genealogical & Historical Society building.

Proceed north to the next block to the Arts Center, located on the second floor of the Skyland Hotel building on the corner of Main Street and Sixth Avenue.

The Arts Council of Henderson County - The Arts Council is a non-profit organization providing rotating exhibitions in the galleries, workshops, art camp and classes with two artist studios. The Arts Council's notable past exhibits include Ansel Adams photographs, Salvador Dali lithographs, Bob Timberlake original paintings and Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post covers. Open Tuesday-Friday 1pm-5pm, Saturday 1pm-4pm.

En route back to the Visitors Information Center (south), at Second Avenue turn right and go one block to Church Street; the Henderson County Farmers Curb Market is located on the opposite corner

Henderson County Farmers Curb Market - The Henderson County Curb Market is a unique farmers market requiring sellers to be residents of Henderson County. All items sold at the market must be either hand-made or locally grown. Vendors offering a variety of goods such as: crafts, baked goods, jellies, plants, flowers, toys, and produce. The Curb Market's hours are 8:00AM-2:00PM Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from May- December, and Tuesday & Saturday January-April.

Travel back to Main Street and turn right (south) two blocks to the Visitors Information Center.

   


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