The Governor’s Western Residence in Asheville will host its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 13, and Sunday, December 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The event is open to the public with no reservations required.
Attendees are asked to use shuttle buses provided at no cost for transportation to the residence. Shuttles will run continuously from the parking lot at 143 Executive Park at the base of Town Mountain Road during event hours. There is no charge for either the shuttle or admission to the open house.
Guests can tour the decorated residence and are encouraged to bring canned food donations for MANNA Food Bank, which will be collected onsite. Purses and personal bags are not allowed inside; however, plastic or paper grocery bags for transporting canned goods are permitted. Visitors should leave other bags in their vehicles before boarding the shuttle.
The Western Residence offers views of Mt. Pisgah and downtown Asheville. Built in 1939 and donated to North Carolina by the Asheville Chamber of Commerce in 1964, it has served as an official state second residence through eleven administrations and is one of only four such residences in the United States. A video tour is available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgME7sw9uQY.
Reporters interested in arranging a tour may contact Holly Jones at 828-7071649 or d.holly.jones@nc.gov.
The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) oversees more than 100 sites across North Carolina, including historic sites, museums, parks, aquariums, trails, libraries, archives, heritage commissions, preservation offices, and environmental programs. More information about DNCR’s work can be found at www.dncr.nc.gov.
