The Effects of World War II on Asheville, North Carolina
During World War II, the Biltmore house stored many
priceless pieces of art from Washington, D.C. in order to protect them from
possible bombings or other attacks (Biltmore, 2013). The Grove Park Inn
also played a key part in North Carolina’s role in World War II. Italian diplomats
were held in the Grove Park Inn to be used in trading of American prisoners of
war (Everything Asheville NC, 2013). The Grove Arcade in
downtown Asheville was also involved in WWII by serving as the Department of
Accountancy. Soon after the war, the Grove Arcade became the National Climatic
Data Center. These events all assisted Asheville in becoming a prominent
tourist destination in the North Carolina mountains. A speedy recovery from the
1930s Great Depression, was aided by wide spread tourism, allowed Asheville to
spend $14 million on renovating Wall
Street, Patton Avenue, and Pitchard Park in downtown rather than rebuilding in
the early 1980s (Everything Asheville NC, 2013).