The 7th Avenue business district is growing, with several breweries, M&M Meat Market and Seafood expansion, recently-opened Sweet Thangs bakery, excellent pizza joints, a brandy bar, and more. The history of the neighborhood surrounding the avenue and the handsome historic depot is rich and interesting as well. On Saturdays in November – November 9, 16, and 23 – at 10 a.m., guided history walks will be offered in the Historic Depot District to discover the past and the present. Cost is $10 per person 10 years and older. Children under 10 are free with a paid adult. Space is limited. Reservations are suggested.
Gather in the lobby of Hendersonville City Hall at the Police Dept. entrance to begin the walk. City Hall is at the corner of Fifth Avenue East and King Street. Free parking is available at the Police Dept. entrance. The walks will be about 90 minutes and will be held rain or shine.
Stroll with tour guide Mary Jo Padgett to learn about the lure of steam engines and Pullman cars at the Depot, drays, hustle, summer visitors, shoot-outs, candy stores, hotels, and more. This district was where things were happening during the Gilded Age of Hendersonville.
Visit www.maryjopadgett.com and click on Guided Walks for more information.
Private tours for groups of 8 or more can be scheduled at anytime for Guided Walks in the Historic 7th Avenue District, on Main Street, or in Oakdale Cemetery.
“The walks in Hendersonville’s historic Depot district are new this season. Locals and visitors alike may join me to celebrate and share the interesting history of this neighborhood, where many families thrived as the town blossomed each summer with crowds of tourists arriving by train,” Padgett said. “I believe that knowing our history enriches our lives today.”
Padgett served on Hendersonville City Council for eight years, is a journalist and public relations consultant, co-founder and former executive director of ECO, was associate editor at The Mother Earth News magazine, and conducts programs and guided tours in Paris, France, on the American Revolution. Her parents spent their honeymoon in the Skyland Hotel on Main Street. She grew up on a farm in Rutherford County, and has lived in a 100-year-old house in downtown Hendersonville for 38 years.
To make reservations or for more information, email maryjo@maryjopadgett.com. Visit www.maryjopadgett.com and click on Guided Walks for a complete schedule.
