Valley Rewind: Cherry Street, 1924

This 1924 photograph features Cherry Street in downtown Black Mountain. Although this area has seen its share of fortune, it also has a dark history. In 1912, while the rest of Black Mountain was asleep, Cherry Street lit up the midnight sky as it was engulfed in flames. The fire, which started at Bradham Furniture Store, created a chain reaction that quickly moved throughout the rest of the town. The town formed bucket brigades to attempt to try and fight the fire, but their efforts were simply not enough to stop the spread. The Asheville Fire Department was called out to battle the fire, and it was finally put out in the early morning hours. The fire destroyed several buildings on the street, but luckily resulted in no human casualties. This fire also inspired the creation of the Black Mountain Volunteer Fire department, which was officially organized by 1919.