Historic Fletcher

The town of Fletcher lies in northern Henderson County and in 1838 became one of the last of North Carolina’s one hundred counties to be formed. Before that time Fletcher was considered as part of the Limestone District of Buncombe County. Earlier still, the area was known as Murrayville honoring the Samuel Murray family who amassed more than 10,000 acres of land running from Cane Creek north to Skyland. In 1852 The Fletcher area was named Shufordsville following the custom of naming areas after their postmaster. As expected, the name was changed again in 1886 for its then postmaster Dr. George Fletcher.

Prior to 1750 the most heavily traveled road into Western North Carolina from the South was Old Howard Gap Road which terminates at the road’s intersection with the Buncombe Turnpike, another early road completed in 1827, (now known as US Highway 25, Hendersonville Road) which runs though the center of Fletcher.

Despite being strategically located on major roads and midway between Asheville to the North and Hendersonville to the South, Fletcher managed to retain its small town feel and much loved rural character. It took slightly over 100 years from the time of being named Fletcher until its incorporation in 1989 as a town. Now we see growth and development everywhere with young families moving here from all corners of the country drawn to the area by its natural beauty and small town feel.

Gone is the Fletcher Train Depot but not the Fletcher Lawn and Garden building located adjacent to the old site. Also gone is the old airport, once considered a symbol of Fletcher on the move but replaced by the Cane Creek Industrial Park. Today we can wander among the old gravestones of the Calvary Episcopal Church and Patty’s Capel Cementary and see the stones of the early founding fathers and pioneer settlers. Two historic sites, the limestone quarry on Fanning Bridge Road from the 1700′s and the granite quarry on Hoopers Creek Road still reveal their quality stone. And lets not forget the old Fletcher Feed and Seed at the corner of Fanning Bridge Road and US 25. In its current revival under the leadership of Phillip Trees, it has become one of the most popular venues for Appalachian and Blue Grass music with musicians and visitors coming from around the state to hear music as it was played in the old days.