Asheville's Pack Memorial Library Is Now Part of a 100-County Mural Trail Across NC

Photo by Wes McFee (@wrmcfee) on Unsplash

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 28, 2026

Pack Memorial Public Library in downtown Asheville is one of those buildings that most locals pass without stopping. That may be about to change. Three new murals, covering a combined 3,300 square feet of exterior and interior wall space, are now on display as part of the Paint NC mural trail, a statewide public art initiative with an unusually ambitious goal: one original mural in each of North Carolina's 100 counties.

The library sits just off I-240 in downtown Asheville, roughly 90 minutes from Charlotte on I-26.

What exactly is the Paint NC mural trail?

Max Dowdle is the artist behind the project. He has been traveling county by county across North Carolina, working with local communities to create murals that reflect each place's specific character. Buncombe County's installation is his 16th stop on the trail, and it is the largest single outdoor mural he has produced for the project. The exterior mural wraps the library building in a shape drawn from the French Broad River, which flows just west of downtown Asheville, and incorporates local flora, fauna, and figures reading books. The visual language is site-specific, not generic.

NC Public Art organizes the initiative, funded in part through grants. The Pack Memorial installation drew $37,600 in grant funding, which covered the three murals, including work on the building's interior spaces as well as the street-facing walls.

Why is Pack Memorial Library the right building for this?

The library has been a civic fixture in Asheville for well over a century. It started in 1879 as a subscription library run by the Asheville Library Association. In 1899, George Willis Pack, one of the city's early benefactors, donated a building to house it. The library became free to the public in 1919 and has been a public institution ever since. The building at its current Haywood Street address opened in 1978 and today holds Special Collections documenting the history of western Appalachia alongside its general lending collections.

Putting a major public mural on that building is not just a decorating decision. It is a statement about how the city sees its civic spaces and who they belong to. The French Broad River framing on the exterior connects the building visually to the natural geography that shapes this part of North Carolina. That kind of specificity is what separates good public art from filler.

Is Asheville still worth a visit for art and culture?

Asheville has built a reputation over the past two decades as one of the more culturally rich small cities in the country, and that reputation holds. The River Arts District on the west side of downtown hosts more than 150 working artists in former industrial warehouses. The South Slope Mural Trail runs about two miles through the city's brewing district, with large-scale murals visible on nearly every block. The Blue Ridge Parkway begins just outside the city and connects visitors to some of the most scenic driving in the eastern United States.

The Paint NC murals at Pack Memorial add to that existing ecosystem rather than creating something new from scratch.

What does this mean for arts and culture across Western NC more broadly?

The Paint NC trail does not stop in Asheville. Dowdle's project moves across all 100 counties, which means mountain communities of every size are either already on the map or soon will be. Towns like Waynesville, Sylva, and Andrews have pursued their own local mural and street art programs in recent years, investing in downtowns as places where people want to spend time outside and on foot.

That trend reflects something real about how Western NC communities see themselves. Public art in a small mountain town is an act of confidence, a signal that the town believes people will come and stay. The library murals in Asheville are the highest-profile version of that instinct, but they are part of a regional pattern worth watching.

If any of this has you thinking about what a move to Western NC might look like, Jon Tharp is glad to be a resource for those conversations.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Paint NC mural trail in North Carolina?

Paint NC is a statewide public art initiative led by muralist Max Dowdle with the goal of placing original murals in all 100 North Carolina counties. Each mural is meant to reflect the local character, history, and community of its host location. The project is organized through NC Public Art and has been working its way across the state from county to county. The Buncombe County installation at Pack Memorial Library in Asheville is the 16th stop on the trail, making it one of the more prominent installations to date given the library's location and visibility in downtown Asheville.

Where is Pack Memorial Library and how do I get there?

Pack Memorial Library is located at 67 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville, Buncombe County, within easy walking distance of Pack Square Park and the main commercial core of the city. It sits just off I-240, the highway loop that rings central Asheville. From Charlotte, the drive is approximately 90 minutes via I-85 and I-26. From Knoxville, it is roughly two hours east on I-40. Street parking is available nearby, and the library is well served by Asheville's public transit system. The exterior murals are visible from the street and do not require entering the building.

What is the history of Pack Memorial Library in Asheville?

Pack Memorial Library traces its origins to 1879, when the Asheville Library Association established a subscription library in the city. In 1899, philanthropist George Willis Pack donated a building to house the collection, and the library took his name. It became free to the public on January 2, 1919, after four decades as a subscription service. The original Pack building was later repurposed and eventually became home to the Asheville Art Museum. The current library building at its Haywood Street location opened in 1978 and today houses Special Collections preserving regional Appalachian history alongside its public lending services.

Does Asheville have other public murals and street art worth visiting?

Yes, Asheville has one of the more developed public art ecosystems of any small city in the Southeast. The South Slope Mural Trail runs for about two miles through the city's brewing district and features dozens of large-scale murals. The River Arts District, which sits in former industrial warehouses on the west side of downtown, hosts more than 150 working artists and includes collaborative outdoor mural spaces like Foundation Walls, active since 2016. The Wilma Dykeman Riverway greenway also incorporates public artworks along its route. The Pack Memorial Library murals are a meaningful addition to a city that already rewards visitors who explore on foot.

How does Asheville's arts scene affect real estate values in Western NC?

Asheville's reputation as an arts hub has been a consistent driver of residential and commercial real estate interest in Buncombe County and the broader Western NC region. Areas with strong public art presence, particularly the River Arts District, have seen significant property appreciation over the past decade as creative economy investment tends to signal neighborhood vitality and attract both residents and businesses. More broadly, the cultural draw of Asheville makes it an anchor for the region. People who move to smaller mountain towns like Franklin, Waynesville, or Brevard often cite access to Asheville's cultural amenities as part of their decision, which supports demand across a wide geographic area.