655 Chunns Cove Rd
Asheville, NC, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Richard Sharp Smith House

Statement of Significance:

Located at the head of Chunns Cove to the east of downtown Asheville, North Carolina, the Richard Sharp Smith House was designed and built as the private residence of Smith, an important local architect, and his family in 1902-03. The English-born and trained Smith came to Asheville in 1889 as the supervising architect for the construction of Biltmore Estate. After completing that project, Smith remained in Asheville, established an architectural practice, and became the most prominent and prolific regional architect in the first two decades of the twentieth century. Richard Sharp Smith's architectural legacy left an indelible mark on the visual character of Asheville's built environment, especially his contributions to the residential fabric of the city. Smith's house designs, which can be seen throughout Asheville, effortlessly brought together elements of various architectural styles in a distinctive idiom, with Smith confidently incorporating multiple materials, layered wall planes, surface textures, and colors to create the overall character of his buildings. The Richard Sharp Smith House meets National Register Criterion C as an important example of Smith's personal architectural style, which incorporated elements drawn from his work at Biltmore, popular architectural styles, the Arts and Crafts movement, and vernacular English architecture. The period of significance for the Smith House extends from 1902-1903, when the house was constructed.