Many of Asheville’s nicknames are well known, but what’s less understood is how these nicknames actually came about. Here’s a look at how Asheville came to be known by its monikers + why they stuck.

“The Land of the Sky”

The city's most well-known moniker traces back to an 1876 novel and a nepo baby. Writer Frances Fisher Tiernan (a Salisbury native who published under the pen name Christian Reid) released "The Land of the Sky: Adventures in Mountain By-Ways," a book whose title referenced the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of WNC.

Her father worked as an executive for Southern Railway, and the company quickly adopted her slogan to market train travel into the mountains as a health-boosting getaway. Within just a few years, "Land of the Sky" became a fixture in tourism advertisements and appeared on countless postcards. It eventually worked its way into the local lexicon, with the phrase adopted by churches, local businesses, and civic agencies.

The full book is available for free online if you want this history lesson to go on even longer.

"Beer City, USA"

Asheville earned the title “Beer City USA” in 2009 after winning a national online poll created by beer writer Charlie Papazian. The nickname stuck thanks to the city’s booming craft beer scene, dozens of breweries, beer festivals, and nationally recognized brewers.

"The Paris of the South"

With world-class art, outdoor dining, and architecture, Asheville shares some commonalities with the City of Lights. But it’s the Vanderbilt family that’s often credited with laying the groundwork for this eventual nickname by building the majestic Biltmore Estate, America’s largest private home, right here in the mountains.

"Dog City, USA"

This nickname reflects the city’s many pup-friendly patios, trails, breweries, and businesses that welcome four-legged visitors.

"The San Francisco of the East"

Like San Fran, the city is full of hip folks and an ever-growing young entrepreneurial population. We also have a thriving creative community, as evidenced by our food and arts scenes.