Ex-Representative Urges Immediate Action on Vance Monument Site
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Three years after the Vance Monument, a memorial to a Civil War-era governor and slave owner, was removed from downtown Asheville, NC, there remains uncertainty about what will be done with the area. The city has a funded renovation plan, but no timeline or updated details have been released, though former state Representative John Ager is pushing for action and acknowledgment of the site’s historical significance. Meanwhile, local civic leader Jacquelyn Hallum raised concerns about the cost of this project given other pressing issues such as homelessness and poverty in Asheville.
Asheville’s Controversial Vance Monument: Past, Present and Future
Asheville’s historic Vance Monument, a contentious symbol for many, continues to spark debate even years after it was removed. The monument was dedicated to Vance Zebulon, a Civil War era governor and slave owner. It was taken down in 2021, three years after the death of George Floyd, which initiated a wave of monument removals across southern cities.
The final decision on the statue’s removal divided Asheville’s community. Despite the North Carolina Supreme Court ruling the city had legal authority to dismantle the monument, there has been little public communication about future plans for the site.
John Ager, former state Representative for Buncombe County, believes it’s time to address the site. His vision includes acknowledgement of the workers who built the railroad to Buncombe County despite difficult conditions post-Civil War, emphasizing Asheville’s complex history.
An official vision plan for the Pack Square Plaza area, where the monument stood, was approved by Asheville’s Planning and Zoning Commission. However, the cost and timeline of the project remain unclear. The Mellon Foundation provided a $3 million grant last year to transform the site.
The plan includes creating a civic engagement space, closing north Pack Square to cars, redesigning south Market Street to improve connections to the historic African-American business district, The Block, and removing Vance Base. Implementation could take up to three years.
However, Jacquelyn Hallum, who has served as a civic leader in Asheville’s African-American community, disagreed with the decision to remove the monument, citing among other things, the cost of the project and other pressing issues in Asheville.
The future of the Vance Monument base has yet to be determined. Meanwhile, city staff are working on the plan for the site and are expected to provide a timeline for the project’s implementation this summer.
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