Marshall North Carolina, a gem of the Appalachians
The view from the old Marshall jail of the French Broad river.
28 minutes northwest of Asheville, North Carolina, sits a sweet, lazy, cultural mountain river town called Marshall. There are so many things to love about Marshall, from the gorgeous French Broad River running through it to the super local shops that make up the community.
Driving into Marshall, you will feel your nervous system relax and mountain time take over. If you aren't familiar with mountain time, it's precisely like island time. Everyone and everything slows down on mountain time because the locals know there is a season for everything, even the workday! Marshall has an abundance of shops to support its local economy, including a sweet health food store called Madison Natural Foods, a lively coffee shop called Zuma, an all-organic diner called Grateful Organic Diner, as well as an exceptional place called Zadie's, a complete revamp of the old Marshall Jail. The locals refer to Zadie's as the Jail, and it sits right on the river with tons of history to explore inside and delicious food to enjoy. A visit to Marshall would only be complete with a pop-in to the Marshall Depot music venue, where you will find country and bluegrass tunes from the local Appalachian crowd.
The history of Marshall is an interesting one. Marshall area was known as part of a highway for the Cherokee and their ancestors, which ran from Greenville, TN to Greenville SC. The road was a trade route, and Marshall began as a stopping point for trade and rest. The area of Marshall was initially known as Lapland and was later named Marshall after John Marshall, chief justice of the Supreme Court. The locals at the time wanted their independence from Buncombe County and rallied to create their own county, Madison County. Marshall became the seat of Madison County, and they built a beautiful 2 story courthouse in 1857 across from the French Broad River. Today, the courthouse still stands beautifully at the center of the town as a beacon of the culture and history of Marshall. A village of rest, trade, and kinship.
As a local, I live about 18 minutes from Marshall, and Marshall may be one of my favorite towns in Western North Carolina. I am an avid people watcher and cultural enthusiast, and I observe the Marshallians are friendly and caring for each other. Sitting at a local shop, you will notice that everyone knows and cares for each other. If you are considering moving to this area, I hope you will be part of this unique community and embrace your neighbors with kindness and respect for their culture. Either way you come, stay or visit, Marshall is worth experiencing real mountain living.
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