Even if you have no idea who Thomas Wolfe was or what he wrote, if you have any interest in what life was like in an early-1900s boarding house, you should come here. I was interested because I had previously toured a Basque sheepherder boarding house in Boise, Idaho, and I was curious to see how it compared with a more traditional Southern boarding house. I had never heard of Thomas Wolfe or "Look Homeward, Angel" until I watched the movie and went on the guided tour. Now I want to read the book. The tour gives you a fascinating look at two very different sides of Asheville life during that era. If you couldn't afford to stay at a grand hotel such as the Grove Park Inn for around $5 a night, you could see what it was like to stay at the Old Kentucky Home, where at one point you could get a room and breakfast for around $8 a week. But one of the most interesting people I learned about wasn't Thomas Wolfe. It was his mother, Julia Wolfe. Julia came from poverty but had tremendous industry and business sense. She bought the Old Kentucky Home in 1906 and ran the boarding house for nearly 40 years, expanding it over time to 29 rooms. Our guide told us that she could be up before dawn preparing breakfast for the boarders, while Thomas remembered her still ironing after midnight. In addition to running the boarding house and raising a large family, she invested in real estate. I couldn't help comparing Julia with another remarkable woman I had learned about during my time in Asheville: Edith Vanderbilt. Their circumstances could hardly have been more different, but both impressed me with their intelligence, resilience, work ethic, and business sense. Edith helped preserve Biltmore after George Vanderbilt died, while Julia built and operated a successful boarding house and helped provide for her family largely through her own determination and work. I hadn't expected learning about these two strong women to become one of the most memorable parts of my visit to Asheville. The admission fee was only $8 for the guided tour. Tours were offered at 30 minutes past the hour through 4:30 p.m. when I visited. The movie was about 20 minutes, the guided house tour took about an hour, and you should allow additional time for the exhibits. I would plan on about 1 1/2 to 2 hours altogether. The exhibit and film are free if you don't want to do the tour. One thing that may be confusing when you arrive: although the historic house is on one side, you first need to go to the Visitor Center behind the house to pay admission, see the movie and exhibits, and meet for the guided tour. There is also a restroom in the Visitor Center. The house was closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays when I visited, but check the website for the latest days, hours, tour times, and admission prices before going. I really enjoyed seeing what everyday life in an early-1900s boarding house was like, hearing about Thomas Wolfe's life even though I knew nothing about him when I arrived, and especially learning about Julia Wolfe. I went because I was curious about the house. I left wanting to read "Look Homeward, Angel" and with a profound admiration for the woman who ran it. read more

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Excellent thing to see if you are into history. Or literature, or writers, or books. The museum is all about Thomas Wolfe and his life. Sit through the 22 minute video, it explains a lot. Lots of things to see and learn about here. They saw all of his books, and some other paraphernalia. You can do the House tour as well for a small fee. We opted out of that, but walked around the outside of the house instead. Very pretty old antebellum style house. I recommend this stop if you are in Asheville. read more

Thomas Wolfe House Memorial - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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This was a Sunday and we didn't check the hours beforehand, but it was not open. It was during the shutdown, but very disappointed. The OPEN sign was in the door and we walked over and waited to see if staff had just left momentarily. They had not. read more

This is truly a treasure in downtown Asheville. It's a historical site that encompasses the life of author Thomas Wolfe and his family. The tour operator was extremely knowledgeable and you could tell she has read many of his books. Even if you've never read any of his book or have never heard of him, you must go because you learn so much of how his life was and about that time period. It's an inexpensive way to spend a lovely afternoon. While we were there, the locals were having an outdoor market and that was great! Call to see when they will have that and you'll be able to do two things while you're there! The facility where you purchase the tickets is right next door and it has a free small museum if you don't want to purchase the tickets to tour the home. But, touring the home is well worth it! read more

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The house is lovely. The staff nice however....the tour is constant talking details of thomas wolfe family etc...we wanted to hear more about furniture and architecture. Most of what was discussed is in museum or video. We wanted to take pictures and could barely see anything because room so crowded..I asked permission to take pictures upon starting tour...yet while trying to do so the staff seemed to be unhappy and rushed us thru so you could barely enjoy the furniture and can't get a moment to take in the beauty of the place. Questions were difficult and they did not ask does any one if they had questions. I would have preferred no talk.....a guide can be with you can ask what you want. Sorry to be critical but I have gone on over 30 house tours and this one left disappointed because so much lovely architecture and furniture and no time to enjoy it. read more

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The Thomas Wolfe House has adapted to Covid by having smaller and more frequent tours of the house. Masks and social distancing are required too. The auditorium is also closed but the overview video on Thomas Wolfe can be watched on a tv in the lobby. Hand sanitizer available too. I enjoyed my private tour of Julia's house. I've been to the house numerous times but I enjoy visiting it. The house has so much history and it is nice to hear all the stories. Each guide adds a little bit more of the history. I love the windows, decor and the architecture of the boarding house. Julia Wolfe was quite an amazing woman. Tours are $5 but if you can visit the museum for free but if you have time I'd recommend taking a tour of the house. read more

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I am a fan of Thomas Wolfe so it made sense to do a tour of the home he grew up in. Also it was literally across the street from Renaissance Hotel we were staying at. There is a main visitor center where you can wait for the tour to start. Here you can learn a bit about Tom and his family along with a video. The tour itself was $5 and began at 30 past the hour. The house itself is well maintained. Tom's mom, Julia, ran a boarding house in their home. The woman doing the tour was very knowledgeable and answered questions as they came up. What struck me about the house was how small people were back then and how mean and mercenary Tom's mom was. The tour guide mentioned how she use to get folks to come in and help with the choirs around the house for little to next of no money, but would find a reason to be displeased with the work they had done and not pay them. Also crammed beds into any room she could, so you had people sleeping in rooms that were not designed to comfortable house occupants. Later on there was some sort of live reading musical performance on the front porch with a make shift concession stand. All in all it was a very nice time and I got to see first hand where the genesis of Tom began. read more

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Small memorial home that commemorates Thomas Wolfe, Asheville's native son who obtained fame as an author in the early part of the 20th century. We did not participate in a tour, but they do show a ~40 minute documentary that introduces him to us. It's nothing huge, but it's an interesting slice of Asheville history and deserves to be maintained. The author had an interesting life, and interesting loves. I haven't read any of the author's works, but I think I may like to at some point because I've heard he's really a quite gifted storyteller. read more

We really enjoyed our tour of Thomas Wolfe's home (the Old Kentucky Home or Dixieland) where he lived as a child for about 10 years and featured in his book Look Homeward Angel. Our tour guide Ann was great and shared her knowledge of the author's life and home with us, as well as interesting stories that captured what it was like to live there at the time. We saw the many rooms of the house and learned how boarders were squeezed in as much as possible to make more money by the ever-industrious Julia Wolfe. The short movie documenting his life and museum were also interesting. If you have time in Asheville, this is well worth your time and money. read more

We loved our tour with Tom, the guide. We watched the video first, which plays every hour on the hour. Then took the house tour, which is offered on each half hour. The house is full of original furniture and photos; Tom offered many insights into Wolfe's family and was able to answer all our questions. There is also a small self-guided exhibit on Wolfe's life. read more

If you are looking for an educational and budget friendly activity when visiting downtown Asheville, then look no further than the Thomas Wolfe House Memorial. The main visitor center boasts a small exhibit with information and artifacts relating to Thomas Wolfe and his family. There is also a short 20 minute video about Thomas Wolfe and his life that starts at the top of the hour. Both of these activities are free. For $5, you can take a tour of the actual Old Kentucky Home, which Thomas' mother, Julia, ran a boarding house in. The tour starts at 30 past the hour.Depending upon your group size and the amount of questions, the tour can vary in time, but is about 1 hour. The volunteers who provide the tour are very knowledgeable and friendly. The house itself has been maintained extremely well. The pieces are actual items that were used by the Wolfe family. The only exception to this is the dining room, which was damaged by a fire that was the result of arson in 1998. read more

Definitely a fun and inexpensive way to get out of the heat of mid-day! For only $5 you get a fully guided and very knowledgeable tour of the home Thomas grew up in as well as a short informative movie as well as entry to a museums style walk through with many artifacts from Wolfe and his family's life! We ended up getting a personal tour as we were the only ones present! Very cool! read more

This was a beautifully restored and maintained home of famous NC author Thomas Wolfe. We enjoyed a short video, self guided tour and an hour long docent tour for only $5. This must be the best historical bargain in Asheville. We have never been to the Biltmore Estate and really have no interest in touring historical homes just because they are enormous. Thomas Wolfe had such an interesting family and upbringing. read more

This was the highlight of our trip to Asheville! House is a journey back in time and the story connected to it will not disappoint, Highly recommend!! read more

Our tour guide knew the history of Thomas Wolfe and explained the stories of everything in the house fairly well. She gave lots of opportunity to ask questions and answered them with expertise. For only five dollars, this house/museum has a lot to offer, glad we went. read more

It helps if you have read his novel Look Homeward Angel. Otherwise it's a pretty common house that had been a boarding house. Be generous, they are barely keeping the doors open here. I hadn't read the book in 50 years and am going to reread now because of this visit. Do not expect the Biltmore House. read more

This was extremely well done. The guided tour of the Old Kentucky Home was fascinating. Our tour guide David had a very dry, low key sense of humor and was a wonderful story teller. Wolfe had a lot of darkness in his life, and David created some very poignant moments. Exhibit in the visitors center is very well done, but I suggest taking the tour first to hear it all fresh. Make this part of your downtown Asheville visit! read more

This is a great thing to do in Asheville! The guided tour is well worth the money and it is very informative. Our tour guide basically was reading from a notebook but it was still great. The tour guide was very jumpy about anyone getting close to the artifacts. She would definitely call on someone to step back from the table. Our group was a little large for the size of the rooms but we managed. read more

The cost of touring the house at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial is $1 for adults and $.50 for students. What a deal! Tours start at the bottom of each hour. If you enjoyed the Biltmore House, this place is a look at how people of more modest means lived and vacationed. You don't need to be a fan of Thomas Wolfe to appreciate the house. The museum is free and mildly interesting, check it out while you're waiting for the tour. read more

We toured the museum and boarding house today and thoroughly enjoyed our time there! Tours occur on the half hour and last about 45 minutes. The exhibit is self paced and a good prep for the tour of Wolfe's mothers boarding house where he grew up. Eighty-five percent of the house's furniture, etc. were original to family. Great tour guide! Informative and interesting. My nonliterary family members enjoyed the tour as much as I did! read more

This place exceeded my expectations. We came into the visitors center and were greeted by two guides who were very happy we were there to take the tour. (the end of the beautiful fall leaves last week marked the end of their busy season) Before touring the house we walked through an exhibit begining with quotes on the wall from Steinbeck and Faulkner about Wolfe, then there were interesting things like a suit of his, and a family bible listing all the births and deaths starting in the late 1800's, across from that page was a page on Abstaining from drinking liquor, listing 10 bad side effects of drinking. After the exhibit we watched a short movie which was interesting. I didn't know that Wolfe wrote an essay against Nazism called I have a thing to tell. Then we took the tour, this was the best part. It's incredible to not only go into the home of a great author you admire but to walk through the house that influenced him and that he wrote about is just amazing. I was reminded of his mother's coldness in having him live here, in this place crowded with strangers, how lonely he must have felt. It wasn't uncommon for him to wake up next to a stranger and if the boarding house was full he'd have to go to his fathers house a block and a half away. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable. We asked so many questions that we had to rush through the second floor. That is the only thing I didn't love about it, i didn't know there was a set time, or I would have asked less questions downstairs. Anyway altogether it was great!!! read more

What a fun activity! We aren't big tour people, but since we were in Asheville for a month we decided to change it up. This was WELL worth the $5 per person. Even if you don't like history or literature, walking around the house and seeing the decor and fixtures from a hundred years ago was very impressive. The tour guides were professional and well educated on their tour. Definitely a must see! read more

A delightful visit to appreciate the life and work of the author Thomas Wolfe. His writings reflected the time and community in which he lived. read more

Asheville boasts many novel venues and restaurants. This is an easy and inexpensive option to the usual tourist list. Our visit was delightful and wets the appetite to know more about Wolfe and read his books. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made our experience interesting. read more

What a wonderful memorial to Asheville's famous novelist. The site is lovingly maintained, staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Start with the film that provides an overview of Wolfe's life. Then, the small museum fills in a lot of the details and expertly displays the collection of artifacts. After that, it's time to tour the boarding house that Tom called home and to hear stories about the Wolfe family. Finally, don't leave without a visit to the gift/book shop. Congrats to all those involved in the operation of this historic site on a job very well done. read more

This place was an accidental find and we are so glad we found it! Our guide, Tom, was funny and interesting. He really brought the history to life. He has even inspired my husband to read "Look Homeward Angel". Don't miss this $5 treasure! read more

First off, admission is only $5. If you need to stick to a budget or get caught in the rain and need something to do, this should be #1 on your list. Really cool and informative movie that plays at the top of the hour about Thomas Wolfe (don't miss it) and then tours start at the bottom of the hour. Very interesting man to learn about, whether or not you're a fan of his books. I really enjoyed it. read more

Stopped in here this morning. To be honest, I didn't know anything about Thomas Wolfe; other than he was a writer. I love history and having the chance to learn about something new. There was a 30-minute movie briefing his life followed by an hour tour of the house he grew up in, a little on the long side. The tour was very informative and Steve knew a great deal about all things Thomas Wolfe and Asheville history. It was a nice way to spend the morning and I look forward to reading his novels. read more

My first time seeing a boarding house. I enjoyed seeing the restored dining room and various rooms throughout.

We visited on a Sunday, and the house was closed, but we were able to walk through the museum. It was just ok, nothing too special.

A must see while in Asheville for any fan of Thomas Wolfe, or anyone interested in learning a bit about life in the town a hundred years ago. Our tour guide Leah was wonderful and quite knowledgeable..at $5, the house tour was a bargain, and there's a nice little gift shop too. read more