DOCUMENTARY: “Walk Into History: Asheville’s Urban Trail”

We are excited to announce a City Channel 193 citywide premiere — “Walk Into History: Asheville’s Urban Trail,” which will be shown before the March 8 Asheville City Council meeting.

Tune in to the City Channel at 4:44 p.m. before the March 8 City Council meeting to see the beautiful Urban Trail documentary, funded by the City of Asheville Public Art Program.

Created by Asheville filmmaker Erin Derham of The History Boutique, this short oral history of City’s Urban Trail preserves the project’s origins and early years through conversations with the pioneers who were there.

Asheville’s Urban Trail, a linked collection of public art pieces, is now in its third decade as a cultural landmark. The trail grew from concept to completion thanks to the efforts of a small band of community-minded citizens, City officials, history enthusiasts, sculptors and artists. This short 14-minute video captures the stories of these public art pioneers through discussions with some of the original dreamers, planners and doers involved with the trail’s emergence.

“It’s a fantastic tribute to this collaborative public art piece that so many residents and visitors enjoy,” said Brenda Mills, manager of the City’s Public Art Program. “We are excited to premiere it, and look forward to partnering with the Asheville Downtown Association, which will use it as an online tool to continue to tell the story of the Urban Trail.”

The documentary has many potential applications, as a local oral history and an informational piece for tourists alike.