Zebulon Vance was a
United States Congressman before the
Civil War,
Governor of North Carolina during and after the war, and a
United States senator from 1880 until his death in 1894. He was born in a log cabin in
Buncombe County, about south of Asheville, and later practiced law and lived in Asheville before entering politics. Other members of the association included W. D Gwyn Esq., J. P. Kerr, John A. Nichols, Thomas Walton Patton,
J. E. Rankin, and J. P. Sawyer who was its treasurer. Chaired by Powell, the association's purpose was to raise funds and collect subscriptions or pledges to create a memorial for Vance. Twenty volunteers under the leadership of Mrs. John M. Campbell went door to door to raise funds and sell tickets to the charity event. Pack donated $2,000, or nearly two-thirds of the $3,326 raised, equivalent to $ in 2023. He made his pledge on the condition that
Buncombe County would give land in front of the courthouse for a monument to Vance in perpetuity; the county promptly passed a resolution. English-born Logan wrote, "I, too, looked upon Senator Vance as one of the large men of North Carolina. I did not always agree with him, but that is not strange. Our training was wonderfully different." Contributions were also made by the Buncombe County communities of
Black Mountain, French Broad, and
Swannanoa. Pack's goal for the monument was "to inspire civic pride and virtue in mountaineers". Both Pack and the association agreed that the monument should not be a statue of Vance given the limited budget. So that the association could wrap up its operations after the monument's dedication, there was a call on May 6, 1898, asking donors to pay the final $75 due from subscriptions. On May 9, all but $35 had been paid.
Designer selection In June 1897, the association asked for bids to design "a single shaft fashioned after the
Washington Monument and placed on a substantial pedestal". Designs for the monument were submitted by firms from
Asheville;
Atlanta, Georgia;
Augusta, Georgia;
Charlotte, North Carolina;
Chattanooga, Tennessee;
Greensboro, North Carolina;
Mount Airy, North Carolina;
Pacolet, South Carolina; and
New England. F. M. Miles, a sculptor from Asheville, submitted two models, one of which was displayed at the A. Trifield cigar store on Patton Avenue in Asheville. The association indicated they preferred "a monument that is plain, in keeping with the plain, sturdy character of the man in whose memory it is to be erected." On September 9, the association announced their selection of Smith, a native of England who was known for his work as the supervising architect of
Biltmore Estate and had just opened a private architectural practice in Asheville. In addition to his solid reputation and local affiliation, Smith agreed to work free of charge. The gavel used by Moore was made for the event by George Donnan of Market Street Woodworking from locust procured at Vance's birthplace. Moore was joined on the stage by other Masons and members of the Zebulon Vance Camp of the
United Confederate Veterans. Moore placed a copper box under the cornerstone, containing a Bible, the Charter and Code for the City of Asheville, an honor roll from the city schools, a muster roll for Vance's Rough and Ready regiment, current issues of all local newspapers including
The Colored Enterprise, proceedings of North Carolina's Grand Lodge, a program for the day's event, newly minted United States coins, and a yearbook for the City of Asheville. In October 1897, this group had ordered 1,000 club buttons featuring a picture of Vance and the words "white supremacy" and "ZVDC". Ten bids were submitted by firms from Asheville,
Atlanta, Georgia;
Augusta, Georgia;
Chattanooga, Tennessee;
Pacolet, South Carolina; and
Wilmington, North Carolina. The contract was awarded to James G. Colvin of Asheville, who bid $2,758. The association decided the best place for the monument was on Court Square (now Pack Square) where there was an existing water fountain. Lines from the Asheville Telephone Exchange that crossed court square near the proposed location were relocated to a back street. R.M. Ramsay received the contract to dig the monument's foundation and began work on October 23, 1897. The first shovelful of dirt was thrown by John Y. Jordan, with the second by John O'Donnell. By October 28, the foundation was excavated and contractor Colvin was installing of cement for the monument's foundation. The groundbreaking ceremony of December 22, 1897, laid the monument's cornerstone. However, after two panels were installed, superintendent of construction and architect Smith rejected both because the stone had a naturally occurring white line running diagonally across it. Each stone cost more than $100, delivered. Once the pedestal was completed, work began on placing the stone for the obelisk. Each stone block was raised by attaching it to a derrick boom lift, using rope and chain. A team of men then used a
windlass to raise the stone, one inch at a time. Instead of having to lower the block to the ground, Will Ward, a climber with the Asheville Telephone Exchange, came to the rescue. To get a new rope lashed to the block, he climbed a distance of hand over hand to the peak on the monument. The next day several hundred people and photographers gathered at Court Square, with others at the courthouse tower, to watch the placement of the final pyramidal top stone which weighed .
Fencing and lighting On July 28, 1896, George Powell, president of the Vance Monument Association, announced that the existing iron fencing in Court Plaza would be removed as part of its redesign and beautification, along with posts and cables. There was a positive reaction to this joint plan of the city and county to convert the area into a park. In an editorial on March 15, 1898, the
Asheville Daily Citizen anticipated restoration of the landscape now that construction was over:If we are to keep the square in anything like a decent condition, the fence should be put back. One year's trial shows conclusively that the no-fence law is no good when applied to the square. The Rest Easies stand on the corners and whet off the grass, the Hurry Ups cut across the corners in order to get there a minute earlier, and the
Jehus will make a cot of the greensward as they wait for patrons at the Asheville Livery Stables. Already some have picked the monument as a resting place and it has become very evident that not only will it be necessary to fence the square but that there must be a railing about the monument's base.Three days later, on March 18, the association had a railing installed around the pedestal of the monument. On March 26, 1898, there was public excitement when a load of iron fencing was delivered to the monument. However, the fencing was delivered by mistake; it was ordered for
George W. Packs' home on Merrimon Avenue. The contract was again awarded to James G. Colvin of Asheville for $197. The problem was that the curbing installed by the association, as well as the steps of the pedestal, was an ideal seating area. Shortly after
World War I,
Nathan Straus traveled to Asheville to lay a wreath at the Vance Monument as a "debt of gratitude" to Vance for his defense of the Jews. Straus, a Jewish philanthropist and owner of
R. H. Macy & Company and
Abraham & Straus department stores in
New York City, paid for a suitable fence that was installed around the monument. == Dedication ==