July 4th Celebration at our Asheville Bed and Breakfast, The 1899 Wright Inn

Spend Independence Day with us at our elegant Asheville Bed and Breakfast Inn, The 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House, in the mountain town of Asheville, NC. Fireworks may now be seen year-round at sporting events, big concerts and even Christmas shopping nights, but there's nothing quite like the big show on July 4th.

Come to Asheville, NC for the weekend parade, have a picnic, go to a concert or festival and you will be in the right patriotic spirit.

There are firework displays scheduled for the evenings of July 2nd and 3rd, 2010. Beginning July 3rd, Shindig on the Green begins its summer season at Roger McGuire Green in front of City Hall and the Courthouse. On Sunday, July 4th, starting at 4 P.M. the celebration gets into full swing with live music from Asheville's hottest bands, family activities and food from area vendors. The fireworks display will be at 9:30 P.M.

Check the 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House's special rates for this weekend. Celebrate this special American Holiday with us, here in the mountains and experience life in small town America.


Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

Spend "Fathers Day" with us at our Asheville Bed and Breakfast Inn.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

Are you still trying to decide what to do for the "Father" in your life this weekend? A weekend stay at The 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House, our Asheville Bed and Breakfast , might be just what you are looking for.

Please call us while there are still a few rooms remaining. We are just a phone call away.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers
1-800-552-5724

1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House,
An Historical Asheville NC, Bed and Breakfast Inn

Traveller has arrived at his Asheville NC bed and breakfast Inn.

TRAVELLER!!!

What kind of a name is Spud for a dog? He was white but unless he was caught in the potato bin, I couldn't figure out the name. Nor did we like it. So after leaving Knoxville and spending five days with Civil War people, we left with a long suggestion list of names from North and South. Everybody had thoughts on what he should be named.

We decided to wait and let him choose a name for himself from our extensive list.

Maggie arrived with a very acceptable doggie name; although for the first few months she was mostly called--Maggie Dammit.

I couldn't for the life of me remember the name Spud so the initial instinct was to say Maggie. Now, Spud-Maggie-Whoever You Are, probably had an identity crisis!!

Luckily after a few weeks, we noticed a few patterns with him. He thumped his tail on the floor constantly so we thought about Thumper. But to a whole generation that was the name of a rabbit.

When we took him for his first vet appointment, upon opening the car door, he jumped out and made an escape. He also made an escape through the side yard gate that the landscapers left open and was on his way to the next block! He made a third escape through the front gate when Bob was taking out the trash. Fortunately he was easily "retrieved" on all three occasions simply because he seemed to have scared himself with not knowing where to go.

So rechecking the name list, we decided Traveller was an appropriate name. Since he is a Southern dog, we named him after General Robert E. Lee's most famous horse. Like Lee, we use the double "L" British spelling. Let's just hope Traveller does not keep traveling on......



Barbara & Bob Gilmore


Owners & Innkeepers

In Search of a Companion for our Asheville Bed and Breakfast Inn

Maggie, our Asheville NC Bed and Breakfast Inn Mascot, has left a vast emptiness in our day by her premature departure. She made her mark on our lives and with our guests at this Asheville bed and breakfast Inn.

Maggie never replaced Kelty. Kelty never replaced Judy. No pet ever "replaces" another. But if you're a dog person, it's difficult to be without a pet.

We got all our Goldens Retrievers when they were about a year old. Judy and Kelty were bought from breeders who no longer wanted them because they were not perfect for show dogs. They were well behaved and responded immediately to commands. They each had normal life spans of about twelve years. We got Kelty, an Irish girl, almost immediately after losing Judy. Our sons were young and it seemed to be the thing to do to help them over the loss.

After we lost Kelty, the boys were already grown and gone, we were close to retiring and moving so we decided to wait a few years to get a "Golden" for our golden years. It was during that time that I discovered the Golden Retriever Rescue efforts.

We bought our Asheville NC Bed and Breakfast Inn in July, 2004 and began our rescue search. As luck would have it, we found our Maggie in October, the busiest month for tourism in Asheville.

From the beginning, her tenure here was touch and go. She was an alpha dog with no manners and understood few commands, a far cry from our two previous well-mannered dogs. We all grinned and bit the bullet and in about six months she had us thoroughly trained. She had her forever home for five and a half years until she crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

On April 28th, on our way to Chattanooga for six days touring Civil War battlefields, we stopped in Knoxville, TN. to look at an eleven month old blond, male Golden rescue named Spud. Spud was very small and didn't seem to have the Golden mannerisms. He stayed with his foster dad and did his best to ignore us. Foster dad gave us his observations/opinions which were different than our initial thoughts. But based on the way he described Spud, we decided to give Spud a try to see if he could become a house and Inn dog and fit in with our life style and if we could be the parents Spud needed.

Next time..........Spud gets a new name.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

1899 Wright Inn and Carrage House

Our Asheville Bed and Breakfast has lost it's mascot, Maggie

Our blog has been silent for awhile because our hearts have not been in it. It's with a heavy heart that I finally write that on March 9th our beautiful 6 1/2 year old Golden Retriever, Maggie, died quickily and unexpectedly of lymphoma while we were on vacation in California.

As usual, during our absence, Maggie was in the loving care of our Asheville Bed and Breakfast inn manager, Shirley. Maggie collapsed after dinner, was rushed to the animal hospital, diagnosed and the decision made to let her go came within five hours.

Losing any pet is difficult as most of you know; but of our three Goldens, she had the best, most outgoing, silly personality. She was still so young and it was so painfully unexpected.

We grieved Maggie. Neighbors brought flowers in her memory as everybody in the neighborhood knew her. Our mailman was near tears as Maggie would always come to say hello carrying a stick of firewood to him. Guests here at the Inn who asked to see her were surprised. Some were repeat guest, some read about her on the blog.

Then on Easter Sunday, Bob had another heart attack and the immediate pain from losing Maggie resurfaced. She was not there to comfort him or to do his now doctor ordered walks. The need for a companion became obvious. We again contacted Tennessee Valley Golden Retriever Rescue (where we adopted Maggie) and began our search for a companion that needed a forever home. The results of that search will appear here on the blog.

If you have ever loved an animal, feel the heartbreak of rescuing animals, have met Maggie and loved her, please consider making a donation in her name to:
TVGRR
P.O. Box 32973
Knoxville, TN 37930

Barbara & Bob Gilmore

Owners & Innkeepers

1899 Wright Inn Bed and Breakfast "Asheville Winter Escape Specials

Please see our new SPECIALS recently placed on the website

Come join us at the 1899 Wright Inn and Carriage House for a "Winter Getaway", "New Years Romance Package", or numerous packages built around your visit to America's largest residence, The Biltmore Estate.

With times as tough as they are, we will do our best to make sure that your Asheville Bed and Breakfast stay is as affordable as possible.

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers

Experience the Biltmore Estate's Candlelight Extravaganza while staying at our Asheville Bed and Breakfast

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Asheville is of course, the Biltmore Estate. From now until January 3, 2010, the Biltmore offers candlelight tours in addition to their regular daytime house tours. The house by day is impressive and very beautiful; but by night, it's magical.

To help you enjoy a visit by day, we offer a Biltmore package that includes your room for two nights, breakfast daily, afternoon treats and two two-day passes to the Estate. If you wish to do a Candlelight tour also, let us know a date and time window and we will arrange it for you with Biltmore for an additional $10 per ticket charge.

So enjoy a stay at the 1899 Wright Inn, a three mile drive to the front gate (then about 3.5 miles back to the house) and we take care of your tickets for you so you don't have to go through the "will call" pick-up. While you're here, find out about the inn's connection to the Vanderbilts.

Whether by day or night, Christmas at the Biltmore is a wonderful Holiday experience.

Barbara & Bob Gilmore
Owners & Innkeepers