Jackson Building

An instantly identifiable building in Asheville, the Jackson Building is known for being the first skyscraper in Western North Carolina. At 140 feet tall, the Neo-Gothic building is not only notable for being a main tourist attraction in Asheville, but it was also built on the site of Thomas Wolfe's father's tombstone business.

The building originally featured an 18 million candlepower searchlight and 400x telescope at the top. Unfortunately, the building is used for private purposes and is not open to the public.

The Great Depression hit Asheville very hard, like almost every other city in America. Since the Jackson Building was filled with businesses and office space at the time when the market crashed, it is said that the ghost that haunts the building is that of a businessman who leaped to his death from one of the higher floors.

Supposedly, not only can his face sometimes be seen in a window, but there is apparently a faint bulls-eye on the ground that marks where his body hit the pavement.