The Ravenscroft School in Asheville

A History of the Institution and Its People and Buildings

The Ravenscroft School, an Episcopal boarding school in Asheville, North Carolina, 1856 to 1901, had three distinct phases. It was first a “Classical and Theological School” (1856–1864) and then, following the Civil War, a Theological Training School and Associate Mission (1868–1900); in 1887 it split into two departments, a Theological Training School/Associate Mission and Ravenscroft High School for Boys (1887–1901). The purview of this book is from the early days of Asheville (1820s) to the building of Joseph Osborne’s mansion in the 1840s (which would eventually house the school), through the years of the school’s operation, and thence to the mid–20th century when the campus buildings were sold and repurposed. The book concludes with the efforts by historic preservationists in the late 1970s to save the few remaining buildings. The book includes biographical notes on notable alumni and histories of the churches established by the Ravenscroft Associate Mission and Training School.