Meet Heath Towson | Automotive Historian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heath Towson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heath, what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by the history of Asheville, North Carolina and the many creative people that lived there. There have been many artists, photographers, writers and pioneering automotive creators here. When I started Mountaineer Motor Tours, I thought long and hard about what kind of car would represent Asheville well in a historical sense. I thought back to what decade seemed to make the greatest mark on the city and my mind immediately jumped to the 1920s. This is when we saw some of the biggest changes made in the city as far as architecture, city planning and design as well as culture and diversity in the city. Many of these people that were redesigning the city were larger than life in their views and vision. It couldn’t be just any car though. One of the most ubiquitous cars in the mountains was the Ford Model T and the Ford Model A. They are simple and durable – the perfect car for the rugged mountain roads of Buncombe County. It was the true everyman’s car that it is a familiar shape to most people. The people that carved out the roads that these cars drove on were also true pioneers that were exploring and creating new ways to move through society. This is how we were inspired to choose our 1923 Ford Model T Touring car.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Mountaineer Motor Tours seeks to be a vessel for story telling of lost Asheville history, whether that is automotive, cultural or architectural history in Asheville. A lot of that involves truly seeing things, rather than just looking at them. Many times, there is a building in Asheville that you may pass by everyday and never really think about. The key is to start thinking about things that are often obvious and yet go unnoticed every day. The Model T is a great muse for drawing this history out because there aren’t any distractions like a radio or other electronics to take your attention away from the changing landscape. It is a vehicle that sits up high and gives you a great vantage point to truly see and interact with your surroundings. Asheville’s history is being lost at a rapid pace, especially in the last 10 years. It feels more urgent now than ever to try to draw this history out and to share our antique cars with as many people as possible, to turn them into history enthusiasts as well.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of the most important parts of visiting Asheville is starting your day off with a good breakfast. I would start the day with a nice drive over to the Moose Cafe in West Asheville to have some of their piping hot coffee, warm biscuits and thick apple butter. After filling up on coffee and breakfast, I would head to my favorite place in Asheville, Grovewood Village to visit the Estes-Winn Car Museum Homespun Museum and the Grovewood Gallery. After taking a stroll through the village, we’d have to make the trek down the road to the Grove Park Inn. On a cooler autumn day or at the beginning of winter, there is nothing better than grabbing a spot in the lobby around their cavernous fireplaces in a rocking chair. After enjoying the warmth of the fire, you have to take in the view of Mt. Pisgah from the Sunset Terrace of the Inn. Rather than get stuck waiting for a table at the Sunset Terrace, your best bet is to head down to the Edison Grill and get a table on their back porch, where you can take in a view of the mountains and the surrounding neighborhood. As you make your way out of the Edison Grill, there are many nice little shops in the inn to duck into, as well as walls covered in photographs of the many celebrities that have stayed at the hotel.

After exploring Grove Park Inn and Grovewood, I would head further north in Asheville to Beaver Lake. Coming through the Lakeview Park Neighborhood to Merrimon Avenue from the Grove Park Inn, there are many lovely homes to see and an absolutely enchanting canopy of trees that cover Merrimon Avenue as you head North with the lake on your left hand side. Beaver Lake is a peaceful place where you can take a lovely walk on the path that surround the lake. Parking can be difficult to find, but you can also extend your walk by visiting the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary next door. From there, I would head down to the River Arts District and end the day with a nice taco by the River at White Duck Taco or head to Archetype Brewing, which has more of a local feel to it. They are close to some great restaurants on Haywood Road like Pizza Mind where you can grab some good food to go. If you are up for a stroll after dinner and drinks, there is a great little bookstore called Bagatelle Books that has a great regional selection of books about Asheville history. If you are looking for more of what a native Ashevillian would do, this is my take on seeing some of the less publicized areas of the city.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have been fortunate to have several people support me in starting Mountaineer Motor Tours. My percussion teacher from High School and mentor, Jennifer Robinson, has always been someone who has been a cheerleader for many of my business ideas. We shared many long phone calls where we exchanged ideas and she carefully listened to many of my ideas. Jennifer knew how to strike the balance of giving direct feedback without being harsh.

I also would like to thank my wife, Sara Maddox for giving me lots of support in starting the business. She gave me lots of feedback and suggestions on my ideas, as well as navigating much of the financial burden of starting the business, buying the car and getting all of the equipment purchased to start this business.

One of the books that has been very helpful in influencing this business has been Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. This book helps you really examine your purpose in why you are pursuing things in life, especially in business. Hill makes you consider if you are providing good service to your customers, developing resilience and grit as well as working on becoming more creative.

Website: www.mountaineermotortours.com

Instagram: @mountaineermotortours

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountaineermotortours

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr8eAoZMGHdPCj56HFHRIqA

Other: https://www.exploreasheville.com/listings/mountaineer-motor-tours/18746/ https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g60742-d26352133-Reviews-Mountaineer_Motor_Tours-Asheville_North_Carolina.html

Image Credits
Photos by Camilla Calnan, Cami Calnan Photography