The Asheville Citizen-Times, often called Citizen Times, is one of the best-known newspapers serving Asheville and Western North Carolina. Its modern identity dates to 1991, when the long-running Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times were combined into one publication. However, its roots reach much further back, to 1870, when the newspaper began as a weekly publication. Today, the Asheville Citizen-Times operates as part of the USA TODAY Network and is owned and operated by Gannett Co., Inc. Its work spans local news, government, business, sports, culture, weather, community events, and digital journalism. This article explores the newspaper’s origins, major milestones, ownership history, digital transition, archives, community role, and continuing place in Asheville’s media landscape.
What Is the Asheville Citizen-Times?
The Asheville Citizen-Times is a daily newspaper based in Asheville, North Carolina, serving readers across the city and the wider Western North Carolina region. The publication is part of the USA TODAY Network, while its corporate ownership and operation are handled by Gannett. Although the present-day newspaper emerged in 1991, the title represents a much older newspaper tradition. The Library of Congress traces the relevant Asheville newspaper lineage through titles including the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times. Over generations, the Asheville Citizen-Times has adapted from traditional print journalism to a digital-first model. Its current services include online news, newsletters, an eNewspaper edition, archives, and other subscriber features designed for modern readers.
The Early History of the Asheville Citizen
The story behind the Asheville Citizen-Times begins in 1870, when the publication was established as the North Carolina Citizen. According to NCpedia, the newspaper was founded by Randolph Abbott Shotwell, and it became a daily in 1885. The newspaper developed during a period when Asheville itself was growing rapidly. The arrival of the Western North Carolina Railroad helped expand the community’s connections and economic importance, while the newspaper gained greater circulation and influence. NCpedia describes the Citizen as an important advocate for economic development in the Mountain region. Over time, the publication passed through different ownership arrangements and titles before becoming part of the newspaper lineage that eventually produced today’s Asheville Citizen-Times.
The Asheville Times and Its Origins
The second major part of the Asheville Citizen-Times story comes from the Asheville Times. The Library of Congress records the Asheville Times as a newspaper published from 1916 through 1991, although its history extends through earlier titles and changes. NCpedia explains that the Times originated with the Asheville Gazette, founded in 1896, which later merged with the Asheville Evening News and eventually became the Asheville Times. For much of the twentieth century, the Citizen and Times occupied different positions in Asheville’s newspaper market. The Citizen served morning readers, while the Times served an afternoon audience. Their relationship became closer after they came under common ownership, setting the stage for the eventual merger that created the modern Asheville Citizen-Times.
How the Citizen and Times Became One Newspaper
A defining moment arrived in 1991, when the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times were merged into one newspaper. The final Asheville Times was published on June 28, 1991, after which the combined publication operated as the Asheville Citizen-Times seven days a week. This merger marked the end of two separate daily newspaper identities in Asheville and created a single publication with a shared newsroom and brand. The modern Asheville Citizen-Times therefore represents both traditions rather than being a newspaper that appeared suddenly in the 1990s. The Library of Congress and North Carolina historical sources preserve records of the separate titles, making it possible for researchers to trace the transition from nineteenth-century local journalism to the unified newspaper that readers recognize today.
The Newspaper’s Role in Western North Carolina
For decades, the Asheville Citizen-Times and its predecessor newspapers documented the development of Asheville and surrounding mountain communities. NCpedia notes that the Citizen became an important advocate for regional economic development and supported issues connected with landmarks and infrastructure such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. That historical role illustrates why newspapers can become more than sources of daily headlines. Local reporting creates a record of political decisions, businesses, public institutions, cultural events, natural disasters, and ordinary community life. Through its long publishing history, the Asheville Citizen-Times has accumulated a substantial documentary record of Asheville and Western North Carolina. Much of that history can now be explored through newspaper databases, libraries, archives, and the publication’s own digital services.
Major Ownership Changes Over the Years
Ownership has changed several times throughout the history of the Asheville Citizen-Times. In 1954, the company associated with the Asheville newspapers and radio station WWNC was acquired by the Greenville News-Piedmont Company. The business later became connected with Multimedia, Inc. through corporate consolidation. In 1995, Multimedia was acquired by Gannett, bringing the Asheville newspaper into a much larger American newspaper organization. The ownership history reflects broader changes in the U.S. newspaper industry, where locally established publications increasingly became part of regional and national media companies. Today, the official Citizen Times help center states that the publication is part of the USA TODAY Network and is owned and operated by Gannett Co., Inc.
The Asheville Citizen-Times and Digital Journalism
The Asheville Citizen-Times began its transition toward digital journalism relatively early. According to historical records, the publication launched a website in April 1997, becoming the first daily newspaper in Western North Carolina to do so. The move changed how readers could access local reporting. Instead of waiting for the next printed edition, audiences could increasingly find news online as stories developed. Like newspapers across the United States, the Asheville Citizen-Times has continued adapting to changes in technology, reader habits, advertising, and subscription models. Its current digital operation includes online articles, newsletters, mobile access, and an eNewspaper. The official help center describes the eNewspaper as a digital replica of the printed edition that allows subscribers to read articles, save or download material, solve puzzles, and listen to articles.
Print Production and the End of Local Press Operations
Another major change involved the physical production of the Asheville Citizen-Times. In 1986, the newspaper invested in modern offset printing technology and a large production facility in nearby Enka. However, the economics of newspaper printing changed significantly as digital publishing expanded and print circulation patterns evolved. In January 2009, the newspaper’s local press operation was shut down, and printing was subsequently moved outside Asheville. The change represented a major transformation in the newspaper’s physical presence. Reporting could remain local even when printing became centralized elsewhere. This distinction is important when understanding the modern Asheville Citizen-Times: the newspaper continues to produce local journalism while the physical process of printing a paper has become part of a broader regional production system.
The Historic Asheville Newspaper Building
The physical history of the Asheville Citizen-Times is closely connected to downtown Asheville. In the late 1930s, publisher D. Hiden Ramsey commissioned architect Tony Lord to design a new building at 14 O. Henry Avenue. The structure housed the Citizen and Times operations and became an important part of the newspaper’s identity. The building remained associated with the newspaper for many decades. Gannett eventually sold the property in 2018, reflecting another stage in the company’s shift away from large traditional newspaper facilities. Newspaper buildings once housed presses, composing rooms, reporters, editors, photographers, and administrative departments under one roof. The history of the Asheville facility therefore illustrates how technological and economic changes have reshaped not only journalism but also the physical workplaces where journalism is produced.
The 2024 Asheville Office Move
The newspaper’s physical footprint changed again in 2024. Available historical records state that the lease associated with the former downtown location expired on March 31, 2024, after which the Asheville Citizen-Times moved to a coworking environment at The Collider in the Wells Fargo building at 1 Haywood Street. This move reflects the continuing transformation of newspaper workplaces. Modern newsrooms do not necessarily require the large production areas once needed for printing and distribution. Reporters can gather information, interview sources, photograph events, edit stories, and publish digitally using comparatively compact facilities and mobile technology. For the Asheville Citizen-Times, the change represents another chapter in a long progression from nineteenth-century print production toward a more flexible digital newsroom serving readers throughout the region.
What Kind of News Does Citizen Times Cover?
The Asheville Citizen-Times covers a broad range of subjects connected with Asheville and Western North Carolina. Its reporting includes local government, public safety, education, business, sports, weather, entertainment, culture, and community affairs. The publication also provides digital updates as stories develop, allowing readers to follow events beyond the traditional daily newspaper cycle. This local focus distinguishes the Asheville Citizen-Times from national news organizations that may only cover Asheville during major events. Local journalists can provide context about neighborhoods, institutions, public agencies, businesses, and residents that national outlets generally cannot offer at the same level. The newspaper’s long history also gives it an archival role, because today’s stories eventually become part of the historical record researchers use to understand Asheville and the surrounding region.
Citizen Times During Hurricane Helene
The importance of local journalism became especially visible during Hurricane Helene in September 2024, when Western North Carolina experienced severe flooding, infrastructure damage, power disruptions, and widespread community impacts. Reporting from the period documents the challenges faced by journalists working in the region while continuing to provide information. Poynter reported that the Gannett-owned Asheville Citizen Times operated a text-messaging service during the disaster, while reporters and other local journalists worked amid damaged infrastructure and communications problems. Karen Chávez, then the newspaper’s executive editor, also described the newsroom’s experience covering the storm and its aftermath. The episode demonstrated a practical function of local newspapers: during a regional emergency, residents may need information about roads, services, recovery, public agencies, and community resources as much as they need conventional news stories.
The Newspaper’s Digital Subscription Services
The modern Asheville Citizen-Times combines free news content with subscription-based digital services. Its official help center describes an eNewspaper, newsletters, access to other USA TODAY Network publications, and additional subscriber features. The eNewspaper is designed to reproduce the printed edition digitally while offering functions that are difficult or impossible with paper alone, including article audio and downloadable content. This model reflects the wider transformation of the newspaper business. Readers increasingly expect immediate access through computers and mobile devices, while publishers seek sustainable revenue through subscriptions and advertising. For people searching for Asheville Citizen-Times information today, the website is therefore as important as the traditional newspaper. The publication’s identity now exists across print, web, mobile, newsletters, and digital editions.
Asheville Citizen-Times Archives and Historical Research
The Asheville Citizen-Times is also valuable as a historical research resource. The University of North Carolina Wilmington Library lists a ProQuest historical newspaper collection covering the Asheville Citizen-Times and related historical titles from 1873 through 2009. The Library of Congress also maintains records for the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times, including publication dates and historical title information. These resources can help researchers investigate family history, local businesses, community events, politics, architecture, disasters, and cultural developments. The official Citizen Times help center also provides information about searching archives and ordering back issues. For anyone researching Asheville’s past, newspaper archives can provide contemporary accounts that complement books, government records, photographs, and oral histories.
Why the Asheville Citizen-Times Matters to Asheville
The significance of the Asheville Citizen-Times comes partly from its longevity. A newspaper with roots reaching back to 1870 has documented multiple generations of life in Asheville and Western North Carolina. Its historical record includes periods of economic growth, technological change, changing transportation systems, regional development, and major natural events. Newspapers also provide a record of everyday life that official histories sometimes overlook. Birth announcements, business advertisements, sports results, community meetings, cultural events, editorials, photographs, and local government reports can all become useful historical evidence. The Asheville Citizen-Times therefore serves two functions: it provides contemporary journalism for current readers and contributes to the historical record that future researchers may use to understand Asheville.
How to Find Asheville Citizen-Times Content Today
Readers looking for Asheville Citizen-Times stories can use the publication’s digital platform, while subscribers can access additional services through the newspaper’s eNewspaper and newsletters. The official help center confirms that the eNewspaper is available through the Citizen Times website and provides access to a digital replica of the print edition. Historical material is also available through library databases and newspaper archives. For research purposes, it is useful to distinguish between current digital articles and historical newspaper scans because their search tools and coverage periods may differ. The Library of Congress and UNC-affiliated resources are particularly useful for tracing older titles such as the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times. Readers can therefore approach the Asheville Citizen-Times through several complementary sources.
Internal Linking Suggestions for an Asheville News Website
If you are publishing an SEO article about the Asheville Citizen-Times, strategic internal links can improve navigation and help search engines understand the site’s topical structure. Relevant anchor-text ideas include “Asheville local news,” “Asheville newspaper history,” “Western North Carolina news,” “Asheville history,” “Buncombe County news,” and “North Carolina newspapers.” A site could also connect this article to pages about Asheville landmarks, local government, regional history, Hurricane Helene recovery, and other major community events. Avoid forcing the exact keyword into every link because repetitive anchor text can make content feel unnatural. Instead, use descriptive phrases that match the destination page. The goal should be to create a useful information network for readers who arrive while researching the Asheville Citizen-Times, its history, or the wider Asheville media landscape.
The Future of the Asheville Citizen-Times
The future of the Asheville Citizen-Times will likely continue to involve a combination of local reporting, digital publishing, subscriptions, newsletters, and eNewspaper services. The newspaper has already passed through several major transitions: from weekly to daily publication, from separate Citizen and Times titles to one newspaper, from local printing to centralized production, and from primarily print journalism to a digital publishing operation. Its official materials show that digital access and subscriber services are now central components of the publication. At the same time, the newspaper’s long history demonstrates why local reporting remains valuable. As Asheville changes, the need to document public decisions, community developments, businesses, emergencies, and cultural life continues. The form of the newspaper may evolve, but its documentary role can continue.
Conclusion
The Asheville Citizen-Times has a history that reaches far beyond its current name. Its roots trace to 1870, its Citizen edition became a daily in 1885, and its modern identity emerged from the merger of the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times in 1991. The newspaper later became part of Gannett following the 1995 acquisition of Multimedia, launched its website in 1997, ended local press operations in 2009, and moved into a new downtown workplace in 2024. Today, the publication operates within the USA TODAY Network and provides both digital and eNewspaper services. Its continuing value lies in connecting present-day readers with local reporting while preserving an extensive record of Asheville’s past.
FAQs About the Asheville Citizen-Times
What is the Asheville Citizen-Times?
The Asheville Citizen-Times is a daily newspaper serving Asheville, North Carolina, and Western North Carolina. Its modern publication began in 1991 after the Asheville Citizen and Asheville Times were merged. The newspaper’s broader history reaches back to 1870, when the North Carolina Citizen was established. Today, the publication is part of the USA TODAY Network and is owned and operated by Gannett Co., Inc.
When was the Asheville Citizen-Times founded?
The present-day Asheville Citizen-Times dates from 1991, but its historical roots extend to 1870. The earlier Asheville Citizen began as the North Carolina Citizen and became a daily newspaper in 1885. The Asheville Times developed from another local newspaper lineage. The two publications eventually merged into the Asheville Citizen-Times in 1991.
Who owns the Asheville Citizen-Times?
The Asheville Citizen-Times is part of the USA TODAY Network and is owned and operated by Gannett Co., Inc., according to the publication’s official help center. Gannett acquired Multimedia, the newspaper’s previous corporate parent, in 1995.
Does the Asheville Citizen-Times still have a print edition?
Yes. The newspaper continues to offer a print edition alongside digital products. Its official help center describes the eNewspaper as a digital replica of the printed edition and provides information about accessing it. However, the newspaper’s local printing operation ended in 2009, after which production was moved outside Asheville.
Can I search old Asheville Citizen-Times newspapers?
Yes. Historical material is available through several archival resources. UNC Wilmington’s ProQuest collection lists coverage from 1873 through 2009, while the Library of Congress maintains records for the Asheville Citizen, Asheville Times, and related titles. The Citizen Times also provides information about searching its archives and ordering back issues.
Where is the Asheville Citizen-Times based today?
Historical records indicate that the newspaper moved in 2024 after its previous lease expired. The publication moved to The Collider, located in the Wells Fargo building at 1 Haywood Street in Asheville. Its official contact information continues to identify the publication as an Asheville-based news organization serving the local community.
What does the Asheville Citizen-Times cover?
The newspaper covers a wide range of topics relevant to Asheville and Western North Carolina, including local news, government, public safety, business, sports, culture, weather, and community affairs. It also publishes digital updates and offers newsletters and eNewspaper access. During major regional events such as Hurricane Helene in 2024, its journalists provided reporting and information for affected communities.
