From Staff Reports

Contrary to other news media reports, the recent discovery of human remains under a vacant lot on the former car wash next to West Asheville Presbyterian Church at 697 Haywood Road is a not-so-recent — or startling — phenomenon, according to Conda Painter, a history buff and West Asheville native.

Specifically, “from the time I was 17 years old, I was doing research on a possible church and a cemetery” on the site in question, between her property and the existing church, Painter said in a June 28 interview with the Daily Planet.

“There was no record of it,” she said in reference to Wilson Chapel and Cemetery — a black church and cemetery that, Painted contended, previously existed on the site of what had been planned to be a new parking lot.

For decades, Painter said, “I knew there were bones there. We knew there were people buried there. Maybe some graves were moved and some not.”  

“We actually found an old casket handle in the (church) parking lot area where they paved it about 25 years ago,” she said.

Painter said she cannot say for sure why certain local news media, include Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) have reported the discovery of human remains on the site as new and shocking news. However, she said she has heard rumors from neighbors that it could be that the bones found were from some recent murder — or that local officials are trying to cover up the significance of the findings, which could “blow up” in problems with reparations.  

Earlier in the interview, Painter said, “My Dad (the late Richard Painter) and I — we started this project when I was a kid. He’s passed away and I continue with it. It’s basically a forgotten cemetery and church with it. It was moved to Burton Street in 1925.

“It seems like it (the cemetery) could go back as far as 1883.        The church — I’ve always figured it was built in 1888” and was closed permanently in 1925...

“It was a black cemetery... Slaves were buried there, as well... What is so crazy is that it was forgotten. People are telling me, ‘Conda, you discovered this.’”

She recounted that, “about 17 years ago (Aug. 30, 2006), the Mountain Xpress did an interview on this” (forgotten church and cemetery) with her and her desire to preseve or remember the site in some way. “But nothing really came of it.

“What is so complicated about it is the Presbyterian Church wanted to pave it (the site with the suspected human remains) and we couldn’t stop them on it. We did stop them on the cell tower” that the church also wanted to erect on the site.

“They own that parking lot that is connected to the property, where the bones — and all that — are there,” she said.

Further, Painter said, “We’re upset about the Presbyterian Church” — possibly — being sold to some entity” that, in turn, might turn it “into a needle exchange. So the neighbors were trying to save the church to keep out being of a needle exchange...

“The church owns that parking lot, but now there’s talk that the church could donate the property to where they could turn it into a memorial park.

To that end, Painter said she has worked to ensure that a memorial to the former church and cemetery will be erected on the other corner” of the lot.

She noted that the posted a link of the story about the church and cemetery from the Mountain Xpress — that appeared years ago — on social media… 

“My intention was that that land would be either preserved or memorialized. So he (the developer) had been sitting there and losing a lot of money for six years.”

 She said Asheville City Council “came in a stopped him, after her link was posted. 

“Then an archaeologist (Tasha Benyshek) came in…. Seventeen years ago, she was in the Mountain Xpress (in the story that included Painter’s concerns). So this was a return for her and she was able to come back in a finish up. If I’m not mistaken, she has her own company. She lives in Asheville. Today (June 28) was her last day on the site.

“There are a lot of decisions to be made, now that the bones have been found,

“What was found were some old bones from one grave — and a casket handle. They (also) found a second grave, but it was left untouched. 

“Later, the bones and casket handle were buried back in the grave. 

“What will happen next is they will cover the whole area with a retaining wall that will protect it.

“It was in the last few days (around June 20) when these remains showed up.

“I discovered it originally. I’d grown up talking to neighbors, who had said they had heard rumors about ‘cemeteries in the neighborhood.’ 

“Roughly 40 years ago, there was an African-American man who came down the road one day, saying he was looking for his grandmother’s grave. ‘It’s got to be up between one of these houses,’” he told her.

The latest developments in forgotten church and cemetery saga occurred “when a man began building on the site, involving construction work,” Painter said.

 â€œI realized this (possible human remains site) needs to be investigated — and that’s when I put the link on social media recently. And somebody must have seen it because shortly afterward, I noticed that the construction had come to a halt.”

As for the future, she said, “I feel like there does need to be a way— we don’t want these people forgotten. I feel strongly that there needs to be some sort of monument there — and I’ve actually started a GoFundMe (account) for that.” 

To donate to the memorial, Painter said individuals could go on the internet to GoFundMe and visit “Memorial to Lost Black History of West Asheville.”

In addition to her interests in the lost cemetery and church, Painter has what she described as “a little West Asheville History Museum” on 727 Haywood Road — in the old Fortune building. 

“I do not own the building, but I have been the curator for about four years,” she said. “I created the West Asheville History Museum. I do walking tours and they are donation-based.”

For those wanting to learn more about it, Painter said, “There is a Facebook page called ‘West Asheville History Museum’” that those interested could visit online to set up a museum visit or walking tour.

She then reiterated that her interest in West Asheville history was greatly inspired by her father, Richard Painter, a West Asheville native who was a foreman at Asheville Showcase & Fixture Co. in Broadway in downtown Asheville.

“He was knowledgeable about the history of West Asheville,” she said. “Back in the day, it was a great place to grow up. I saw the tail-end of all of that. It became ‘dead’ in the 1980s because the store-owners passed away. It’s back busy again.” 

 As for the site’s archaeologist, Tasha Benyshek, Painter said that she “did an excellent job in helping me bring the truth out. 

“Also I have a Facebook page called ‘Save The West Asheville Presbyterian Church.’ The church is seen in the old famous trolley postcard that dates back circa 1920... 

“Sadly, over the years, many changes have occurred to that property — construction, demolishing, paving, building, the old car wash and the parking lot behind it that now belongs to West Asheville Presbyterian Church. As a result, much of essential value has been lost to history.”

She concluded the interview with the Daily Planet by stating, “West Asheville is filled with unique history. I have always taken a great interest in and cared about that particular corner, and its past and future. For many, it was a wonderful place to grow up.”