The Governor's Western Residence in Asheville is tucked away atop Town Mountain, so few visitors and many locals don't even know it's there. The estate is open for public tours during the Holiday Open House, usually held the first weekend in December. The residence overlooks Asheville, with spectacular views of Mt. Pisgah and a panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Built in 1939 by Tom Brimer, owner of Good Humor Ice Cream, the home is one of the first contemporary mountain homes of its time. It was donated to the state in 1964 by the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, and is one of only four official state second residences in the country.
