relocation guide · area is an interesting experience. our diverse area offers something for...
TRANSCRIPT
Relocation Guide
Greetings from the WhiteWater Realty Group!
Thank you for inquiring about our relocation guide. Becoming acquainted with our mountain
area is an interesting experience. Our diverse area offers something for everyone whether you
are looking for an activity - filled vacation or considering a retirement home in the area.
Our area consists of several communities. Those directly on the mountain plateau are Cashiers,
Highlands, Lake Toxaway, Lake Glenville, and Sapphire. Still in our mountain area but not the
high plateau is the Brevard, Etowah, Hendersonville and Asheville areas. Each is unique and
offers something different. Mother Nature has blessed us with some of the most magnificent
scenery in the United States as well as four seasons that are all quite mild.
Thank you for inquiring and we look forward to assisting you in finding your perfect home,
retirement or vacation home. Be sure to visit our web site www.NCMountainLife.com.
We work mainly as Buyer’s agents, thus seeking the perfect home representing only your in-
terests. We are here for you when you need us.
The information that we are sending will open the door to help you make your right selection.
We look forward to visiting with you and helping you find that perfect home.
Enjoy.
Dorothy Swearingen, Broker/Owner
NCMountainLife.com
WhiteWater Realty, LLC
About Brevard, North Carolina 4
Cashiers---Jewel of the Mountains 5
Fairfield Sapphire Valley 6
Hendersonville, NC. 8
Lake Toxaway Facts & Interesting Tidbits 10
Lake Toxaway Country Club 11
Western North Carolina Waterfalls 12
Area Maps 14-17
Table of Contents
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Brevard is known for a unique quality of life, friendly
people, and a strong sense of community. It has a small
town atmosphere with natural beauty, uptown culture, and
all the social amenities. Lining the main thoroughfares in
the downtown area are several specialty shops, art galler-
ies, antique stores, and the famous O P Taylor’s, one of the
finest toy stores in Western North Carolina. There is also
over 50 area restaurants offering everything from casual
fare to fine dining.
During a walking tour of downtown, chances are you will
see one or more of our residents, include the well-known
white squirrels of Brevard. You will enjoy the antics of these
beautiful native animals as they scamper around town.
There are year-round cultural events with a very active
arts community here. Brevard is home to the world-renown
Brevard Music Center where guest musicians and artists of-
fer weekly concerts during the summer months. It is also the
home of Brevard College, a four year liberal arts college.Our local parks - Pisgah National Forest and DuPont
State Forest, offer several waterfalls, hiking, picnic areas,
and numerous horseback riding trails. It is easy to create
family memories here.
If you are interested in this area for relocation, retire-
ment, or an investment for your future, there are several
options available. There are private lots and acreage, sub-
divisions with various amenities, condos, townhomes, and
retirement villages. Just give us notice, and we can find your
perfect mountain home.
Some of the Amenities Brevard has to offer:
• Annual River Run International Film Festival
• Brevard Community Theater
• Brevard Music Center
• Porter Center for Performing Arts
• Falls Theatre
• Forest Discovery Center, Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, Cradle of Forestry in America (all located at Pisgah National Forest)
• Jack Eubanks’ Auctions
• Jim Bob Tinsley Museum and Research Center
• Pisgah Lanes Bowling
• Silvermont Mansion
• The Allison-Deaver House
• Transylvania County Library
• Transylvania Community Arts Center
• Zero Gravity Skate Park
Brevard, North Carolina 28712
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Jewel of the Mountains
Cashiers, a mountain village centered around the
crossroads of Highways 64 and 107, is a hidden jewel
many people discovered in the 1800’s. Beautiful scenery,
mountain golf courses, fine dining, and shopping will
lure you again and again to return to the area.
Cashiers, the last section of NC opened to settlers,
was inhabited by the Cherokee until 1819. It has always
been a popular summer spot. The Cherokee found the
cool summers perfect and then would move back into
the northern part of South Carolina for the winter. A
major reservation was located where Lake Jocassee, in
South Carolina, is today. There are several different sto-
ries as to how the town received its name. From being
named after a horse that got loose in the valley to a bull
namedCassius owned by General Wade Hampton, to an-
other story is that it’s where miners “cashed out” after
a successful day of mining. Whichever story is correc
Cashiers has always welcomed people to its area.
Today it is an escape from city life that makes the
area a great place to live and play. Come check out this
hidden jewel sitting 3,486 feet above sea level. Something
can be found here for all ages.
Cashiers:
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According to a now retired naturalist at Sapphire
Valley, the mountains surrounding this beautiful area are
older than the Alps, the Andes or the Rockies.
From the standpoint of vegetation, there are more than
1300 species of flowering plants here, and 131 of these are
trees. Nowhere in the world are there so many different
trees. In all of Europe, there are only about 86 varieties.
The last glacier left this vegetation here. This ice sheet
was more than one mile thick in places. It pushed everything
down from what is now Canada and brought
Canadian trees as well as Canadian birds here.
Equally important were the tremendous heat and
unbelievable pressures generated when the granite moun-
tains were thrusts to the surface from the molten magma
below the earths’ crust. They created the gemstones for
which North Carolina as a whole and the western art of
the state, in particular, is famous. More than 300 varieties
of minerals have been found in North Carolina, more than
in any other state, and among the gems found in the moun-
tains are some of the most valuable in the world.
Sapphire Valley is one of the principal places in which
rich deposits of corundum, a source of valuable gemstones
are found.
In September of 1888, three men from High Point, North
Carolina, uncovered approximately fifty pounds of sapphires.
Although the three would not disclose the exact location of
their find, they did say “it is somewhere in Sapphire Valley”.
The mountain region also has produced gold. In fact,
it was the nation’s leading gold-producing area until the
precious metal was discovered in California in 1849, The
federal government once had a mint in Walhalla, SC.
As noted in John Parris’s article about the Fairfield Inn on
the following pages, there was a gold mind right here on this
site. In fact, you can still see pieces of the old shaft at the
end of Fairfield Lake.
The first human inhabitants of this heavily forested, well
wetted and cliff punctuated land of minerals and beauty
were Native Americans who, undoubtedly, were the forbearers
of the Cherokees who called the valley the “land of the midday
sun” because of the mountains surrounding it.
Arrowheads, broken bits of potter and other artifacts
have been uncovered on a small mound overlooking the
stream running from Chimneytop Mountain. The mound is
located on what is now the Country Club of Sapphire Valley
Golf Course. There is no indication of whether the Native
Americans had a permanent village in Sapphire Valley or
merely used it as a hunting ground. There is no evidence,
either, of just who the first white people to visit the valley
were. An expedition led by Hernando De Soto, the Spanish
explorer, passed through the vicinity in 1540.
Information from the above article from Fairfield Resorts.
828-743-3441
History of Sapphire Valley
Fairfield Sapphire Valley
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They Build in the Wilderness Fairfield
Men came seeking the green gold of the virgin forests
of the Sapphire County in the late 1800s and ended up
creating a new resort area. Operating as the Toxaway
Company, they purchased thousands of acres of wilderness
in Jackson and Transylvania counties. And they built a rail-
road from Hendersonville to Toxaway, midway between
Rosman and Sapphire Valley, to carry the felled timber to
their sawmill and the lumber to the shipping points.
But they found more than just trees for trees for lumber-
they saw an area of untouched beauty and decided to create
a resort area to serve eastern America. So they built hotels
and lakes at three locations on the company’s property
and turned the area into what they promoted as “The
Switzerland of the South.”
The first to be built was Toxaway Hotel and Toxaway
Lake. The hotel was enormous, with billiard rooms, bowling
alleys, crystal chandeliers and plush carpeting. They put
canoes and a steamboat on the lake and made bridle paths
all around. Folks from the north began to swarm in, many
arriving in private railroad cars which were shuttled out
from Hendersonville.
Next came Sapphire Hotel and Sapphire Lake south of
what is now US Highway 64 on the Jackson-Transylvania line.
Last but not least came what many said was Toxaway’s
crowning achievement—Fairfield Inn on Lake Fairfield. Three
stories with 57 high-ceiling guest rooms, a breezy verandah
with dozens of rocking chairs, a kitchen that served excellent
food-including mountain trout-and a relaxed atmosphere,
all contained in an architectural achievement reminiscent
of a Swiss Alpine lodge. Fairfield Inn was a tribute to
persistence and skill. Persistence because that’s what it took
for the Toxaway Company to haul building materials and
equipment by wagon over a dozen miles of roads that were
muddy and bumpy at best.
Fairfield Inn opened its doors to guests in 1896.
The Toxaway Company operated all three hotels, plus a
hunting lodge on Mount Toxaway, as summer time resorts for
a number of years, and they became well known throughout
the South and East.
When Fairfield Inn opened its doors, Grover Cleveland
was President of the United States. Queen Victoria sat on the
throne in England. James “Gentleman Jim” Corbett was the
heavyweight boxing champion. Mark Twain was America’s
most popular writer. The song of the year was “There’ll be
a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” and the Klondike Gold
Rush was on.
Information from the above article from Fairfield Resorts.
828-743-3441
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Hendersonville
Named for the 19th-century Chief Justice of the North
Carolina Supreme Court, Leonard Henderson, Henderson-
ville is a city located about 20 miles southeast of Asheville
and is home to a community of warm people and an invit-
ing mountain culture. With its almost-perfect climate and
many attractions, it makes a great place not only to visit,
but to live.
Hendersonville’s Downtown is made up of a unique
assortment of antique shops, restaurants, and boutiques.
While you are shopping you’ll enjoy admiring the architecture
of the buildings which reflect the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. In 1988, Downtown Hendersonville was entered
into the National Register of Historic Places, and it continues
to be an important part of the city’s economic and cultural
growth. In fact, the Downtown area is host to many activities
including the North Carolina Apple Festival (Labor Day
weekend), as well as many parades, street dances, and art
shows throughout the year.
If you’re looking for something to do while you’re in
Hendersonville, there is no shortage of places to visit:
Western North Carolina Air Museum: Located on
Gilbert Street in Hendersonville, this air museum was the
first of its kind in North Carolina, which is also known as
the “first in flight” state. Here you’ll be able to view both
restored and replica antique airplanes. With no admission
fees, it’s a must-see!
Holmes Educational State Forest: If hiking is
your passion, then you’ll want to stop here for the day. Bring
a picnic with you, and hike through the many well-marked
trails which are accented by exhibits and displays.
Pisgah National Forest: With over a half million acres
along the eastern edge of Western North Carolina’s
mountains, this forest has terrific waterfalls, hiking trails,
and camping, as well as fishing and picnic sites.
Henderson County Curb Market: You’ll find that all of
the items here are either hand-made or home-grown, and
sellers are 3rd and 4th generation vendors. There is a variety
of baked goods, crafts, and produce from which to choose.
In Hendersonville, you’ll enjoy a wonderful climate and
four distinct seasons. You can enjoy golf and many outdoor
activities year round because of the moderate temperatures.
Years ago, this area was a magnet for those coastal
families who were looking for a place to beat the heat of
the summer. They built magnificent homes which rivaled
those in Charleston, and today, you’ll still see some of these
old homes mixed with the new.
With a local school system that ranks among the best,
this area continues to be one of the fastest-growing in
Western North Carolina. Hendersonville has a well-balanced
mix of tourism, industry, and agriculture; it’s a place that
has something for everyone!
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North Carolina
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Area Facts
Hendersonville
Henderson County is known for its wonderful scenery,
gentle climate, and friendly people. It is rich in local art,
culture, and history. It has been a favored vacation spot for
well over 100 years.
The town of Hendersonville and the local village of Flat
Rock is in the heart of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
in Western North Carolina. Several local attractions such as
The Art Center of Henderson County, The WNC Air Museum,
Connemara- home place of the famous American poet Carl
Sandburg, the Biltmore Estate, Pisgah National Forest, the
WNC Agricultural Center, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and
the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are in town or
just a few miles down the road.
The shopping area in historic downtown Hendersonville
has antique shops, variety stores, Mast’s General Store, and
several restaurants that can cater to everyone’s taste.
The downtown area is host to several activities each year
such as the NC Apple Festival on Labor Day weekend, the
Garden Jubilee,
‘Music on Main’ from June to August on Friday evenings,
and several art shows and street dances throughout the
year. The Henderson Symphony Orchestra (which had its
thirty-fifth anniversary this year) has several concerts in
connection with the Flat Rock Playhouse, and the Hender-
sonville Little Theatre presents several plays yearly.
There are eight public golf courses and several racquet
clubs in the immediate area for the sports enthusiasts in
your family. Several rivers and streams that are regularly
stocked are nearby for the fishermen. There are also state
and county parks for an afternoon picnic and hike.
Unique to this area is the Henderson County Curb Mar-
ket from April through December. To qualify to sell at this
market you have to be a resident of Henderson County and
everything must be either hand made or locally grown.
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Lake Toxaway
Lake Toxaway is the largest private lake in North Carolina - 640 acres
• Shoreline: 14 miles
• 60 feet deep in places
• Toxaway River is its main water source with additional stream feed.
• Fish: Rainbow trout-large and small mouth bass-walleye and bluegill
• Elevation: 3010 feet
• Only for the use of property owners in the country club
• No jet skis are allowed
• Swimming, boating, canoeing, sailing, skiing, fishing are allowed.
Lake Cardinal • Shoreline: 2 miles
• Size: 95 acres
• Fish: Rainbow trout
• Access: Property owners of Lake Cardinal
Amenities • Fine dining
• Championship croquet
• Golf
• Lake activities-fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing, sailing
• Tennis
• Pro shop
• Exercise facilities at Golf Learning Center
Mountains • Mtn. Toxaway 4777’
• Cold Mtn. 4640 ‘
• Panthertail 4480’
• Ravenrock 4280’
• Little Panthertail 3800’
• Hawk Mtn. 3320’
Toxaway CC Waterfalls • Toxaway Falls 350’
• Little Deep Ford Falls 100’
• Deep Ford Falls 75’
• WhiteWater Falls (area waterfall 411”)
Development: • Bound by Hawk, Panthertail, Cold, and Lake
• Toxaway Mountain.
• Over 500 homes have been built
• Many families are year round.
• Greystone Inn is open year round. Has a wonderful spa.
Airport Mileage: • Asheville, NC (AVL) 50 Miles
• Atlanta (ATL) 150 Miles
• Charlotte, NC (CLT) 150 Miles
• Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (GSP) 57 Miles
• Columbia, SC (CAE) 167 Miles
• Knoxville, TN (TYS) 140 Miles
Lake Toxaway Community Center has a dinner every Friday night in season.
Facts & Interesting Tidbits
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long distance telephones, and central heat. The food was
prepared by French chefs and presented on the finest sil-
ver, crystal, and china. For entertainment the guests had a
choice of swimming, fishing, golf, tennis, horseback riding,
hunting, bowling, and boating in Lake Toxaway. Orchestras
played for the many balls that were held in the ballroom as
well as provided concerts in the gazebo. What a resort! It
is no wonder the Edisons, Fords, Firestones, Vanderbilts, and
Dukes, found their way to the mountains.
On August 13, 1916 tragedy struck. With over 24 inches
of rain in 24 hours, the dam which had been constructed
without any water level controls gave way. 5 billion gallons
of water flowed over Toxaway Falls and on in to South Caro-
lina. With the loss of the lake, the inn was forced to close.
In the 1960’s the purchased by Mr. R.D. Heinitsh, Sr.
Lake Toxaway Country Club has been a terrific success due
to his and many others’ efforts. Today it is the area’s most
successful club with its glittering waters, once again active,
providing the backdrop for the many summer activities for
its club members. Particularly popular is the evening sunset
cruises. One will also find a 2006 redesigned 18 hold golf
course providing a challenge for the most skilled of players.
For those wishing to learn the game, the Tom Fazio designed
Golf Center is located in the Bear Wallow Springs. Here one
will also find a state of the art exercise center. Come enjoy!
Lake ToxawayCountry Club
From the time that North Carolina became a state, the
mountains of Lake Toxaway has been in a state of change. It
has always been a favorite place for people to come whether
it was the Cherokee tribes of North America of the entrepre-
neurs who followed in the footsteps of George W. Vanderbilt.
In 1888 the Vanderbilts purchased thousands of acres of land
and created the Biltmore Estate of Asheville, NC. Over a mil-
lion tourists a year frequent its doors today.
In 1890, J. Frances Hayes came to Transylvania County from
Pennsylvania and established a number of businesses including
the Toxaway Company and the Transylvania Railroad. Seeking
the cool mountain air the tourists arrived from Asheville in their
private rail cars to such resorts as the Toxaway Inn, the Franklin
Hotel, the Lodge, the Sapphire Inn, and the Fairfield Inn.
In 1903 Lake Toxaway was the first and largest artificial lake
to be constructed with an earthen dam of 500 feet long, 60 feet
high and 20 feet wide at the top. The inn was also built at this
time and had accommodations for 500 guests that paid $17.50
or more per week. Rising five stories above the lake, the interior
was a unique combination of 40 different species of various
woods found throughout the property. Many of the same mod-
ern elements were used in the inn that had been incorporated
in the Biltmore including private indoor plumbing, elevators,
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Water FallsWestern North Carolina
1. Bridal Veil Falls: 2.5 miles east of Highlands on US 64.
They are visible from the highway, which at one time traf-
fic went under the falls. Has a drop of 120 feet.
2. Courthouse Falls: Located in the Beech Gap area of
Pisgah Forest on Courthouse Creek. Take Hwy 64 E from
Cashiers, turn north onto S R 215, to Balsam Grove and
Courthouse Creek.
3. Cullasaja Falls: Visible from Highway 64 in the
Cullasaja Gorge, these falls are located 11 miles east of Franklin,
9 miles west of Highlands. It has a drop of 250 feet and is
accessible by a half-mile of rugged, steep trail.
4. Drift Falls: Located in the Gorges State Park off of
Highway 281 S, also known as the “Whitewater Road”, these
falls are on the Horsepasture River. The park has ample
parking and distinct trails.
5. Dry Falls: Located 3.5 miles west of Highlands off of
Highway 64, these falls have a drop of 75 feet and can be
walked under. They can be reached by a paved walkway
from the parking area.
6. Glen Falls: These falls can be reached by traveling
south for three miles on Highway 106, then turning left onto
US Forest Road with “Glen Falls” marker. The falls consist
of three large falls, dropping about 60 feet. They can be
reached by a one-mile trail that is steep and rough.
7. Horsepasture Falls: Also located on Horsepasture
River, in the Gorges State Park on Highway 281 S, close in
vicinity to Drift Falls. Ample parking and marked trails.
8. Kiesee Falls: From Cashiers, travel 16 miles east on
Highway 64, to the “Gloucester Road”. The falls are located
on Kiesee Creek in Balsam Grove, near Courthouse Falls.
9. Indian Creek Falls: These falls are in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. From Bryson City, take the “Deep
Creek Road” north 3 miles to the Deep Creek Campground.
The one mile trail to the falls is designated as “easy”. The
falls themselves are 60 feet high. Visit our web site for more
things to do and see while in our area
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16. Whitewater Falls: This is the highest watethe East-
ern United States. It has a drop of 411 feet take falls in North
Carolina and another 400 feet in South Carolina. Located on
Highway 281S, (Highway 130 in South Carolina) the falls have
a walking path a quarter mile long to one viewing area, and
stairs to a second area. There is a large parking area, public
restrooms and picnic grounds available. Therere is a small
fee for parking.
17. Silver Run Falls: These are the falls to see if you want
to get up close and personal with the water. They are not
very high (only about 30 feet), but you can get in and wade
right up to the falls. A wonderful place to have a picnic and
relax on some of our warmer summer days. Located on Hwy
107S approximately four miles from the Cashiers crossroads,
there is a gravel pull-off with a short walk to the water.
We hope you have enjoyed the map. Please call us if we can
help you find your special mountain home.
WWW.NCMountainLife.com 828-966-4761 Call us for your real estate needs.
10. Juneywhank Falls: These falls are located one
quarter mile downstream from Indian Creek Falls; just
follow the directions above to Deep Creek Campground.
11. Looking Glass Falls: From the town of Waynesville,
take US Highway 276 south, going approximately 22 miles.
Parking is well marked, and a short easy trail will take you
to the falls.
12. Rainbow Falls: This is the third set of falls that are
located in the Gorges State Park, located off of Highway 281S,
about three miles south of the Highway 64 and Highway 281S
intersection.
13. Soco Falls: These falls are 6 miles north of the town of
Cherokee, on U S 19. They are locatethe slope of Soco Bald.
14. Tom’s Branch Falls: Also located in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park in the Deep Carea. From Bryson City,
take the Deep Creek Road north for 3 miles to the campground.
The fallsare a quarter mile walk from Deep Creek camp-
ground.
15. Toxaway Falls: From the town of Cashiers take Highway
64 east for just under 16 miles. The falls pass under the road and
there is a small pull-off, but there is no public access.
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WhiteWater Realty, LLCDorothy Swearingen, Broker
1350 Hwy 281 S
Sapphire, NC 28774
828-966-4761