The six chimneys found when the developers walked the land intrigued them. It was as though they had always been a part of the place. Stones of unequal sizes set in mortar, moss clinging to the rocks, broken mantels, quartz and granite, in pieces on the ground nearby. Who built them, and why?

According to a local historian, Author Thomas Wolfe’s family built several cabins in the 1930s as guest getaways for friends and relatives. The cabins included modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing. The cabins were well appointed, one cabin served as a main dining hall. Another cabin was built around a rock outcropping which served as one interior wall.

Many wealthy visitors enjoyed a mountain retreat in the cabins; one possible guest was the automaker Henry Ford. For unknown reasons, the project was abandoned. The woods gradually reclaimed everything but the chimneys.

If the Springs Could Speak

The springs that bubble up throughout the property also have stories to tell. They provided refreshing water for travelers on horseback coming from Reems Creek and Beech communities traveling to Asheville. The spring water also served another very different purpose—rumor has it that this water produced the best moonshine in the county. It is easy to visualize abandoned moonshine stills nestled into the coves close to these springs.

In the 1970s, Jay Griffith began bottling the water, becoming the second spring water company approved in North Carolina. The water tested higher in gold content than iron content and included naturally occurring fluoride—perfect for drinking.