Lake Toxaway North Carolina

Looking for a home in the friendly lakefront town of Lake Toxaway NC.

North Carolina lakefront living or vacation in the historic mountain town the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains overlooking the beautiful Lake Toxaway only a short drive from the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC. Families have been drawn to the breathtaking mountain vista and crystal clear waters of Lake Toxaway since 1903 when the Fords, Edisons, and Rockefellers came by private railroad car. Today,
families share 5,000 acres where Mother Nature displays some of her best work, twelve months a year.

Premiere Lake Toxaway NC Real Estate Agents

	BUYER'S AGENT FOR RESORT PROPERTIES, FARMS, PASSIVE INCOME PROPERTIES, LAKEFRONT. Debra V. Edwards, Broker Cell: 828 421 3255  Office: 828 743 3676 www.edwardsbuildersandrealty.com

Today, Lake Toxaway is a premiere resort destination offering rentals and second homes in several unique communities featuring the state's largest private lake, a country club, golf and tennis, great hiking and fishing, and homes and home sites on the lake, on the golf course, or on the mountain with dramatic mountain vistas.

Minutes from Highlands, Cashiers and Brevard, an easy drive from Asheville, Atlanta and Greenville, Lake Toxaway is a place where Mother Nature displays some of her best work, twelve months a year.

LAKE TOXAWAY HISTORY

The body of water we know as Lake Toxaway did not always
exist. Before 1902, this was a rugged mountain area thick with
forest and no paved roadways to travel. But then, as now,
people dreamed of getting away from it all, to rejuvenate their
health, to renew their spirit. Many found nature to be this
life-enhancing elixir. With that in mind, this remote wilderness
area evolved into the exclusive resort area of Lake Toxaway.

Much of this transformation is attributed to the dream
E. H. Jennings, a Pittsburgh entrepreneur who visited the
area in 1890. A visionary, Jennings founded the Toxaway
Company in 1896 that was responsible for creating several
resorts, among them the Toxaway Inn.

The Toxaway Inn was built on the shore of Lake Toxaway,
the first artificial lake of any size built in the Appalachians.
At three miles long, one mile wide and with a shoreline of 14
miles it was situated at 3,010 feet above sea level. Considering the size of the property to be cleared and the equipment at that time, it was indeed a serious undertaking begun in 1902.
When the Inn opened in 1903, lavish amenities attracted the
wealthy to visit this area and according to local historians,
the Toxaway Inn never had a quiet season during its years
of operation. Famous guests included Henry Ford,
Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison.

One of the guests at the Toxaway Inn who had fallen in love
with the area while on vacation with her husband was
Lucy Camp Armstrong from Savannah. In 1912, when land
became available for sale, she purchased 40 acres. In 1915
her estate, including riding stables and beautiful landscaped gardens, was completed.

LUCY ARMSTRONG MOLTZ' LEGACY

As fate would have it, Lucy Armstrong had only one year of enjoyment of the view of the lake from her magnificent mansion. During the summer of 1916, heavy rains contributed to flooding throughout the region. On August 13, 1916 the entire Lake Toxaway emptied out overnight when the earthen dam gave way as a result of torrential rains. The Toxaway Inn survived, but the loss of the lake contributed to its demise. The Inn stood empty for over 30 years and eventually was torn down in 1948.

Lucy's home also survived, and she continued to frequent her mountain retreat. After the death of her first husband in 1924, she and her daughter established permanent residence at Lake Toxaway. In 1930 she married Carl Jerome Moltz who was in the lumber business in the area. She was able to witness the restoration of the lake in the 1960s and continued to live here until her death in 1970.

Many visitors to this area follow in the footsteps of Lucy Armstrong Moltz-almost literally! Moltz's home has been transformed into The Greystone Inn so visitors may choose to experience the charm of her historic mansion while immersing themselves in the beauty of the area.

After a vacation here, many find their sentiments echo with what Lucy was once quoted as saying, "I've been around the world twice and I've found there's no place more beautiful or special than Lake Toxaway." Such people often choose to purchase property here for second homes, year-round homes, for retirement, for their mountain retreat.

While the Toxaway Inn may no longer exist, what captivated and continually drew people to this area at the turn of the century still remains-the natural beauty of this mountain area which changes with each season, and a community of like-minded people who appreciate its preservation as a wilderness retreat.