Lake Toxaway’s Engine

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: July 2024

The Historic Toxaway Foundation, which in the span of seven years has become an economic and social engine for Toxaway, Rosman and Sapphire, is considering its undertakings and projections for measured, sensible growth.

That reflection and transparency is built into the foundation’s DNA – it’s a diverse collection of full and part-time residents, established as a nonprofit in 2017 to provide a unified voice for these storied mountain communities.

Each member contributes a unique set of talents and experiences that help us in our mission “to preserve Historic Toxaway’s past while preparing for its future.”

“The foundation continues to engage in the important business of Upper Transylvania County (Rosman, Quebec, Lake Toxaway, Sapphire), including encouraging more year-round business support, working with Transylvania County, the Town of Rosman, and City of Brevard to focus on locals’ and tourists’ needs, endeavoring to find solutions to affordable/work-force housing challenges, educating the Community about the history of Upper Transylvania, therefore, informing the future of the footprint–and, listening to our Neighbors, to address their current and future “day-to-day” living needs,” says HTF’s Nory LeBrun.

Its branch organization, the Business Alliance of Upper Transylvania now has a membership of 133 and is growing monthly.

“This organization, fully funded by the Historic Toxaway Foundation, supports local businesses with website and social media assistance, weekly online business info via the Red Feather Guide, and, from April-December a printed version of the Guide distributed throughout the footprint,” says LeBrun. “An attractive business map has also been produced by HTF to support local businesses—this map is available throughout Upper Trans, and appears in The Laurel Magazine—and, HTF financially subsidizes BAUT Member advertising/editorial participation in The Laurel. Although, BAUT, is a version of a Chamber of Commerce, there is no fee, and HTF assists wider interest in BAUT area, by extending Alliance information through the Brevard/Transylvania and Cashiers Area Chamber Members.

As previously mentioned, this year and last, HTF has been working on the “development” that is now “The Village at Longcliff” since 2018, when HTF commissioned a private Small Area Plan, that advised the approximately 110 acres of land as a desired “town center.”

Within the total ”Village” acreage, approximately 45 acres is an established Conservation Easement – in the next 18-24 months the Historic Toxaway Foundation, in cooperation with the “Longcliff” development team and North American Land Trust, will raise $2.3 million to reconfigure/update an existing trail system, establish outdoor educational facilities, and construct a safe overview of Upper/Lower Bear Wallow Falls – among other easement projects that will benefit both local residents and visitors. The centerpiece of all this, converting private land into a public asset.

And then there’s the cultural side of the foundation – In 2023 it funded, produced, and presented three ‘Sunday Night Stories’ (approximately 30-minute short films/documentaries): two focused on the History of Lake Toxaway and Sapphire, circa 1890’s-1916, “Turn of the Century, Toxaway” (when the Lake Toxaway dam broke in August 1916); and subsequently, the period after the dam broke and was rebuilt in 1960, “The Rebirth of Toxaway”; the third short-movie was based on the history of PARI (Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute) situated on land between Rosman and Balsam Grove.

“We worked with the Author of a recent book about PARI, Craig Gralley, to present the video and excerpts from the book,” says LeBrun. “PARI is a known secret that many residents are not aware of; all of the events were held at the Grand Olde Station Restaurant on the shores of Lake Toxaway, and had great attendance.

“More importantly, HTF will have three additional ‘Sunday Night Stories’ this Summer – two encore presentations, and a new short-film, about The Greystone Inn, from the Moltz home (1912-13) to present day. The new location for ‘Sunday Night’s’ is Golden Farm in Lake Toxaway.

As its core mission, HTF is passionate about Community involvement – Board Members hold positions on the “Heart of Brevard,” TCTDA (Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority), Housing Assistance Corporation (affordable and work-force housing), the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce, and Board members mentor youth in the county, as well as assisting elderly resident’s initiatives.

Visit historictoxaway.org if you’d like to support HTC or learn more about its mission.