Then and Now

In the late 1800’s, Pittsburgh oilman E. H. Jennings and several industrialist friends purchased over 30,000 acres along the western North Carolina Highlands-Cashiers plateau,  encompassing Toxaway to the east and Franklin to the west.  In the 1920’s, Jennings’ son, Richard, initiated development of the family holdings with five magnificent inns including The Toxaway Inn, The Fairfield Inn in Sapphire, and The Franklin Inn in Macon County.  Original promotional brochures referred to the region as “The Beautiful Sapphire Country.”

When Richard II, a Yale-educated engineer, arrived in the mountains in 1947, it was with a different purpose in mind.  The Jennings’ family land had been pared down to 800 acres, and “Pa,” as he was later known, rode, fished and hunted his property with the dedicated determination to protect it.  Following his marriage to Frances in 1950, Pa began mink farming and raising trout for feed.  Their family grew quickly to include three children: Sally, Richard III (Dickie) and Binford.  Life as a young family, in what was affectionately named Lonesome Valley, took on an almost pioneer existence, and though demand for mink diminished, the Cashiers Valley Trout Farm sustained them.  To this day, the Jennings trout farming activities continue under the guidance of daughter Sally Jennings Eason and her family at the  Sunburst Trout Farm in Waynesville.

Over the years, as the Jennings children managed their wooded forest,  rolling green meadows and clear mountain streams, developers began to take notice of Lonesome Valley.  In order to preserve their father’s philosophy of land stewardship, the siblings realized that if change and development were inevitable, then they preferred to undertake the effort themselves.

Taking inspiration from the natural cow-shaped image found on Cow Rock- one of two soaring granite walls that define the eastern rim of the canyon- the Lonesome Valley logo was established, along with the vision to recreate a true southern Appalachian farmstead.  Conservation areas, dedicated common spaces, responsible deed restrictions and thoughtful architectural guidelines ensure that the Jennings’ legacy will be protected for future generations.  Today, Lonesome Valley is a model of agrarian simplicity, authenticity and history, and the Jennings family proudly welcomes new families and friends to the Valley and all that it offers.