In 1890, as railways began to stretch into Asheville, a visionary man, E.H. Jennings saw the potential Lake Toxaway held. Creating the Toxaway company, he dammed the lake and established multiple fabulous resorts and hotels in the area. His crown jewel, the Toxaway Inn, boasted guests such as Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, and Thomas Edison.

After severe rains, however, in 1916, the Toxaway Dam burst, and Lake Toxaway was lost. It would be decades before the area recovered.

Lake Toxaway was the first artificial lake built in the Appalachian Mountains. It covers 640 acres and boasts some 14 miles of scenic, accessible shoreline. Because it was designed solely as a recreational lake – and is not used as a reservoir or hydroelectric source – it maintains a constant water level of 3,010 feet above sea level. It is at once the backdrop and the foundation of this sought-after community. 

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In 1960, a group of investors began breathing life back into Lake Toxaway. After rebuilding the dam, they restored the lake to its original level and began developing a state-of-the-art golf course  and Country Club.