Established between 1896 and 1898, the Fairfield Inn was a cornerstone of the "Sapphire Country" resort era in Jackson County, North Carolina. Overlooking the scenic Fairfield Lake near modern-day US Highway 64, this grand 100-room hotel was a premier destination for nearly a century.
Nestled in the heart of Jackson County’s "Sapphire Country," the Fairfield Inn served as a premier mountain destination for 90 years. Built between 1896 and 1898 on the shores of Fairfield Lake, the inn was the first great achievement of the Toxaway Company, a venture that transformed Western North Carolina into a national tourism hub.
Architectural Grandeur
The inn was a masterpiece of Queen Anne style resort architecture, designed to evoke the charm of a Swiss alpine lodge.
Distinctive Silhouette: The 2.5-story frame building featured three massive shingled gables, hipped dormers, and a prominent three-story corner turret.
Artistic Details: Its exterior was accented by elegant elliptical windows and a diverse mix of textures, including overlapping weatherboard and decorative shingles.
Lakeside Features: A one-story verandah stretched across the lakeside facade, offering guests sweeping views of the water and surrounding peaks.
Historical Significance & Gold Roots
The Gold Era: The inn was constructed near the site of the Georgetown Mine, a former gold and gem mining operation that was later flooded to create Fairfield Lake.
Toxaway Venture: Founded by Edward H. Jennings and the Toxaway Company, the inn was the "proving ground" for their later luxury projects, such as the Toxaway Inn.
Elite Heritage: Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, it stood as one of the few grand hotels from the "Golden Age" of mountain tourism to survive into the late 20th century.
Modern Updates & The Howerdd Era
In 1954, retired executive Gene Howerdd Sr. purchased the property, initiating the only significant modifications in the inn's history.
Luxe Upgrades: Howerdd installed an elevator salvaged from a grand hotel in Palm Beach and added private baths to guest rooms by repurposing closet space.
Social Spaces: The lakeside porch was glassed-in to create the popular Library Lounge, while the back porch was covered to expand the formal dining area.
Infrastructure: The kitchens were modernized, and the 100-room facility received periodic aesthetic updates to maintain its high-service standards.
A Tragic End & Legacy
Despite its enduring presence, the inn's story ended in 1986. A fire broke out that year, and while the building survived the initial flames, the damage revealed structural safety issues. Deemed unsafe for renovation, the historic structure was demolished later that year. Today, the site remains a symbolic heart of Sapphire Valley, remembered for its "Golden Age" elegance and its role in putting the region on the national map.
1896 Fairfield Inn Brochure
ORIGINAL BROCHURE - UPDATED FOR 1986
"In the midst of a glorious mountainous region stands Fairfield Inn, on a hard surfaced road seventy miles northwest of Asheville, North Carolina known as Route 64.
This Inn is in the heart of the sapphire country, beautified with numerous waterfalls, excess vegetation, with many varieties of wild flowers, that make these mountains the most picturesque in the world, and geologist will tell you - the oldest.
Twenty miles of mountain streams in an estate of twenty thousand acres belong to the Inn and furnish an abundance of good trout fishing.
The Inn itself faces Fairfield Lake, around the edges of which grow flowering water lilies, which makes it a most beautiful spot, where you may enjoy rowing, black bass fishing and swimming in water that is clear, clean and invigorating."