Cashiers: History, Craft and Nature

Cashiers offers several specific points of interest to help you plan a stay: historic architecture, regional products, and nature experiences. If you’re looking for a hotel in Cashiers, it helps to consider the area in terms of the focus you’re looking for. An interest in architectural history leads to different topics than a visit to the growers market or time spent on trails through different landscapes. The places and activities each offer distinct points of interest.

Historic Architecture and Local History

Built around 1852, the Zachary-Tolbert House Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The eight-room house is an outstanding example of a vernacular residence in the Greek Revival style and has a detached rear kitchen building. Its construction period, architectural style, and layout provide a specific point of reference for historic architecture in Cashiers.

The Cashiers Historical Society campus comprises four historic buildings that tell the story of Cashiers from the 19th century to the present. The buildings are open from mid-May through mid-October on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or by appointment. If you include this focus in your plans, you can take the regular visiting hours into account or arrange a visit by appointment.

Trails and Landscape

The Village Green is a 13.2-acre park in the heart of Cashiers, at the intersection of Highway 64 and Highway 107. Its trails run alongside lawns, wetlands, and a wooded glade. This gives the park several distinct landscape features to explore, rather than just a single green space. Cashiers Sliding Rock offers a different connection with nature: the natural swimming hole is off Whiteside Cove Road and just a few minutes from Cashiers Crossroads. At The Village Green, trails and landscape features shape the visit; at Sliding Rock, it’s the natural swimming hole.

Growers Market and Traditional Craft

Locally Grown on The Green is a growers market. Vendors sell produce they have grown themselves and handmade goods, and must produce them within a 100-mile radius of Cashiers. The market therefore combines sales with a clear origin requirement for its vendors.

At the Airing of the Quilts, visitors can stroll around the grounds, explore historic buildings, and meet Appalachian artists demonstrating traditional crafts. Unlike the growers market, which focuses on selling produce and goods, the experience described here includes demonstrations and interaction with the artists. If you’d like to plan your visit around the Airing of the Quilts, check the specific event date.

The differences between these places and activities can help you choose a focus for your stay: architectural history can be explored at the Zachary-Tolbert House Museum and on the Historical Society campus, while the market and craft demonstrations offer different ways to experience regional products and traditional crafts. Trails through parkland and the natural swimming hole, in turn, offer different experiences during a stay in Cashiers.

Discover more destinations: Tuckasegee, Cullowhee, Whittier, Sylva, Dillsboro

For the broader travel overview: Jackson.