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Book
2
LOOK
ahead
Peer into the planning notes and placemaking, traditions and
memories, places and experiences that bring to life the ideals
on which River Rock was founded, and the promise of what the
future holds for its fortunate families.
Book
2
Our Life on
the Plateau
{
W e lc o m e to B o ok Tw o of t h e R i v e r R o c k s tory.
}
In Book Two, Legasus presents the philosophy, differentiators, hopes,
and plans for an Appalachian community whose time has come.
Referred to as “New Pattern Living,” the philosophy that guides
River Rock is based on holistic sustainability and grounded in
the embracing ambition of “long-term wellbeing for all.” Holistic
sustainability seeks to protect and preserve culture, community, and the
collective memory, the corporeal as well as the spiritual, the people as
well as the earth. New Pattern Living contends that health and wealth
are mutually inclusive, and that it is only in the pooling of knowledge
and resources from both sightlines – the past and the future – that
‘New Pattern Living’ becomes synonymous with ‘New Pattern Luxury.’
Book
2
A Charmed
Location
Geographically, River Rock is situated just over an hour
west of Asheville and less than a three-hour drive from
Knoxville, Charlotte, and Atlanta, where Hartsfield-Jackson,
“the world’s busiest passenger airport,” provides a major
connecting hub to destinations worldwide.
The contemplative quiet
of River Rock’s enfolding
setting is just an easy, scenic
drive away from the rich,
small-town yet urban, energy of
Asheville. The thriving art-deco
downtown of this storied city
finds streets lined with crowded
shops, cafés, and restaurants
by day. By night, Asheville’s brightly
lit marquees and live music scene,
unrivaled in the Southeast, explain the
deep-seated pride of its inhabitants.
Just within the western border
of Asheville, visitors are
welcome to experience a taste
of Gilded Age grandeur and the legacy
that most inspired the River Rock story,
within the grounds and winery
of Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate.
The two tiny towns that gave the Plateau
its name and charm are among River
Rock’s closest neighbors. In Cashiers,
voted one of America’s “Top
Dream Towns” by Outdoor
Magazine, residents will find
a village atmosphere suspended
in time, yet very much in
touch with the here and now.
High-end outdoor equipment shops
share the tree-lined roads with turnof-the-century boarding houses, many
protected as historic landmarks. Over
in slightly larger Highlands, the
traditional Main Street receives the
bulk of Plateau tourists come for the
fishing, mountains, and spirit. Fine
restaurants, a top-ranked spa, and
Old World warmth make Highlands
a favorite River Rock neighbor.
When the town of Cashiers was first being settled in the mid-1800s,
Plateau terrain was so wild and dense, it could take up to one week to
travel thirty-five miles.
River Rock Country
1
2
3
4
River Rock’s five
topographically unique
neighborhood parcels
are arranged in a cluster
between the Tuckasegee River
and Lake Glenville. At the
center is sophisticated
Tuckasegee, north is rugged
Webster Creek, to the east
is busy Trout Creek, to the
west, quiet Bear Pen, and
to the south, sitting square
on Lake Glenville, is the
charming Summer Sail.
{
THE FORECAST
}
Monthly Weather Averages for the
Highlands-Cashiers Plateau
Jan 42/23
Feb 46/25
Mar 54/31
Apr 62/38
May 69/46
Jun 75/53
Jul 78/57
Aug 76/56
Sep 71/51
Oct 62/40
Nov 52/32
Dec 44/26
5
The General Store, cafés, terraces,
and conveniences of Skillet Gap
create a welcome pocket of civility within
River Rock’s natural wilderness.
A World of
Belonging
Though each of River Rock’s five
neighborhood parcels creates a
wonderful place in its own right, the
crux of the River Rock story
is what pulls these five pieces
together to make them, in
spirit and appearance, one
community. In a space of nearly
3,500 acres, where do you start? What
will be your anchor? Out of the vastness,
it is perhaps simplest to begin with
something personal, that which is closest
to your heart: Family.
It’s logical, then, to start with the
River Rock Family Legacy Center. It’s
the large wall in the center of the Day
Lodge at Skillet Gap that will transfix
you. Thirty feet long, a dozen feet high,
and every inch covered with photos,
stories about families: a tale about a
hundred years ago, a story about the
fishing trip last week, where we came
from, where we’re going. This tapestry
of ideas, souvenirs, reminiscences,
and longing is the very fabric of the
community. I’ll read your story, you’ll
read mine. And realize we have more
in common than in uncommon. Really,
that’s what River Rock is about. Five
fingers of property. One hand that joins
them. Five different places that are really
one place, a single community. Your
house is at Bear Pen, mine is at Trout
Creek, but River Rock is our home.
{ Appalachian Appetites }
From Skillet Gap’s Scottish bakery to SouthernAppalachian fusion at the Grand Tuck Lodge and
everywhere in between, one fact all guests know
proudly is that every River Rock dish contains
a minimum of two ingredients grown or caught within
ten miles of their plates.
River Rock is a genuine food-lovers’ paradise. The community’s six dining experiences imaginatively
redefine traditional mountain cuisine through international flavors and a polished, gourmet touch.
Here are the dining establishments where residents will get a taste of it all:
Eyrie (‘eagle’s nest’),
the Mountain Fusion
Restaurant with adjoining
culinary school at Grand
Tuckasegee Lodge serves
up modern mountain specialties
like Wild Ambrosia Turkey,
Mountain Beet Borscht, and
Heirloom Tomato Bisque. Lula
Bar, the bistro adjoining
Orion, River Rock’s Spa at
Tuckasegee, features a holistic,
slow, and strictly organic seasonal
menu of community-grown and
community-caught produce, as well
as homeopathic cures for common
ailments (and a few secrets to
eternal youth) in the form of
shakes, tonics, and elixirs.
At Trout Creek, in
charming Skillet Gap,
Copper John (named after
a beloved Appalachian trout fly)
offers a family-focused menu on
weekends, with specialties like
Grilled Mountain Trout, Gusto
Wings, and Wild Turkey Burgers.
Over at Sassafras, kids line up
for homemade root beer, ice cream,
and sodas from the old-fashioned
fountain.
The River Rock Clubhouse
at Webster Creek is home
to the Bear & Bridle, where
a fine selection of brews on tap
accompanies gentrified English
pub fare with plates like ‘Bangers
and Mash,’ featuring handmade
sausages and organic potatoes, and
‘Fish ‘n Chips’ made with lightly
battered, locally caught bass.
King’s House, the small
diner at King’s Grant,
offers quick and delicious grilled
sandwiches and traditional
Appalachian salads over at the
Short Course.
Down by the lake at the Summer
Sail Clubhouse, Azalea’s
serves Southern gourmet
delicacies. Of course, as with
most things at River Rock, there
is always more to a word than its
most obvious meaning, and so by
‘Southern,’ Azalea means anything
south of the Highlands. You’re as
likely to find Caribbean jerk spices
marinating your trout and African
Rooibos tea on the menu as you
are to see Jumbo Shrimp with
Stone Ground Grits, simmered
in Organic Vegetable Broth and
served with Sicilian Parmesan.
By spring, our pioneer forefathers, who lacked good means
of storing foods over the winter, craved the vitamins in fresh
greens. One of the first spring greens available, dandelions were
picked, cooked, and eaten with delight. When coffee ran short,
they dug dandelion roots, parched them in the oven, and ground
them for a ‘dandy coffee’ substitute. Dandelions are in the chicory
family, and chicory is often used as an additive to coffee, even today.
A Harvard psychiatrist once wrote of having
witnessed a mountain woman place her baby
on the ground in a gesture to extend the
Like spotting your first planet at
Bear Pen’s Stargazer Pavilion, everywhere
at River Rock, first experiences
are waiting to be shared.
child’s feeling of trust from its mother’s body
to the body of the earth. Such rituals illustrate
a profundity seldom seen in our time.
A Campus
Connection
Intellectual pursuits are nurtured and
encouraged at River Rock, testament
to which are the multiple points of
access to literature and knowledge.
The library at Skillet Gap covers all
things outdoorsy, from forest survival
guides to atlases. The Art Barn at
Summer Sail is home to books on the
fine arts. The Clubhouse at Webster
Creek keeps literature on gaming,
golf, and the sports world, while at
Tuckasegee, Appalachian literature,
world news, fiction, and biographies
line the shelves. A catalogue of the
entire collection is carefully updated
online, where residents can browse
and recommend.
10
At Bear Pen, learning comes from
above at the Stargazer Pavilion, where
the night sky is projected onto the
ceiling, the compass below helps
situate our place in the universe,
and telescopes bring the cosmos
and its secrets closer to home. Art,
enlightenment, and culture
are pursued further through
community initiatives like
the Artist in Residency
Program at Summer Sail.
that surrounds them. At Eyrie, the
culinary school adjoining the Grand
Tuckasegee Lodge Fusion Restaurant,
resident foodies, gourmets, and
aspiring chefs learn to concoct tasty
new ways of imbibing the natural
abundance of this land.
Classes offered seasonally by visiting
artists and artisans give River Rock
residents of all ages the opportunity
to awaken their creative side and find
an outlet for the endless inspiration
11
{
Pioneering Mountain Golf
“Mother Nature provides the canvas. It’s our job as golf course designers to
creatively manipulate the character of the landscape, producing a golf course
that appears as though it has existed for generations, while at the same time
respecting the history, traditions, and strategies of the game.”
P h i l M i c k e l s o n , R i c k Sm i t h , a n d To d d S c h ro e d e r
What does it take to create
a Top 100 course on some
of the earth’s wildest terrain?
It takes the combined vision,
creativity, and genius of
PGA tour professional and
designer Phil Mickelson,
legendary coach and
designer Rick Smith, and
award-winning golf course
architects and land planners
Todd Schoeder and
Jeff Zimmermann of
Design Workshop.
}
River Rock membership has its privileges,
not the least of which is a hearty meal at the
Bear & Bridle after a challenging day
on the greens, and access to the most
luxurious locker rooms in Clubhouse history.
“Every project we work on is unique because
we use the landscape as our guide
and take the time to ensure that the golf
courses we create are in harmony with
the canvas over which they preside – as all
truly great golf courses are.”
P h i l M i c k e l s o n , R i c k Sm i t h , a n d To d d S c h ro e d e r
14
Known to have made a par-three
playing off a tree, Phil Mickelson’s
unconventional and gutsy shortcourse style and creative shot-making
demonstrate the kind of mind needed
to understand and appreciate the lay
of Webster Creek’s rugged and varied
terrain. Legendary coach Rick Smith
brings his playable design style to
Webster Creek’s less aggressive terrain,
along with a world-class training
facility. Rocky outcroppings,
unexpected ravines, teeming
trout streams, and lush
wetlands are all part of the
native features
both River Rock course
designs must embrace.
The golf experience at River Rock is
analogous to a best-selling novel. Each
hole at both The River Rock Golf
Club and King’s Grant Short Course
plays like a chapter of its own, every
stroke moving the plot forward. Twists
and turns happen unexpectedly, and
suspense and intrigue call on every
club in your bag, in a journey marked
by trial and triumph. As with any
outstanding work of art, subsequent
encounters yield fresh perspectives, new
detail, and renewed appreciation for the
sport, and the canvas it is played on.
A Match Made in
the Mountains
15
At Summer Sail, River Rock’s fleet of antique,
wooden Chris Craft boats reserves a singular
experience for residents, on a lake ranked
among the Top 10 cleanest in America.
Lake Traditions
What could be better than the
feeling of a warm, windy summer
day at Summer Sail, at the wheel of
a work of art – one of River Rock’s
beautifully restored, wooden Chris
Crafts? You reserve the boat online
or with a River Rock concierge, and
the vessel is exemplary, a head-turner.
But all that matters in the
moment is the weightless
wonder of skimming over
the water, the rippled lake
reflecting the cloudless sky
above, the wind snatching
your laughter and tossing it
into the wake.
Every summer, there’s one special
day that even extended families come
16
out to Summer Sail for: the Solstice
Celebration. You look forward to
it as though you were a child again
yourself, spending entire days in
your bathing suit, your second skin,
plunging into the coolness of the
lake and drying in the warmth of the
sun. During the Solstice Celebration
the lake comes alive. You watch wake
boarders whiz by, marveling at their
balance, dying to give it a try. Kayak
experts woo beginners with Eskimoroll demonstrations and white river
tales. But the best part is when night
falls and all the water babies change
into dry clothes to gather on the lawn
for barbecues and fireworks that light
up the lake like a Technicolor film.
At 3,500 feet, Lake Glenville is the highest lake east
of the Mississippi, as well as one of the cleanest in America.
However, a more curious and lesser-known fact is that the
original town of Glenville sleeps at the lake’s bottom.
17
Balance
and Light
Where there is a creek or a
stream, there is a bridge, which
might take the form of a staircase,
a boardwalk, a suspended pier,
or even an entire building. With
Within all River Rock neighborhoods,
topography and vegetation determine the
character of every residence. Homes must
be designed to step lively with the terrain,
stoop under their forest canopies, and resist
the urge to shout from the highest ridges.
Only natural materials and traditional
building techniques sourced from Southern
Appalachian architecture are invited to
participate. In extended guest bedrooms
and outbuildings, historic cabins, cottages,
and barns find new incarnations, while their
most charming features are preserved to
enchant modern designs.
the illusion of being perched among the
trees, closer inspection finds every River
Rock construction grounded in solid stone,
foundations expertly negotiating the natural
inclinations of the undulating terrain.
Generous use of glass allows the
spectacular setting in which we
live to be a constant canvas,
contributing to the inner
beauty of every
building.
Anyone who has ever lived in the
mountains knows that the sun sets earlier
in the forest, and that the darkness of a
moonless night is absolute. Sensitive to this
given, River Rock will be known as a place
where the home fires are kept burning,
from “can see to can’t see,” through
buildings, outposts, and dramatic
sculptures lit from within, providing
beacons of comfort and light to every
River Rock night.
Inspired at once by the humility of the
land’s forefathers, and the dramatic pride
of the land itself, River Rock architecture
succeeds in being at once harmonious,
humbling, and grand, applying
mountainous scale to this shifting terrain
by using visually elusive materials that
blend and belong here.
20
No two homes are alike at River
Rock, which makes wandering its
neighborhoods a virtual spectator sport.
21
Appalachian constructions have typically
prided themselves on their ability to disappear
into the mountainside, regarding the sky
and forest lines perfect as they are.
5
{ 5 Places, Personalities & Future Memories }
As unique as the fingers of
your hand, River Rock’s
five distinct neighborhood
parcels were chosen for
their individual attributes
and collective potential.
3
1
4
Your home site selection is based
5
purely on what your heart yearns to
see when gazing from the many
windows of your mountain home.
2
Will it be into the thick, embracing
greenery of a forest of moss-covered
maples, hemlock and pine, bordered
by rhododendrons and showy ferns?
Will it be onto the sparkling rush of a
great river or the creeping flow
of a small creek? Or will it be from
the top of the world before a
panorama of misty, blue mountains
rolling endlessly toward the horizon?
Where the sun sets and rises, whether
the snow falls on your roof first, or
which native plant species grow most
abundantly in your backyard – these
are the only considerations to be
made when selecting the River Rock
address for your family legacy. The
rest, as you’ve seen, is already yours.
24
25
1
Tuckasegee
At Tuckasegee, water in all its sonatas is
the soundtrack. The perfume is moss.
Mature. Refined. Relaxed. Three
words that set the stage for a place
where the lodge lounge is always
buzzing after five, corks of select
reserves retrieved from the expansive
wine cellar pop over the din, robust
cigars follow roaring conversations,
and champagne and sunsets are
often intertwined.
Like all River Rock neighborhoods,
Tuckasegee is full of surprises.
Arriving at Tuck Lodge, you would
never guess at the exploding
panoramas that await in the
courtyard from the cloistered,
tree-lined road on which you rode
in. Such are the sudden ocular
operettas that launch themselves off
the crest of a ridge, from the head
of a trail or just beyond a bend in
the river. In contrast with the
and optimizing for better
performance and overall
wellbeing.
Tuckasegee is named after the famous
river that hugs two miles of its eastern
border. A popular destination among
the nation’s most avid fly-fishermen
especially, it is renowned for the
wealth of its waters. Riverfront Park is
the trailhead for hikes along the Tuck,
leading to the fabulous views from
the Overlook and culminating in the
dramatic ascension of Rock-Chute
Climb, where steps ascend alongside
a magnificent waterfall to views of the
river, valley, and mountains beyond.
breathless exuberance of
the Tuckasegee landscape
is the quiet serenity of
Orion, River Rock’s
signature spa. Named for
the constellation known
as The Hunter, Orion
specializes in both reposeful
treatments and rejuvenation
for the active body, soothing
26
27
{
Mature. Refined Relaxed.
{
snapshot
}
}
{
1
Future memory
E
}
very Friday, my buddy
Matt and I get up at the
crack of dawn and meet
at Riverfront Park. About six
months ago, we decided to try our
hand at fly-fishing. After one lesson,
we were both hooked. What used to
677 acres, 260 home sites,
40 condos
be a fairly relaxing outing once
every month or so has become one of
10 miles of neighborhood trails
dotted with pavilions, rest stops,
benches, and incredible views
the most intensely rewarding rituals
334 square miles of diverse forest
allows you to engage on a much
2 golden green miles of riverfront
property featuring fishing stations,
pavilions, and overlooks
Grand Tuckasegee Lodge
& Eyrie Fusion Restaurant
Orion Spa & Lula Bar
Mother Jones Hot Tub & Overlook
I’ve ever known. To me, fly-fishing
is more art than sport, one that
deeper level with the river and your
DOUG, 56
adventurer
•
philosopher
•
fisherman
surroundings. The rhythm and
motion, the swishing of the line
overhead, landing your fly right
where you want it and then waiting
for a tug, while the river rushes
around your waders – it surely
qualifies as a form of meditation.
Hunter Jim Park & Pavilion
28
29
Trout Creek
At Trout Creek, laughter, song, and
crackling campfires compose the soundtrack.
The perfume is sweet meadow infusion.
With Skillet Gap as its heart,
the sun may set at Tuckasegee,
but it certainly rises at Trout
Creek. A place with much
to do in a day, things get
going early. By 6 am, the scent of
fresh-brewed coffee mingles with the
dissipating morning mist, and the
warm glow of Stirling Café burrows
through the haze like a lighthouse.
Inside the Scottish-bakery-cumInternet-café, named after a small city
in Scotland whose people introduced
their family colors into the threads
of Appalachia’s rich cultural tapestry,
newspaper pages whisper and laptops
hum as early birds settle in to catch
up on news and email. Warm scones,
shortbreads, poundcakes, and breads
fill the glass counter, a hearty good
match for the expenditure of energy
demanded from a typical Trout Creek
agenda.
2
Delivery trucks arrive and unload
boxes of fresh supplies at the General
30
Store, and the ice cream machine at
Sassafras starts its daily churning. On
the activities lawn, counselors haul out
earth balls, flags, pinnies, and whistles
from the cabanas, all the props needed
for the adventures and games planned
for the troupe of energetic day campers
expected. Across the grounds, firewood
is being chopped, kindle boxes stocked,
and fire pits swept for another night
of bonfires, storytelling, and song. As
the first electric SUVs trundle their
way over to the amphitheater, morning
sun drizzles through the hemlocks,
dappling the forest floor and driving
the chill back up the mountainside.
Children spill out of their cars and call
to best friends. Parents blow kisses
and chat with each other, then happily
depart to enjoy their own plans for
the day. When night falls, they will
all return to the glow of the campfire
to collect these small tuckered souls,
drunk on fresh
air and marshmallows.
{
the Heart of a Village
{
snapshot
}
}
{
Future memory
O
2
}
ur first River Rock
dinner was marvelous!
A grilled trout Matt’s
friend Doug actually caught that
morning and excellent reserves from
the cellar. The rest of the weekend we
spent deciding on a Trout Creek
743 acres, 230 home sites
address. The community life, tennis
facilities, and Scottish Internet Café
did it for me. Sam is happy too.
22 acres of meadow, 14 miles of
trails, 2.25 miles of park space
The commute to his private school in
Asheville is actually shorter than the
8 fire rings hidden in the landscape
time we used to spend in LA traffic,
and he’s suddenly morphed into this
275 acres of open space
Skillet Gap – the welcoming heart
of River Rock
The Sunset Pavilion
on Bell Coney Mountain
SA M, 12
Explorer
•
Storyteller
•
Gamer
outdoorsy kid we never knew before.
Where once I had to restrict his
computer gaming, now I have to
make him promise to be home by
dinner. And when he does come
home, his pockets are full of dirt
samples and bug jars. Meanwhile,
Matt feels like he’s died and gone
The River Rock Bonfire Ring
to heaven, fishing every Friday
with Doug.
32
33
Webster Creek
3
The soundtrack is beating hearts.
The perfume is invigorating mountain air.
With two golf courses, state-of-the-art
tennis and equestrian facilities, and
some of the best trail riding in the
country, let alone the county, Webster
Creek is a capital sporting ground for
River Rock.
At the River Rock Tennis Center,
lessons are given and community
round-robin tournaments are fairly
regular events, but it’s the double
round-robin in summertime that draws
the biggest crowds to the stands.
No matter how many times
it’s played, River Rock’s
18-hole course by Phil
Mickelson Design always
seems to have a surprise in
store. The golf course alone is
Tucked in a quieter corner of Webster
Creek, Cullowhee Stables is set in a
picturesque clearing on the edge of
the Nantahala National Forest. English
Riding classes are given weekly, and a
stable of six gentle trail horses can be
saddled up to take you through the
myriad national forest and property trails.
responsible for many a family guests
extending their stay, while attendance
at community tournaments has grown
steadily with each passing year. The
warm atmosphere at the River Rock
Clubhouse and delectable comfort
food of its Bear & Bridle Pub makes
Webster Creek a popular destination,
even among less athletic residents.
34
35
{
a capital sporting gr ound
{
snapshot
}
}
3
{
Andy, 39
Golfer
•
f at h e r
•
Entrepreneur
Future memory
I
}
t was golf that led me to River
Rock. I started following
Phil Mickelson’s career after
I saw him win his first PGA in San
Diego. That was over a decade ago,
and I still remember being awed by
1,812 acres, 800 home sites
640 acres of evergreen
and hardwood forest
his intensity, composure, and guts.
Since that day, he has become
something of a golf role model for me
– his game, his attitude, his work
ethic, even how he treats his fans –
Rugged, unpredictable terrain,
marked by dramatic outcroppings
The 18-hole River Rock Golf
Course by Phil Mickelson Design
all of it just really resonated and
drew me more and more toward the
sport. I even took Janet to Scottsdale
to try out Whisper Rock, his first
course design, and see how we liked
The River Rock Clubhouse
and Bear & Bridle Pub
King’s Grant, the Rick Smithdesigned Short Course,
The indoor-outdoor Tennis facility
the area. The golfing was fantastic,
but neither one of us felt that
Arizona was where we wanted our
second home to be. Then one day
I was on the website and saw an
announcement for Phil’s next
course design – a mountain course
Cullowhee Stables
Equestrian Center
36
in a place called River Rock in
North Carolina.
37
Vanessa, 15
Rider
•
Scholar
•
t e n n i s pa rt n e r
Webster
Traditions
It’s everywhere at River Rock,
this marriage of satisfaction
and sophistication, a feeling of
balance between the material
and the elemental. You feel it, in a
point-saving instant, on the slide-free
surface of the tennis courts. The setting
and quality of the Tennis Center got
you to pick up your racket again, and
the private lessons have made your
backhand a force to be reckoned
with. Your daughter feels it,
instinctively, at Cullowhee Stables,
the equestrian center that is her second
home. The facility is beautiful, with
state-of-the art turnout stalls and
equipment, but the true reward is
riding with her instructor in among
the tall, deep pines of the
neighboring national forest,
the forest floor soft underfoot,
the horses quiet and focused
in the sacred silence. Silence.
39
Bear Pen
4
Cricket arpeggios harmonize
with native birdsong.
The perfume is spicy pine.
Bear Pen is the most tranquil and
reclusive of the five River Rock parcels.
Hidden away by its thick forest perimeter,
this parcel must be sought out to be
found. However, once you’ve entered
this peaceful lair of forest interrupted
by the occasional meadow, no sweeter
sanctuary could be wished for. Some
of the highest elevations at River
Rock present the best incentives for
hiking the parcel’s trail network, and
the undisturbed nature of
Bear Pen allows local forest
dwellers like deer, fox, and
rabbit to share this space in
peace, giving residents the
privilege of observing them
at their most carefree.
the highest point of the Ridge Top
neighborhood, the River Rock Stargazer
Pavilion, with its cantilevered deck
circling its planetarium-style core, calls
to dreamers of all ages. Every night, the
heavens are projected onto the ceiling
of the Pavilion, above a compass that
gives us our bearings in the universe.
Bear Pen’s daytime star is Highbush
House – the bird-watching treehouse
perched on a bluff amid the trees,
overlooking a quiet meadow where deer,
fox, and a multitude of birds come to
feast on wildflowers and sweet grass.
The star attraction at Bear Pen is literally
that – the stars. Set in a clearing at
40
41
{
a quiet corner
{
snapshot
}
}
{
4
Future memory
O
}
n mornings when I sit
in my spot in Highbush
House at the crack of
dawn, waiting for my favorite pair
of mourning doves, New York’s
smells and sounds couldn’t be
further from my senses. And when
238 acres,
96 home sites
Peaceful, bird-filled
meadows and slopes,
pine forest, dogwood,
sourwood,
and rhododendron
3 miles of nature trails
Wolf Knob Pavilion
Intimate Clubhouse
The Stargazer Pavilion
I come home to Dan poring over
his latest manuscript on the kitchen
porch, his morning coffee in the
very same cup that used to jockey
Lorraine, 45
Editor
•
Dancer
•
birder
for space on our tiny dining room
table in Manhattan, I can sense
that the City couldn’t be further
from his, too. Contrary to popular
New Yorker beliefs, mountains, trees,
and birdsong can be as inspiring as
buildings, marquees, and traffic.
Of course, Dan will always say
it was the community libraries
that sold him.
Highbush House
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Summer Sail
The soundtrack is classical.
The perfume is summer.
With its manicured meadows,
giant poplars, and grand Victorian
Clubhouse with shining views of
one of the ten most pristine lakes
in America, Summer Sail is the envy
of all. As the mercury rises, so does
this neighborhood’s popularity.
Swimmers flock to its docks and
beaches to cool off in the perfect
waters. The concierge for the only
boathouse on the lake distributes
canoes, kayaks, sailboats, and safety
tips to waiting families and couples.
At sundown, a guest violinist framed
by the Clubhouse Gazebo strikes a
soulful chord that ricochets across
the lake, serenading opposite shores,
sending goose bumps up the arms of
her audience gathered on the lawn
before her.
44
The Clubhouse at Summer
Sail is a gorgeous gathering
place, where residents enjoy drinks
on the outdoor terrace, croquet
matches on the lawn, and sumptuous,
Southern-style gourmet meals at
Azalea’s. Seersucker suits and linen
dresses often make appearances at
Summer Sail, where seasonal events
include Saturday socials, dances, and
Fourth of July festivals. Summer Sail’s
down to-earth side is felt most at the
River Rock Art Barn, where artistsin-residence practice their craft, show
their work, and offer classes.
5
45
{
the envy of all
{
snapshot
}
}
{
W
5
ANNE, 61
68 acres, 70 home sites
Manicured meadows
and cultivated
pine forests overlooking
Lake Glenville
Croquet Lawn & Gazebo
Home to the Old Victoria
Clubhouse & Azalea’s gourmet
Southern dining
Future memory
Grandmother
•
a rt C o l l e c t o r
•
socialite
}
e’ve had our River
Rock home for three
summers now.
The weather is so surprisingly mild,
George can golf practically all year,
and I can boat from early April
straight through to the end of
October. Plus it’s such an easy drive
to Atlanta, our grandkids now
spend their summers here at the
Trout Creek camps, where I swear
they learn more than they do at
school. As for us, our calendar is
always marked up with fun things to
do. I’ve joined the art club and book
club, George is a member of the chess
club and wine tasting club, not to
mention the socials, festivals, and
The only boathouse
on Lake Glenville
fairs that pop up every season. Never
in my wildest dreams would I have
thought we could gain so much from
Chris Craft boats
the purchase of one single property.
We absolutely love it here.
Art Barn
46
47
This artistically singular, signature community
emblem is a most enjoyably accurate metaphor
for the theory of life at River Rock; a world
where the old reminds the new, tradition finds
sophistication, and refinement learns to relax.
Welcome
Home.
You have arrived at the end of the River Rock
story, and what may very well be the beginning of
your own chapter in Plateau history.
To mark the beginning of
each new River Rock family
legacy, a handcrafted gift has
been thoughtfully designed
to welcome you to your new
neighborhood, and provide you
with a comfortable place in which
to sit back, relax, and appreciate the
many gifts this earthly life reserves
for you and yours.
one of these remakes of a treasured
classic. Every River Rock home
with a porch comes with two, and
every River Rock home comes with
a porch. Locally crafted, traditional
in function and material yet
contemporary in design, the chairs
come stained in neighborhood
colors, and the backs feature a
rendition of the community logo.
On neighborhood wanders, residents
are likely to see the inhabitants of
River Rock’s novel yet nostalgic
mountain dwellings contentedly
whiling away time on their front
porch in signature River Rockers.™
One can’t help but smile at the
sight, for every resident is familiar
with the comforting satisfaction
derived from whiling away time in
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49
Our culture must be our response to our place,
our culture and our place are images of each other
and inseparable from each other.
W e n d e l l B e rry
Development concepts, amenities and features for RiverRock continue to evolve and are subject to change without notice. Some proposed amenities may be fee
based and have additional membership requirements. These materials shall not constitute a solicitation or valid offer in any state where prior registration is required.
Obtain the property report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the value or merits, if any, of this property.
Void where prohibited by law.
“This brochure is not intended to be, and does not constitute, an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any real or personal property of any kind
or nature in any state or other jurisdiction to any person. All references in this brochure to amenities and experiences to be provided at River Rock are subject
to change as the development process proceeds.”