History of Engadine, Asheville Historic Bed and Breakfast Inn
The mansion was built by Captain John Keais Hoyt who was a Confederate Officer in Company K, 3rd Alabama Infantry. When the Civil War ended, he made his way to western North Carolina just outside of Asheville with his wife and four daughters. They bought and lived in a cabin on the property while the mansion on the hill was being built. In 1895 they moved into the house, which the Captain named Engadine after a valley in Switzerland. Engadine was built incorporating the most modern technology of its time. Although the house had fireplaces in every room, central heat was provided by a coal furnace in the basement. Electricity was supplied to the house by a water-powered generator built on the property. Running water was provided by servants, who pumped it to a storage tank in the attic. From there, the gravity-supplied system provided water to sinks contained in closets between each of the bedrooms on the second floor. These water closets are still in use today. In addition to the mansion, the barn on the property is also on the National Register of Historic Places. It is believed that the barn currently stands where Captain Hoyt's locally famous Engadine wine was once made. Two of the Captain's original grape vines are still growing on the grounds. After the Captain's death in 1910, the house was sold to E. J. Willingham who was a land speculator from Georgia. He sold the house to Alden Betts who was from New Jersey and used Engadine as a summer home. In 1944, Glen Howell bought the house and raised his family at Engadine. In the process of restoring the house, the Howells had to tear down the three-room addition that housed the original kitchen, and the kitchen was moved into what is now the den/office. In 1988, Bill Maddox and Linda Crawford purchased Engadine and again restored and modernized the house. The plumbing, electrical and heating systems were replaced; central air conditioning and a new kitchen were added. In 1994 Linda Crawford converted the house to a bed and breakfast, and after operating for a short period of time, sold Engadine to Mary and Jim Melaugh. In January of 1995, Mary and Jim renamed the inn the Owl's Nest Inn at Engadine to reflect Mary's passion for collecting owls. Engadine was kept to maintain an historical connection with Captain John Keais Hoyt. On August 31, 1998, Marg Dente and Gail Kinney purchased the Inn. They built three cabins on the property. In September 2000, after successfully getting Engadine listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Marg and Gail hosted a Hoyt - Reese family reunion. The family shared many wonderful stories and provided pictures of Engadine and memoirs written by the Captain's daughter, Mary Hoyt Reese. Marg and Gail sold the property to Gerda Angevine in January 2005. Gerda built three additional cabins and operated the inn and cabins until 2009. On April 12, 2010, Cheryl DeCristofaro and Gretchen Huffsmith purchased the property and renamed it Honey Hill Inn and Cabins at Engadine.