Near Hendersonville in Henderson County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Hemlocks

Circa 1908

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 28, 2025

1. Hemlocks Marker

Inscription. Built on the site and foundation of Kuykendall's Tavern circa 1800 on the Old Buncombe Pike

This site protected by
Historic Flat Rock, Inc.

Erected by Historic Flat Rock, Inc.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1908.

Location. 35° 17.141′ N, 82° 27.003′ W. Marker is near Hendersonville, North Carolina, in Henderson County. It is on Rutledge Drive (County Route 1166) 0.1 miles south of Kalimar Heights, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 436 Rutledge Drive, Hendersonville NC 28739, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Mountains and in Greater Asheville.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mountain Lodge (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Buncombe Turnpike (approx. 0.3 miles away); Dunroy Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); George A. Trenholm (approx. 0.4 miles away); James Brown (approx. 0.4 miles away); St. John in the Wilderness (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named St. John in the Wilderness (approx. half a mile away); Dunroy Quarry (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hendersonville.

Also see . . .
1. Hemlocks, ca. 1908. Posted by Historic Flat

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Rock, Inc., scroll down to "Hemlocks" and click the link for the article.

The cottage, Hemlocks, was built in 1908, on a foundation of a much earlier dwelling. E. R. Pinckney and his wife Louise Cleveland purchased the property in 1925 for their summer cottage. Elizabeth (Elise) Rutledge Pinckney and her sister Sarah Rutledge Pinckney Ambler summered here with their parents. (They were named for their aunts Elizabeth and Sarah Rutledge of Rutledge Cottage.) The house sits along the old drovers’ road, the remains of the Buncombe Turnpike. In 2008 HFR engaged an archeologist to conduct a dig on the property with the hope of finding evidence that the site is the location of the Kuykendall Tavern, dating to the late 1700s. Results were positive and Hemlocks is now a numbered and registered North Carolina State Certified Archeological site. In Dec. 2008, HFR purchased the property, renovated it, and sold it with a Preservation Agreement in place.

(Submitted on September 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.)

2. The Legend of Abraham Kuykendall.

After moving to the modern day Flat Rock area around 1790 and being over 70 years of age, Abraham finally settled down for good and proved to be a skilled entrepreneur.

The veteran Kuykendall was one of what was to become Henderson County’s first settlers. He was awarded a land grant of 600 acres
Photographed by Mark Parker, July 28, 2025

2. Hemlocks Marker looking south on Rutledge Drive
by the state of North Carolina in the late 1780s for his service during the American Revolution. Those 600 acres encompassed a large portion of what is Flat Rock today.

Abraham was an entrepreneur and he saw great opportunity in his land holdings. He eventually acquired over 6000 acres and he built a tavern and an inn on the Old State Road near where Mud Creek Baptist Church sits today. It was the largest inn of its day in the area and he built stables and corrals that could hold the livestock that were being driven to the markets in Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA. The drovers could house their herds and livestock and stay for the night. He served some of the finest whiskey with his own distillery and his inn and tavern quickly gained a good reputation.

(Submitted on September 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 45 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.