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You are here: Home1 / Deerwoode History

  • Pre Civil War

    The original homesite was built by a local Brevard doctor, name and date unknown. 

  • 1877

    Judge James Adger Forsythe Jr. purchased the property. He was a county Judge from Charleston, SC who moved to Brevard to recover from “consumption.”

    1877

  • 1926

    George Morris. He and J.H.Townsend of Memphis, TN, purchased the property and built the original summer camp, named it Camp Chickasaw, which was a camp for boys.

  • 1935

    The property was sold to Robert J. Hussey, a Memphis cotton broker and was operated by Mrs. Swift from Asheville. Mrs. Swift had previously operated a summer camp called Camp Dellwood and in an effort to continue to use her camp songs, she renamed this property to Camp Deerwoode, and changed it to a summer camp for girls.

    1935

  • 1939

    Gordon Sprott purchased the property and operated Camp Deerwoode for Girls until 1957. In 1953, they moved to the property permanently and built the contemporary home at the top of the swim pond and lived there full time.

  • 1959

    Mr. Sprott brought camp back and managed sports camps, and then reverted the camp back to a boys camp, and kept the name Camp Deerwoode.

    1959

  • 1966

    Gordon was looking to sell the camp and was traveling in Texas and met Bill & Elizabeth Mayes. The Mayes made a deal with Gordon to work at the camp and purchase it in two years. Bill traveled to Brevard, NC in the fall of 1966 to help Gordon get the property ready for camp and to recruit boys for the summer of 1967. Elizabeth and their two boys joined Bill in Brevard in 1967.

  • 1969

    Bill & Elizabeth Mayes finalized the purchase of the property. They owned & operated Camp Deerwoode for Boys until closing camp after the summer session of 1991. They lived on the property and raised their sons here.

    1969

  • 1991

    The Mayes transformed the property into a fitness facility & gym membership as well as a vacation rental business, called Deerwoode Lodge & Cabins. They retired and closed all business operations at the end of 2018. The Mayes listed the property for sale in 2020.

  • 2021

    Scott & Dionne Hodgson purchased the property in April and re-opened it as a short-term vacation rental business, under the new name Deerwoode Reserve.

    2021

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395 Riversedge Rd, Brevard, NC 28712

Phone (828) 201-2615

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JUDGE JAMES A. FORSYTHE JR FAMILY:

Judge Forsythe was born 11/26/1853. He was married to Julia Nathalie, who was born 5/14/1860, and they married 5/14/1877. They moved into the house and added a wing to it. They had one son and two daughters. James A. Forsythe Jr. (1882 – 1957), Margaret Elizabeth ( 4/21/1885 – 9/16/1886) and Ellen Harllee Forsythe Vermilye (11/4/1888 – 1/24/1936). Julia died 5/14/1923 and Judge Forsythe died in 1925. They are all buried in the Gillispie Cemetery in Brevard. Elizabeth was originally buried on the property but because of the grave being washed by rains, was later transferred to Gillispie Cemetery. There are stories and accounts of baby ghost Elizabeth haunting the Big Log Cabin, which was built on the site of the original homestead.

THE MAYES (Cont.)

In 1969, the Mayes moved into the Otter Cabin, originally built in 1940. It was formerly the camp infirmary and was also known as the Gate House. Bill built the deck and closed in the screen porch where the large brick cooking fireplace is located. During the time they lived there, they tore down the old original homesite that had fallen into such disrepair and decided to build a new log home on the same basement foundation, now called the Big Log Cabin. 

ROBERT J. HUSSEY / CAMP DEERWOODE FOR GIRLS:

When Mr. Hussey purchased the property in 1935, the camp was transformed from a boys camp into a camp for girls. It was operated by Mr. and Mrs. George Mason Swift. Mrs. Swift had previously operated a camp, called Camp Dellwood, and in an effort to continue to use the same camp songs, they re-named it to Camp Deerwoode. At this time camp property was comprised of 250 acres featuring horseback riding, including all day and overnight horseback trips. The girls played polo, learned archery and riflery, and had classes in swimming and canoeing, as well as tennis and golf. Other elective courses offered at camp were dancing, dramatics, musical comedy, and musical instruments and nightly shows were performed in The Big Room. The craft building was a popular place and described as the heart of the camp, featuring eight large floor looms with flying shuttles. Other craft projects consisted of silver craft, pottery and leather craft. The camp season ran from July 1 – August 26 and cost $300.