Wealthy planter Wade Hampton II purchased 450 acres (180 ha) in Cashiers Valley as an escape from the summer heat, humidity, and malaria of the Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina region. The property became a favorite hunting preserve for the Hampton family and their friends. Young Wade Hampton III learned to ride horses at High Hampton, a skill that served him well as a leading Confederate cavalry commander during the American Civil War.

In the 1880s, the property passed into the hands of Hampton II's three daughters, who in turn sold it in 1890 to their niece Caroline and her new husband, Dr. William Halsted, a prominent surgeon. Halsted purchased several adjoining farms and pieces of property, eventually exanding his holdings to more than 2,200 acres (890 ha). The Halsteds both died in 1922, and a North Carolina businessman, E. Lyndon McKee, purchased the estate two years later. In 1933, the present High Hampton Inn was opened for business. McKee's descendants still own and operate the resort today, which includes a golf course, spa, recreational area, and restaurant.

The current High Hampton Inn and Country Club consists of 1,400 acres.

High Hampton is located at 1525 Highway 107 South in Cashiers, N.C. Visit their website for more information.