Zachary-Tolbert House - Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce

The Zachary-Tolbert House in Cashiers, North Carolina is a rare example of vernacular Greek Revival style architecture in the North Carolina mountains. Remaining virtually unaltered for 150 years, the house serves as a monument to the pioneer settlers of Cashiers Valley.

Mordecai Zachary, the son of local pioneer Colonel John Zachary, started clearing land for the house in 1842 and presented the completed house as a wedding gift to his new bride, Elvira Keener, in 1852. The couple raised their family of twelve children in the home during the next twenty-one years.

The three families that followed used the house only as a summer dwelling, never adding electricity, plumbing, central heat, or paint to the interior walls. The plain-style furniture crafted by Mordecai was sold with the house and remains on display today. Through the years each resident family left messages (graffiti) on the walls, denoting business transactions, birthdays, visitors, and secrets yet to be deciphered.

The Tolbert family enjoyed and cared for the house through most of the twentieth century until its purchase and subsequent donation to the Cashiers Historical Society. The house is now listed on National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to viewing the eight-room house, visitors are encouraged to walk the trails which may date back to prehistoric times, see the two springs on the property, and view the archaeology exhibits.

Hours of Operation

The Zachary-Tolbert House is open for tours from 11 am - 3 pm Friday and Saturday, mid-May through mid-October. Group tours may be scheduled in advance for any day of the week. Trained guides conduct tours of the house and grounds. Also available are special interest tours on a wide range of topics including plain-style furniture, the Civil War, and the graffiti on the walls of the house.