High Top – Starnes Cove
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased 130 acres at Starnes Cove near West Asheville, protecting scenic views from surrounding communities and wildlife habitat near Deaverview Mountain.
The property had been sought after to expand a nearby development, but landowner Kathy Hamilton preferred to sell it to SAHC for permanent conservation instead. Thank you for helping protect the mountain habitat, and the scenic views from surrounding communities!
“This property is one of the few large, undeveloped tracts of land just outside the Asheville City limits,” said Land Protection Director Michelle Pugliese. “The 3,500-foot High Top peak is visible from the Biltmore Estate, Candler and other points in the region. This tract was under development pressure, and thankfully the landowner chose to conserve the land. As our community continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, protecting the six headwater streams that originate on this property and the surrounding forest will help safeguard water quality in Hominy Creek downstream.”
Former landowner Kathy Hamilton wanted to preserve the land and honor the legacy of her mother, Syble Hamilton.
“We talked about protecting it before she passed away, and I know she’d be thrilled this has happened,” shares Kathy. “A visionary businesswoman and environmentalist, she loved Asheville. She helped start recycling in Buncombe County, at the Westgate Recycling Center. She also worked with conservationist and Grandfather Mountain’s founder, Hugh Morton – along with many others – in the North Carolina Travel Council. She had her fingers in a lot of pies!”
A Bucolic Paradise
“When my mother bought this land, I thought it was positively bucolic,” continues Kathy. “There was a forest and pasture, grazed by Black Angus cattle, Hereford cattle, and horses.” Syble purchased the mountaintop property from Mr. Hipps in 1968. The High Top tract had been logged in the early 1960s, leaving an open area used as pasture.
“The most magical place on the mountain was the poplar grove,” adds Kathy. “Mother and I would ride the horses up there. I loved hiking on the mountain, too, especially when the wildflowers bloomed. I’ve seen all kinds of wildlife on the property – deer, bear, foxes, and more. And all kinds of birds. I even spotted a Blue Heron up there once!”
Syble Hamilton
Syble was born in East Flat Rock, NC, the third of Ziffie and Belva Allison Nicholson’s nine children. In the late 1920s, Syble and her late husband Woodrow opened Hamilton’s Grocery and General Merchandise in Enka, which Syble successfully operated while her husband was away in Germany during WWII.
In 1950, the couple built and opened the Hamiltonian Motel on Patton Avenue, now the Hamiltonian Business Park. Syble helped to pave the way for women in business in WNC and was a strong force in the Asheville business community for many years. She served as the first female president of the Asheville Tourist Association.
