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Toxaway Falls Stand
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 | Long before Lake Toxaway community was even a wide place in the road, before there was a
Lake Toxaway, back in the mid 1800's when Toxaway Falls was the Bagwell Shoals and Mt.
Toxaway was the Great Hogback, the Owen families, along with other enterprising pioneers,
were taking up residence in the region of Hogback Valley. They found the place to
their liking as did many succeeding generations, to the extent that today Owen is the most
common surname in the area. |
| About a hundred years after the settling of Hogback Valley - long after the first Lake
Toxaway had rushed wildly down the gorge with a deafening roar that was heard for miles,
ripping up trees and flinging boulders as big as freight cars - after the lake bed grew up
in blackberry briars and white pines - after the magnificent Toxaway hotel had fallen from
grace to neglect and decay, and finally suffered dismemberment as her beams and planks and
timbers were sold, ripped out and hauled away - at a time when there seemed no hope or
likelihood that the lake would ever be rebuilt or that prosperous times would return,
Vincent Owen had hope. In 1947, when U.S. 64 was still a gravel road leading pretty
much to nowhere, he opened his little souvenir stand on the side of the road next to
Toxaway Falls, and called it simply "Toxaway Falls Stand". |
| For nearly 50 years Mr. Owen faithfully plied his trade, at first selling trinkets and
ice cream to the few travelers who managed to make it to Toxaway Falls. Later he
added other merchandise as the times and his customers dictated. When the lake was
rebuilt Toxaway Falls Stand moved across the bridge to its present location at the site of
the old rock quarry formerly used by the highway department in road construction. |
| Vincent Owen passed away in 1995 and today his son Jack operates Toxaway Falls Stand. Jack says there's something for everyone at his little open air shop. From post cards to homemade toys, birdhouses of every description, hand made baskets and furniture, antique jugs and lamps, walking sticks carved by mountain artisans, T-shirts and books, also ice cream bars, soft drinks and the area's best assortment of jams, jelly and honey at reasonable prices, That is not to mention Jack's BOILED PEANUTS for which he is locally famous, and Marjorie Owen's specialty, shelled fried peanuts. There's also locally made cider, pasteurized, or fresh in season. Stop by and browse around. You'll find something to please or amuse you. |
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