Historical Appalachian Log Cabin Is Given New Life as Part of $1.6 Million Blue Ridge Retreat After Being Moved Across State Lines

Nestled in the Blue Ridge foothills just 20 minutes outside Asheville, NC, is a rural retreat that offers more than just a house—rather, it's a story come to life.

A historical Appalachian log cabin that was built in the 1800s and later moved across state lines now serves as the foundation for a modern $1.6 million mountain estate spanning 35 acres in Fairview.

The 5,000-square-foot home incorporates the original hand-hewn structure, which was expanded and modernized, to create a residence that is both charmingly historical and comfortably updated.

"This is one of the most rare and unique offerings you will find in the heart of [the] Blue Ridge mountains," the listing notes. "More than a residence, this is a legacy property, a home where 19th-century history and timeless modern luxury converge in perfect harmony."

Featuring acres of forest, fields, streams, and trails, the property offers the best of Appalachia with a modern reimagined cabin.

“It’s such a unique property, and it’s really evolved through the years,” says listing agent Dusty Allison, with Premier Sotheby's International Realty.

“In the 1950s, the previous owner transported the cabin and reassembled it here, then expanded with additions through the ’50s and ’70s,” Allison explains. “My seller purchased the property in the 1990s, carrying that legacy forward.”

The latest owners were responsible for transforming the property from a seasonal hunting lodge into the full-time residence it is today.

“My client purchased it in the ’90s from a local businessman named Mr. Gennett. For him, it was a summer getaway and sporting lodge. He was a big outdoorsman who hunted and fished all over the world,” says Allison.

That lodge ethos is visible in parts of the home that once served as a trophy room (now a family room/sewing studio) and in the rugged canvas of barns, streams, and trails surrounding the house.

The current sellers stripped out the old galley kitchen and added a new timber post-and-beam structure that seamlessly connects to the original cabin.

They also installed a stacked-stone fireplace, a chef-style kitchen, all new windows, and a family-room loft complete with a built-in desk and chest of drawers. In total, the home now offers three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

“If you're impressed by Southern Appalachian hardwoods, this home has a lot of it,” says Allison.

From the Sitka spruce and mahogany in the family room to the wormy chestnut in the main suite, as well as the heart pine flooring throughout, this home speaks to the variety of the woodlands that surround it.

Some of those details date to the time of Gennett, who was also part of the local Gennett Lumber Co., founded in 1901.

“It’s a family-owned business that’s still in operation today,” says Allison.

Other highlights of this one-of-a-kind property include a freshwater spring, a barn with electricity, raised garden beds, snf horse stalls. In the kitchen, you'll even find a Swedish Aga range cooker.

“It’s this huge cast-iron range and oven that you can also use to heat the house,” says Allison. “My seller likes to warm her clothes on it during cold mornings.”

The property is located in the small town of Fairview, which is known for its agritourism and the farms behind many of Asheville’s farm-to-table restaurants.

“It’s all right here,” says Allison. “The remarkable thing about this home is that it’s truly mountain modern, private and remote in feel, yet still easily accessible with two-wheel drive.”