One
man’s dream of Shangri-La has fostered countless
dreams come true for others at Cummings Cove. It
began in 1938 when chemist James Cummings sold his
successful pharmaceutical companies in Buffalo and
Toronto and began his search for the ideal climate
to enjoy four seasons without the extreme winters of
Buffalo or hot summers of Florida. He wanted a home
near a town with a sense of history, but far enough
from town to enjoy his privacy.
Sheltered by the
Blue Ridge Mountains and bordered by the French
Broad River, the place we know as Cummings Cove was
home to James Cummings and his family for the last
20 years of his life. With the help of a farm
manager, he raised cattle and lived in a comfortable
house overlooking the river. A friend described him
as “very down to earth and not one to show off his
wealth.” Yet, his quiet generosity continues today
through the James H. Cummings Foundation which has
given away over $26 million to medical science,
underprivileged boys and girls, the aged and infirm.
Local beneficiaries include Pardee Hospital, Park
Ridge Hospital, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of
Hendersonville, Four Seasons Hospice, Council on
Aging and many others.
On the gentle slopes where Cummings’
cattle grazed, an 18 hole golf course forms
the centerpiece of Cummings Cove Golf &
Country Club. The Blue Ridge Mountains and
French Broad River can be seen from the high
knoll now occupied by the clubhouse with
restaurant, lounge and golf shop. The new
sports complex with fitness center, tennis,
pool and walking paths, will look out on
the same mountain views that drew James
Cummings to his Carolina Shangri-La. And the
people who come to Cummings Cove searching
for their special place to call home will
find what he found—a welcoming community
surrounded by natural beauty--a place to
live and play and thrive.
