History 101: Our History and Tradition
OK, well it’s probably more than you want to know…… so here’s the short version.
We’ve been here for ages! – It all began back in 1941, when Tudor Norton Hall and Margaret Gilbert Hall, Isabel’s parents, purchased the insurance and real estate business of S.T. Marett. They opened for business in their home on Fifth Street, here in Highlands. Tudor was a fifth generation native, and Margaret was the daughter of the town’s dentist, Dr. E.R. Gilbert.
Their house, now our office, sits on what was once The Hall House. Tudor’s parents began a summer resort back in 1896, just 21 years after the town was founded. The property took in all but the southwest corner of the block bounded by Fifth Street, Chestnut Street, Sixth Street, and Main Street. It included a small hotel, guest cabins, nine-hole golf course, dance pavillion, clay tennis court and icehouse. Tudor’s grandfather, David Norton, was already in the hospitality business as owner of The Central House (now known as Madison’s).
Tudor grew up in The Hall House. He managed the garden, drove the family Model T to Walhalla and Dillard to pick up the summer guests from age 12. He later helped his brother and sisters in the family owned telephone business.
Isabel and her husband, Tony chambers, started their own real estate business in 1976, and took over the real estate division of Tudor Hall Associates from her brother ten years later. Now, the business has passed on to the next generation with Tucker and Jeannie Chambers at the helm.
The family-owned business began small and no matter how “big” we are or how many properties we rent, manage and sell – we still have that small town, family business attitude. We know this country and are proud to show it off. As well as being the oldest continuous owned family real estate business, we have some other credentials as well: first REALTORâ in Highlands (1950), charter members of The Highlands-Cashiers Board of REALTORSâ (1956), first to use computers for real estate (1987), the leader in Property Management and rentals since 1987, and first real estate office to have rentals on our web pages on the Internet (1997.
We hope to keep the tradition of service to our guests, which was started by David Norton and was continued by Tudor Tucker and Meta Norton Hall, Tudor Norton and Margaret Hall, Overton “Tony” Chambers and Isabel Hall Chambers, and now Tucker and Jeannie Chambers. PLEASE follow us on social media by clicking the GET SOCIAL link at the bottom of this page, and remember, you can check availability using our rental calendar using the BOOK NOW button whether you’re just looking or are ready to book your reservation online.
Highlands, NC, is calling……
and I must go.