Seven Devils

History

In the mid-1960s, seven men from the Winston-Salem area established the unincorporated community of Seven Devils with the vision of creating a recreational resort. The seven founders included four brothers, Herbert Reynolds, Frank Reynolds, Galloway Reynolds and Dan Reynolds, and their partners George Kempton, Ray Smith and Gardner Gidley. They wanted a unique name to attract visitors and decided upon Seven Devils based on a combination of factors. There were seven founders and seven distinct peaks from the ridge line of the Blue Ridge Parkway that viewed the area, and locals often said that "the wind blows like the devil up there in the winter time." In its early days, Seven Devils featured a campground, swimming lake, horseback riding trails and stables, rental cottages and a general store. The Seven Devils Golf & Ski Resort opened in December 1968, attracting more visitors and residents. The town of Seven Devils was incorporated on June 30, 1979. In the early 1980s, Jon Reynolds assumed ownership of the ski area and changed its name to Ski Hawksnest. The resort soon became a favorite among locals and college students, offering low ticket prices, a bar with live music, and a weekend night skiing session called "Nighthawk" that ran from 10pm to 4am. In 1993, Leonard Cottom, who owned the neighboring Hanging Rock Golf and Country Club, purchased the ski area, changing the name to Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort. In 2008, under the ownership of Lenny Cottom, Hawksnest closed for skiing to focus on snow tubing and ziplining.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.3 km), of which 2.0 square miles (5.3 km) is land and 0.49% is water.

Race & ethnicity