Tree Tops History

Tree Tops has a long history of honoring nature and the environment. The Tree Tops History Project, an ongoing ad-hoc group of residents who want to preserve this information, has prepared the following summary of key information and events.

For hundreds of years, this area was the province of several Native American tribes, including the Waxhaws and, since the 1700s, the Catawba Nation. The magic of the “Healing Spring of the Waxhaws”may have touched on or included Tree Tops! 

European settlers began arriving next, in the mid-18th century, many using the Great Wagon Road. They initially co-existed, often leasing land from the Catawbas and trading with them. Several treaties reduced the Catawba land, which had included the area now known as Tree Tops, from 144,000 acres to the present 700 acres nearby in York County.

In the late 1800s, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad connected Monroe, NC to Waxhaw, Osceola, Van Wyck, and beyond. Osceola, which no longer exists, was just east of Tree Tops, this side of the 521/Waxhaw Highway intersection. It would have been “our” home town if it had lasted.

The 2 major parcels which make up today’s Tree Tops became known as “Porter Place” and the “Gold Hill Land” and were available for years for hunting and fishing. Our lake was created in 1952 by an earthenware dam, and a lodge (now gone) was constructed on its shores around the same time.

Fort Mill businessman and philanthropist Fred C. Wikoff Jr. acquired the properties, over 600 acres of pristine wilderness, as a hunting and fishing retreat. In 1997 he donated the land and established "Camp TreeTops" as a summer camp for economically underprivileged children, opening from 2001-2007 with the motto “Adventures for all Ages”.  The Camp relied heavily on local volunteers and donations.

 

After Wikoff’s death in 2003, the Camp continued for several years until financial difficulties forced a merger. A satisfactory offer to take over and run the Camp could not be found, and eventually the property was offered for sale for $9.3 million, including the lake/dam, main lodge, amphitheater, 10 cabins, and a separate cabin near the entrance.

In 2013, Mattamy Homes announced plans to build 1,200 houses on the property. After significant community opposition they scaled this back to 900 homes, and eventually abandoned the effort in July 2014. Lennar got involved later that year, taking particular note of the community concerns, and purchased the property in 2015. With the motto “Inspired by Nature”, the eventual 797 homes preserved over 60% of the property unchanged. They built on Wikoff’s vision by reinvigorating the cabins, amphitheater, lake, and trails, keeping many natural and open areas, preserving and building on the Camp’s legacy wherever possible. 

As a result of vandalism in the vacant camp, the Lodge, one of the “Village Center” cabins, and the cabin near the entrance were rendered unusable. Lennar rebuilt the Village Center cabin, but abandoned the other 2 buildings. 

Official groundbreaking took place in Spring 2016, and home construction initially focused on the area near the cabins. The Grand Opening of our Community occurred on October 15, 2016; 80 homesites had already been sold, and 18 were already occupied.

Some residents have shared their memories of the 2016-2021 period, and these realtor videos chronicle the growth during the 6 years of construction.

Tree Tops today is entirely owned by the homeowners and the Homeowners Association; Lennar ceded final control when the HOA Board signed the transition closeout agreement on May 13, 2024. It is a place for active seniors to enjoy the outdoors and the many activities, amenities, and resident groups which are the trademarks of the Community.

Further information is available in the Photo Gallery and Lifestyle Newsletters sections, and a 3-ring binder will be available soon in the Reading Cabin.

 

Please check out resident memories of "The Early Days". 

 

Please check out Pete Maida's 10th Anniversary Poem. 

 

 The History Project has accumulated a lot about all this and more – feel free to get in touch at gtrutner@icloud.com.