Come as a client. Leave as family.

Situated on 267 sprawling acres, Oak Hill has been in continuous operation as a working farm since 1844. From the crest of Huntsville Mountain to the rippling waters of Glade Creek nearly 1000 feet below, you'll find miles of trails to hike and ride, and breathtaking scenes to make timeless wedding photographs. For over 20 years, the Coats family has worked to preserve, restore, and improve Oak Hill, sharing it with Newlyweds, Equestrians, Hikers, Photographers, Historians, and the community at large. We consider ourselves as the custodians of an important piece of history, and we are honored to be able to share that with you.

We're veterans of the wedding & event industry.

It seems like these days, everyone with a barn in their back yard markets themselves a wedding venue, an equestrian facility, or both. But, are they? Do they know what it takes to flawlessly execute your wedding? Do they maintain their facilities to the standard of safety and functionality that you and your horse deserve? That your wedding guests deserve? Are they accessible, reachable, and professional?

We've been Equestrians almost since birth, and we've been wedding & event professionals for over two decades and two thousand weddings, with our sister company Coats Classic Cars. We served for 8 years as president of ALWEP, a state Chamber-of-Commerce for wedding and special event professionals. When a couple takes a seat in the back of one of our classic cars, it is often the first time during the wedding day that they've been alone. We hear about the day - everything that went right - and, everything that went wrong. When we began hosting weddings here at Oak Hill, it was these years of feedback and experience that charted our course.

Oak Hill has been featured in song, in print, and in local legend for nearly 200 years. Our mission here is more than a business -- it's a calling. We invite you to become characters in our historic story. And, we'd be honored to become a part of yours.

"I am SO. HAPPY. to have gotten married here!" -Leah W., married at Oak Hill

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Oak Hill History

• Aug. 13, 1844 Alburto Higgins, a local large landowner, sells 300 acres, which would become Oak Hill Farm, to N. Elliott.
• 1857 Sadly, Mr. Elliott dies after just a few years, and his family is unable to maintain the property. It is repossessed by Higgins.
• March 1, 1858 Oak Hill is resold at auction to John Evans Goforth, grandson of Revolutionary War Hero (Battle of Kings Mtn.) Pvt. Preston Goforth. John Goforth and his descendants would go on to hold Oak Hill for more than 130 years.
• 1858-1883 John Goforth purchases many acres of adjoining land over the years, bringing Oak Hill from 300 acres up to 440.
• Sep. 7, 1883 Now advanced in years, John Goforth deeds the property to his children in four sections. Most of today's farmstead goes to sons Elbert and W. Avery Goforth.
• June 13, 1895 W. Avery acquires 117 acres of Eastern mountainside to add to the Oak Hill farmstead from J. L. English, bringing the Oak Hill total to 273.
• July 30, 1907 The South & Western Railroad Company, which became the legendary Clinchfield Railroad, begins construction on the West side of the property.
• Dec 13, 1913 W. Avery sells a parcel on the northern edge of the farm to the Town of Glenwood, to build a community cemetery. He reserves a 40x40 lot for his own family. Local lore suggests a family feud between W.A. and his brother Elbert (reportedly over a hog trough), as Elbert and his immediate family are ultimately buried in their own private cemetery on the opposite side of the street! The street, at that time, is called Goforth Drive.
• c. 1916 Our current farmhouse is constructed, most probably by son Thomas W. Goforth, the third Goforth generation.
• Christmas, 1920 W. Avery Goforth passes away at the age of 71. His son Thomas W. would eventually acquire Oak Hill from his fellow heirs.
• Aug. 15, 1947 Thomas Goforth purchases back 30 acres of uncle Elbert’s adjoining property, which had been a part of the original 1844 farmstead – bringing the Oak Hill total to 303.
• Dec. 13, 1954 Thomas Goforth passes away. Over the next 5 years, his son James V., fourth Goforth generation, will acquire the farmstead from his fellow heirs -- much like his father did, years before. Over the years, James would continue what his father Thomas started -- reacquiring great-uncle Elbert Goforth's former property next door.
• January 5, 1989 James V. Goforth passes away. The farm is surveyed into 9 separate tracts, to be offered for auction by his heirs.
• October, 1991 All 9 tracts of the farm are purchased at auction by the Holland family of Mooresville, NC, keeping Oak Hill intact. The farm would be a weekend retreat for the Hollands. Much work would be undertaken on the house, buildings, and grounds.
• February, 2002 The Hollands sell to longtime McDowell County residents, the Coats family, who operate Oak Hill today.
• May, 2005 The Coats family hosts their first wedding on the property, for friends Mark and Becky Lytle.
• 2011 With conservation as one of our primary goals, the Coats family begins placing portions of Oak Hill into permanent conservation easements.
• January, 2016 After years of experience in the wedding & event industry via our sister company, Coats Classic Cars, the Coats family makes the committment to begin sharing Oak Hill for more weddings and special events. Longterm restoration and improvement projects begin, in preparation for Oak Hill's venue debut -- beginning with restoration of the Round Top Barn.
• April, 2018 Oak Hill makes its permanent venue debut, hosting the wedding of Leah and Ryan Whiting.
• January, 2023 The Oak Hill property is acquired by a new Coats generation.
• April 16, 2023 Oak Hill hosts the wedding of Kirsten and James Coats, the 9th Generation of Oak Hill Proprietors.
• Today... our restoration continues, and new memories are always being made!

"Just a beautiful, breathtaking piece of history. A must see..." -Joel S., via Facebook

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