After being admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1876, W.A. Smith (1853-1922) settled in Hendersonville and established a successful law practice. His lifetime achievements included serving as mayor, alderman, city attorney, county attorney, banker, and director of the Toxaway Railroad. Toward the end of the 19th century, a new railroad line from Charleston ended in Hendersonville, whose cool summer climate drew visitors seeking relief from the South's stifling heat. Seeing a need for recreation, Smith purchased over 250 acres on Echo Mountain west of Hendersonville and gradually developed Laurel Park, which he called "The most beautiful nature park in America." His initial vision was a countryside recreational journey with nature trails centered around Crystal Spring. He then built the Casino at Rainbow Lake for entertainment and the Dummy Line Railroad to ease the excursion. To accommodate more visitors, he added Rhododendron Lake and the Swiss Railway. In 1911, he built his family home on this site overlooking his work and named it Holly Hill.