At this location, in 1909, the "Switzerland Company" was founded by North Carolina State Supreme Court Justice Heriot Clarkson to construct a resort village.

On January 17, 1964, the Switzerland Company filed a suit against the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway[5] noting that it was seeking a right of way of 800 feet wide through the resort and were not paying an adequate amount.

[6] The group got the Carolina, Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad to locate a station approximately 4 miles from the community.

[7] The original Switzerland Inn was razed in the 1960s and a modern motor court was built by William Cessna.

[8] Its naming illustrates the gradual change in meaning of the 19th century term little Switzerland from an area of limestone formations to one of mountainous appearance.