1899
Construction Begins
In 1899, John Aaron Wilkinson, President of J.L. Roper Lumber Co. and Vice President of Norfolk & Southern Railroad, began construction on the grand Victorian mansion now known as River Forest Manor.
1904
Mansion Completed
Completed in 1904, the mansion showcased exquisite craftsmanship with carved oak mantels, ornate ceilings by Italian artisans, and luxurious details throughout.
1912
John Wilkinson GETS married
Eight years after completing his masterpiece, Wilkinson married Virginia Katherine Heusner, a beautiful New Yorker, in 1912. She shared the house with him for many years.
1932
John Wilkinson PASSES AWAY
John Aaron Wilkinson dies, leading to the property's first change in ownership.
1933
Hines Family Acquisition
The J.W. Hines family of Rocky Mount purchases the property.
1947
Smith Family Era Begins
In 1947, it was purchased by Axson Smith of Belhaven. At the time, the property had been vacant for two years and needed major repairs. It was then that the property became known as the River Forest Manor.
Smith, a Belhaven native, grew up in the hospitality industry – his father owned the Carolina Hotel in town. Smith gained more experience in hotel management during his time at The Drake & The Palmer House in Chicago.
He wanted to return home, and after acquiring the property, he and his wife Melba worked together to turn it into a world-class inn, restaurant, marina, and all-inclusive hunting destination.
The surrounding hunting lands near Lake Mattamuskeet made River Forest Manor an ideal basecamp, and the growing interest in recreational boating on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, which passed through Belhaven, brought a steady stream of yachtsmen seeking overnight dockage and a hot meal.
Since then, River Forest Manor has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Country Inns of the Old South, National Geographic Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, Our State Magazine, and on the covers of North Carolina Accommodations Direction and Country Inns of America (Southeast Edition), among others.
It has attracted the wealthy and famous, including James Cagney, Tallulah Bankhead, Robert Ripley, Harvey Firestone, Burl Ives, Twiggy, Roy Clark, Neal Sedaka, and Walter Cronkite, to name a few.
2013
Local Investors Take Over
The property remained in the Smith family for 66 years, until it was sold to a group of local investors in 2013. The home underwent a major restoration project and reopened as an events venue and marina.
2023
Holbrook Family Acquisition
In 2023, the property changed hands again when it was acquired by the Holbrook family of central Florida. Much of 2023 was spent expanding the events venue presence and reopening the restaurant.
2024
Return to Smith Family Legacy
In 2024, the property was acquired by Lee and Kristen Sykes, the granddaughter of Axson Smith. Before their purchase, the Sykes' spent most of their careers in the marine service industry, owning and operating various marine businesses, including a multi-state marine towing and salvage company, a state-wide marine environmental remediation business, a marine insurance agency, and a marina in Carteret County, North Carolina.
As an avid hunter and fisherman, Sykes found the location of River Forest Manor especially appealing.
The property's historical significance, family legacy, and marine aspect, combined with its prime hunting and fishing surroundings, held a special appeal for the couple that was both familiar and fulfilling.
Today, the heritage of the property continues thanks to the many individuals who helped preserve the home over its 125+ years of existence, and through the direct lineage of the family who successfully made it the icon it is today.
