Experience: Overview: History

In 1968, Pittsburgh industrialist Willard F. Rockwell (Rockwell International) established a private game reserve in the Laurel Highlands on what is now Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. This property was named Nemacolin Trails Hunting Reserve. The Rockwell’s invited friends and business associates to hunt and fish the 400-acre reserve, populated by silver fox, bear and white-tailed deer. A hunting lodge was constructed in 1968, together with the golf course and airstrip. Lakes Louise and Carol were also added and Beaver Creek was developed into the excellent trout stream it is today.

The property was sold in 1979 to Cordelia Mellon Scaife and became an exclusive conference center. Three years later, the property returned to the Rockwell Family. Kent Rockwell, Willard’s son, purchased the conference center and opened it to the public. In the years immediately following, the Maples and Laurel Ponds townhouses and a number of private homes were established on the estate.

In 1987, Joseph A. Hardy, III, founder of the 84 Lumber Company, purchased a large portion of the Nemacolin property at auction.  An auction he attended in the hopes of purchasing a few acres of woodlands near a lake or stream for his daughter, Maggie, who loved fishing. 

As Hardy recounts, “I left the auction without that piece of property for fishing because I bought the main parcel and was out of money.” Hardy and his daughter, Maggie, promptly set about transforming the property into its present state – a 2,000 acre world-class resort, rated Four-Stars by the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide and Four-Diamonds by the American Automobile Association (AAA).  In 2002, Hardy transferred full ownership of the resort to his daughter, Maggie Hardy Magerko, who still serves as President and Owner.


The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort timeline:

1987 (year of Hardy ownership) – The Tudor-style Lodge was expanded, and work on an elegant annex of 68 rooms commenced, together with the Executive Conference Center and new lobbies.   The Woodlands Golf Academy was established.

1988 – The Woodlands Spa opened.  Soon afterward, the Gazebo, Lake P.J., and the Panorama Pavilion were constructed.

1989 – The Lodge Annex was followed by the Townhouses on the Links.

1991 – The Grand Ballroom was added to the Executive Conference Center.

1992 – The Tavern, the Caddy Shack, Equestrian Center and Fallingbrook miniature golf course opened.

1995 – Mystic Rock Golf Course, Paradise Pool, Kidz Club, Heritage Court Shoppes and Mystic Mountain opened.

1997 – The elegant Chateau Lafayette hotel including the Cigar Bar, Hardy & Hayes Jewelers, the Marquis Ballroom and Lautrec opened. 

1998 – Major renovation and expansion of the Woodlands Spa.

1999 – The Shooting Academy opened.

2000 – The Auto Toy Store opened, featuring a number of rare and collectible automobiles.

2001 – The Air Hanger opened.

2002 – Woodlands World Outdoor Store and the Off-Road Driving Academy opened.

2003 – The John Daly Learning Center opened on the Links golf course and the PGA Tour 84 Lumber Classic came to the Mystic Rock Golf Course.

2004 – Falling Rock and Aqueous Restaurant opened and the Off-Road Driving Academy was expanded.  Mystic Rock Golf Course undergoes extensive renovations.

2005 – The Woodlands Spa was expanded, adding 12 treatment rooms, a squash court and relocated fitness center.  Horizon Point meeting facility opened.  Nemacolin ventures into downtown Uniontown with the opening of downtown stores.

2006 – Woodlands World Outdoor Stored moved to downtown Uniontown.  Wildlife habitats were built, bringing black bears, elk, emus, Patagonian Cayvees, Australian wallabies and zebra to the resort.  Dogsledding was added as a winter adventure offering.  The Golden Trout restaurant was closed and reopened after a total interior and menu renovation as Autumn.

2007 – Marked the 20th Anniversary of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.  Paige’s Beach opened as the new location for paddleboats, kayaking and canoeing.  The Canoe Museum located at Paige’s Beach opened.  Equestrian Center became the new Wildlife Academy.  Buffalos joined the mix of Nemacolin’s wildlife habitats, including a very rare, solid white buffalo.  Falling Rock Hotel was awarded the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award.

2008 - Nemacolin's fine-dining restaurant, Lautrec, became one of only 50 restaurants in the United States to earn the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award, making Nemacolin one of only 21 resorts world-wide to offer Five Diamond lodging at Falling Rock and dining at Lautrec.  Falling Rock Hotel retains the Five Diamond status for the second year.  The WildSide an entertainment emporium, opened in the former Woodlands World Complex.

2009 - Lautrec retains the AAA Five Diamond Award and acquires the Forbes Five Star Award, and becomes one of only 14 restaurants in the country to have both ratings.  Falling Rock Hotel retains the AAA Five Diamond status for the third year.  Nemacolin Woodlands Resort becomes the first resort to be designated a PET PROUD® facility and partnered to open Nemacolin Wooflands Pet Resort & Spa.  In May, 2009, Nemacolin welcomes the opening of Spa Voyage a Kidz Spa that accommodates children ages 5 - 15 with age appropriate services and the Nemacolin Race Zone, an RC race track located within The WildSide.  The Off Road Driving Academy is renamed the TOMCAR Tactical Training Center and TOMCARS become the focus.  Disc Golf is added as a new Adventure Center amenity. The Woodlands Animal Care Center, a primary animal care hospital complete with rehabilitative facilities opened.  Nemacolin joins the Social Networking world and establishes a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and YouTube.