The American Enka Company, which manufactured rayon, opened on a large rural site in Buncombe County to take advantage of the clean air and water, needed for rayon production. The company created a professionally planned village included good housing for various employees. William Dodge was employed to design the large, stylish managers houses, which were masonry buildings rendered in Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival styles popular at the time. These included 1 Lake Drive, the Moritz house (destroyed 1966), 2 Lake Drive, the Gill House, 3 Lake Drive, Schilthuis House, 4 Lake Drive, Kriek House, 5 Lake Drive, 6 Lake Drive, 7 Lake Drive, the VanDobbenburgh House, 8 Lake Drive, Slikker House, and a house plan “that was used three times” at 1, 2, and 4 Hillcrest.