Saluda Mountain is a part of the large group of mountains that comprise the Outer Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains sit between the gentle rolling Piedmont and the fertile valleys of the Western Appalachians. This mountain chain makes up some of the oldest mountains in the world. Although Saluda Mountain if not technically as high above sea level as the Great Smokey Mountains further West, they still formed a strong barrier to the lowlands, except for old trading paths used first by the American Indians, and a wagon road along what became know as Howard's Gap. In 1878 the Spartanburg and Ashville Railroad managed to deliver the first passenger train to Saluda by climbing a steep gorge along the Pacolet River. Many lives were lost as they built a railroad up an almost vertical mountain wall. It became the steepest mainline standard gauge railroad in the United States. When that big iron horse came puffing up the mountain for the first time, village people cheered, the children ran to hide and live horses with wagons balked in terror. But this brought in a new era for Saluda, the terminus of the track. Those traveling to other areas farther along had to board stagecoaches or find other overland conveyers.

The "Carolina Special" brought people from the lowlands of Charleston, Columbia and Savannah. They came with steamer trunks and wicker hampers, dressed in their best linens. They brought their "help" to care for the children and do housework. Some stayed in the boarding houses that had been built to house the railroad workers, but others built summer houses and new boarding houses to take advantage of the cool mountain air. By 1881, Saluda was chartered as a town, The town was spread over seven hills and covered an area of one square mile, with the railroad exactly in the center.

On one of these hills overlooking the city, Sunflower Cottage was built. It sits about 2500 feet above sea level and is located on one of the former stage coach routes that led to Spartanburg, SC and on to Columbia down to Charleston or over to Ashville and then Tennesssee. Columbia Heights, as the area around Sunflower is called, became a clannish group, or series of groups, many related by blood ties or marriage. Most bore proud South Carolina or Georgia names. The younger group could walk to the bustling community below to attend the theatre, dine or visit a dressmaker, while the older crowd sat on porches with the cool breezes and visited. The Saluda Magazine in July 1936 gave a description of Columbia Heights including a quote from Mrs. Cole, the oldest living landowner in Columbia Heights at the time, "The woods were so thick that the men had to climb trees to see where their land lay." In 1895 a group of men from Columbia, SC bought the land in Columbia Heights from Mr. W.G. Henson. The land sold for $140. per acre and the houses cost $450. completed, including the cost of lumber.

It seems reasonable to assume that the Sunflower was already existing in 1895 since it was not in the purchase made by the group from Columbia, who developed Columbia Heights. The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, located just down the hill from Sunflower, was finished and consecrated on Sept. 1, 1891. This small Victorian-Gothic church faced a dirt road that led up to the top of the hill ending at Columbia Street. This road met up with the stagecoach line. Sunflower House is at the Corner of Columbia and what was later called Charles Street. Records seem to indicate that it was built about 1888.

In 1924, Charles and Mae Webb bought the little house on Columbia and more than doubled its size. They added a large living room with a stone fireplace to supplement the wood burning stoves in the rest of the house, a new kitchen, though still detached, and two bathrooms. Charles Webb was the Mayor of Greenville and the probably dirt road was paved and named in his honor. Charles and Mae named the cottage Charmae. The Webb's carried on the custom that had long been established in Columbia Heights, of crowds gathering on porches to celebrate another day. They did this by ringing a railroad bell each afternoon at 5:00, which had been installed in the back yard, to summon everyone in the area to come for cocktails. Charmae remained in the same family until sold to Gloria and Kyle Testermaan, former Mayor of Knoxville, in 1999. It was then renamed Sunflower Cottage.

The stagecoach which once stopped in front of this house is long gone, but if you descend the front stone steps and look to your left, the faint shadow of and old stagecoach trail can still be seen. A stagecoach wheel marks the route.