Chimney Rock Park North Carolina

“Article from the Charlotte Observer 1/29/2007

State to buy Chimney Rock for $24 million

RALEIGH North Carolina is purchasing Chimney Rock park and making it part of the state park system, state officials confirmed Monday.

Gov. Mike Easley is expected to announce the sale at the park at 11:30 a.m.

The state plans to spend $24 million for the property after months of negotiations with the Morse family, who have owned the property in Rutherford County since 1902. A small portion of that money may come from private contributions.

The family turned down a state offer of $20 million and listed it for sale in July with an asking price of $55 million.

Chimney Rock, a 315-foot monolith, and the land around it are expected to serve as the heart of the planned Hickory Nut Gorge State Park, scheduled to open in 2010. It is about 100 miles west of Charlotte.

The Chimney Rock land encompasses hundreds of plant and wildlife species, six hiking trails and a 404-foot waterfall and rocky outcroppings overlooking Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge. On a clear day, visitors can see 75 miles. The park draws about 200,000 visitors per year, sometimes more.

The General Assembly appropriated $15 million to go toward the purchase last year.

Morse family members said last year they decided to sell because of the jump in real estate prices, but they don’t want to see the mountains dotted with condominiums.

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This is where the end scenes of "The Last of the Mohicans" was filmed. (The sheer rock wall with the waterfall, etc.)

Hopefully our voice (backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts) will be heard by the state and we can have a park that will be geared as much towards us as the average tourist who goes there.”

“cool.”

“The Chimney Rock tract, slightly less than 1,000 acres adjoins the Edge-of-the World tract, about 1600 acres also recently acquired by the state of North Carolina for about $16 million, so $40 million for 2600 acres.

Its unreal whats happened to raw land prices in WNC. The first one million acres of Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests were purchased for less than $5 million (betwen 1915 and 1945).
last edited: 1/29/07 2:05:14 PM”