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It's Ours Now: State acquires 2,601 acres, plans park; nonprofit company will manage bridge
Journal Photo by David Rolfe
Crae Morton, the president of Grandfather Mountain Inc., speaks to the crowd at the signing of the deal at McCrae Meadows.
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Published: September 30, 2008
GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN -- Two friends from Florida were hiking up a steep backcountry trail at Grandfather Mountain yesterday shortly after the historic agreement was signed to turn the land they were on into North Carolina's newest state park.
"It's awesome," said Moises Sztylerman.
"Loving it," said Karen Burke. They're both visiting friends who live half the year in Watauga County and half the year in St. Augustine, Fla.
"I live 200 steps from the ocean, but when I vacation I love to see trails, trees, kind of the yin and yang," Sztylerman said. "Definitely one of the main things to do is get to the top of Grandfather."
It had been less than two hours since Gov. Mike Easley and Crae Morton, the president of Grandfather Mountain Inc., signed the $12 million agreement for the state to acquire 2,601 acres of the Grandfather Mountain backcountry in Avery, Watauga and Caldwell counties.
The Morton family will also establish a private, nonprofit company to keep and manage the 604 acres of the scenic attraction that includes the Mile High Swinging Bridge, the nature museum and wildlife habitat. The state will not own that area, but the agreement gives North Carolina a conservation easement on that portion.
The agreement limits development, but allows events such as the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games to continue.
"Does this make it legally binding?" Morton joked as he signed the agreement.
"Uh, yeah, on your part," the governor joked back.
They shook hands after they signed. It was 12:12 p.m.
"With that, the deal is done," said William Ross, the secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.
"Grandfather Mountain is right there forever," Easley said, as he faced the mountain.
The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy were both involved in the negotiations, which wrapped up late last week.
The 2009 General Assembly will be asked to formally authorize the state park at Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina's 34th state park. The money is expected to come from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Natural Heritage Trust Fund, which are both supported by the state tax on the transfer of real-estate deeds.
The $14 admission fee to the scenic attractions on Grandfather Mountain will not be affected by the deal. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will manage the back country, including 11 trails, and may try to buy more land for the state park. The state parks system has been growing rapidly lately, in part because of the state conservation trust funds, conservancies and some good opportunities.
Since 2001, the state has authorized five new parks that are being developed, including Chimney Rock state park in Rutherford County and Elk Knob in Watauga and Ashe counties. The others are Mayo River and Haw River state parks, both in Rockingham County and Carvers Creek in Cumberland County.
After owner Hugh Morton died in 2006, his heirs had to decide what to do about the future of the mountain. Development never was an option, Crae Morton said.
Crae Morton said he sees good potential for more educational and conservation efforts that will come with having the tourist-attraction portion be a nonprofit corporation able to obtain grants and solicit donations.
Mike Leonard, the vice chairman of The Conservation Fund, said that the agreement would not have happened without the desire of Hugh Morton's widow, Julia, for it to happen. The Morton family was unanimous in supporting the agreement, family members said.
The state has been involved in the past few months on the deal. Easley considered Hugh Morton a friend, and had come up to Grandfather Mountain regularly since coming here on a family vacation when he was 4 years old. He called it a magical and special place.
"We want to promise the Morton family that North Carolina is going to take good care of your child, Grandfather Mountain," Easley said.
Crae Morton said that his grandfather was always quick to point out he was not the owner, but the caretaker of Grandfather Mountain.
"He felt like this was God's mountain and the mountain of the people of North Carolina," Crae Morton said. "This is a happy day for the people of North Carolina, for staff members of Grandfather Mountain, for my family and myself."
About a hundred people had gathered in MacRae Meadows for the announcement and speeches. Not long afterward, up at the top of the mountain, two sisters who were about Easley's age on his first visit, were on their first visit.
Sarah Langford, 6, and her sister Emma, 5, along with mother Heather and grandparents, John and Ann Kirtley, all of Charlotte, crossed the Mile High Swinging Bridge.
"It seems like a state park," said Heather Langford.
"It was bouncy," said Sarah, describing her walk across the bridge.
She said she'd fed the bears and seen an eagle and wanted to come back.
"Mm-hmm," Sarah said. "'Cause it's fun."
■ Monte Mitchell can be reached in Wilkesboro at 336-667-5691 or at mmitchell@wsjournal.com.
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