Passing the torch of 105 years of Stewardship...Chimney Rock Park
By Scott Bland
15 May 2007
In 1902 Dr. Lucius B. Morse began what became 105 years of dedication and preservation of a natural area called Chimney Rock Park, in western North Carolina, just twenty five miles east of Asheville. For what is now almost 1000 acres of extremely well maintained trails, 75 mile vistas, the 404 foot Hickory Nut Falls, and the famous 315 foot spire of granite called Chimney Rock. The Morse family have been the proprietors since the dream of Dr. Morse was conceived so long ago. The Morse family doesn't feel the word 'ownership' appropriate. They feel 'stewardship' more describes what their role in the park's history is... And such a rich history the park holds indeed!
Chimney Rock has been a tourist attraction since a stairway was constructed to its summit in 1885 by then owner, Jerome "Rome" Freeman, one hundred and twenty two years ago! Rome purchased "the rock" and 400 acres of the surrounding wilderness for $25.00 in 1870, where only five years before Union Gen. George Stoneman led 6,000 cavalrymen through the valley in pursuit of the fleeing Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In the begining, visitors arrived by horseback and buggy by way of the rail stations of Hendersonville and Waynesboro and Asheville.
Approximately 32 years after Rome purchased Chimney Rock, Dr. Morse and his older twin brothers, Hiram and Asahel, paid $5,000 for 64 acres of Chimney Rock Mountain, including the Chimney and the surrounding cliffs creating the beginning of what is today Chimney Rock Park.
To enter the park you cross The Rocky Broad River over an old wood bridge. The road winds 3 miles up the side of the mountain to the entrance of the park. A nice smile and "welcome" from one of the twenty five or so employees will greet you and ask you for a nominal fee of $14 per person. They'll hand you a map and send you on your way. All the trails are user friendly. If you have just an hour or have an entire day, there is plenty to see and do and hikes for everyone. There is even extreme rock climbing, that does require reservations, just ask the front gate employee for details.
There is an elevator that goes up to the base of the Chimney's 40 stairs and allows incredible views of Lake Lure and the valley below, which is good for the elderly and those requiring less effort than the sharp climb of the Needle's Eye almost vertical stairs!
The flora and fauna is just beautiful and varied. Wild Mountain Laurel is everywhere this time of year. I found myself walking alone through huge stands of pink and white flowers that surrounded the pathways along the Skyline ridge trail to the upper Hickory Nut Falls. Wild rose, daisy, rhododendron, trillium and purple phacelia also show themselves throughout the park. More than 550 species of vascular plants, including ferns and fern allies, have been identified. The diversity is something that you have to see for yourself!
The results of the uncompromising vision and foresight of the Morse brothers will be handed over to the state of North Carolina at the end of this year's season, the beginning of 2008. On January 29, 2007 it was announced by Gov. Mike Easley that the state purchased the park from the Morse family for $24 million dollars insuring that generations to come will continue to enjoy this magnificent park. The North Carolina Park system is adding Chimney Rock Park to the proposed state park at Hickory Nut Gorge. With 36 rare plant species and 14 rare animal species, the new state park at Hickory Nut Gorge is one of the most significant centers of biodiversity in the state. The history of nature conservation at Chimney Rock Park will be expanded to the surrounding 2,264 acres already owned by the state parks system. I applaud the Morse family for passing the stewardship to the state, keeping it from developers and those who would have it closed and divided into private lands.
An email to me from the president and general manager Todd Morse said,"Through the sale process, we were able to create a solution that allowed all of our employees to remain with the Park. We are forming a management company that will run the Park through at least 2009 (and, I hope, beyond). I believe that this final piece of what was a complex puzzle truly helped make this a win-win situation everywhere we looked. I'm grateful that we've been able to achieve an outcome that was the best for the land, the community, our employees, and our family." That tells you what kind of place this family has created.
The passing of this stewardship to the North Carolina State Parks systems is a gift the Morse family have passed on to the citizens of this great state and to all the 250,000 annual visitors that come to enjoy the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the southern hospitality that is Chimney Rock Park. Thank you Dr. Morse for your dream and allowing us to share in your vision!
And what a view it is.
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