North Carolina buys a rock!

North Carolina is spending $24 million to buy a rock! The Chimney Rock landmark, long a destination for mountain sightseers, will be purchased to become part of the new Hickory Nut Gorge State Park and preserve the location. After years of negotiations the state could not get the family that owned the site to agree to the state's price but after the family placed it up for sale for $55 million the state was able to buy it after including a contribution from a third party with state funds.

The following is an exerpt from the News and Observer article...

The Associated Press - News and Observer

RALEIGH -- The state will spend $24 million to buy privately owned Chimney Rock Park, a landmark in western North Carolina that has served as the setting for several major motion pictures, Gov. Mike Easley said today.

"Chimney Rock is one of the most visible images of our state's landscape and giving it an honored place in our state parks system is a conservation success story for all North Carolinians," Easley said.

The state parks system had long been in negotiations with the family that owns the 1,000-acre property in Rutherford County. In July, the owners turned down a state offer of $20 million, then listed the property with Sotheby's for $55 million.

Today's deal was helped by a private donation of $2.35 million, said Charlie Peek, spokesman for the state Division of Parks and Recreation.

The property -- much of which is untouched by humans -- will be used to augment the state's new Hickory Nut Gorge State Park, newly created in one of North Carolina's most biologically diverse areas, Peek said. Read the complete article...