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The News of Orange County, Hillsborough, NC, Wednesday, December 19,
<br />~~6°~S _. ___ ..
<br />continued from Page 1A
<br />Commissioner Alice Gordon
<br />"We are very pleased that Orange
<br />County citizens will be able to
<br />enjoy this magnificent park for
<br />years to come." ,y. N ~„
<br />County staff identified the ,~ 1 +
<br />+ ~ <~d,;,
<br />s ' ~
<br />property as a prime location for ~ z ~~ s~`~ g
<br />+~ 11,n, ~ F 4
<br />active and low-impact recreation ~ ae~~~ `"" ~ ~ 'r~Y t .: .?-'~` T'++4"' -'
<br />noting that the current and for- _ ~ "-4. - - ~~~
<br />mer agricultural fields could `'r° ~ i *a+ ~~''
<br />"1~1iis ptirc~aase ~ ~~"j
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<br />' ~. ~,r~ ~~. ~ ~ ,.,,....~
<br />is another ~ ~a z„ ~,~
<br />~ ~. ~', - .-r ,,.
<br />triumph for '~ ~; -
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<br />ottr Lands ti~~w~~~~ ~` ~ ~, ~.~U ,l -;
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<br />LegacJ program ~~ r~~~~~+'~~ `?~~; <~.,,~,;~' .~ ~~- ,i~
<br />~ '1 a~+ ~'1 ` ~;; ~~ t~ ~ `~
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<br />support playing fields without {{, ' ° wn,; ~~ ~ Il~r~ ~ 1 ~ ,
<br />saCIIflCing historic features SUCI7 ~~~3iy +~~~'~~i~~ ~r ~ 1 ~~t ~ ~~ ~ i I h ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ '~ ~
<br />5
<br />aS Old rOadwayS and VIStaS, Whlle ~^~ i,71;' ,~~4k e~+~ ~ ~ ~ ~,. ,~, r ~i 1.r~ ~~~ . ,y r ~ ~ i.; ' \, +;~ , ~,:
<br />open areas wind provide picnic ~~i71A ; pa . -i' , g`: ~~ ?r: - ?'+., ~'!' ~< <-.a:; ~ + r ~ ',' ~~ a 1; `
<br />and children's play areas. Ripar- Photo courtesy of Orange County Environment & Resource Conservation
<br />ran areas could accommodate
<br />walking trails, while other por_ Pickrmd is the pond located on the
<br />"
<br />bons of the property would re- I31acl;wood family f
<br />arm at the in-
<br />main entirely natural.. tcrsection of New F{ope Church
<br />Staff also suggested that the Road and N,C. I{wy. 86, Orange
<br /> County recently purchased the
<br />house and other structures be property for about $2 million.
<br />turned into a museum similar to
<br />Duke Homestead, a caretaker's The property had been farmed
<br />residence, or a park superinten- by the Blackwood, Craig, and
<br />dent/ranger residence. Farm Straylrorn families since the
<br />buildings could be used to house 1700s.
<br />exhibits demonstrating tradi- "This is one of the most sig-
<br />tional farming practices. ^ificant land purchases made by
<br />"Acquisition of the historic Orange County, one that wilt
<br />Blackwood property is another
<br />" serve all the citizens of Orange
<br />great coup far Orange County, County for many, many years to
<br />said Barry Jacobs, chair of the come," said Commissioner
<br />Board of County Commission-
<br />Steve Ilalkiotis
<br />ers. "This property is perfectly
<br />situated to provide easy access "We greatly appreciate the
<br />for citizens from both the north- Blackwood family's willingness
<br />ern and southern parts of the to help retain a part of Orange
<br />county and is well-suited to ac- County history," Stanch said..
<br />live and low-impact recreation. "Without the family's civic-
<br />What's more, we've managed to minded interest in seeing tlreir
<br />preserve a valuable part of our farm conserved as a public park,
<br />natuml and rural heritage and one this truly remarkable purchase
<br />of the county's loveliest vistas would not have been possible "
<br />to boot"
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