Watching Todd Morse this week announce the “ toughest thing he has ever had to do” was wrenching.
  Morse, the fourth generation of his family to care for Chimney Rock Park, announced the family’s decision to put the park up for sale.
  The sense of uncertainty and sadness that I felt watching this doesn’t even compare to what Todd and the Chimney Rock family are feeling right now.
  There is still a very real chance the park could end up in the hands of the state and be made the central part of the planned Hickory Nut Gorge State Park.
  But the problem is, no one knows right now what will hap­pen.
  Can the state and its conserva­tion partners come up with enough money? The North Carolina General Assembly this year appropriated a record $15 million for park land acquisition in the Gorge, but the price tag is $55 million.
  If the state cannot afford it, can a private buyer be found who will run the entire property as a park much like it is now?
  The other alternatives start to look less and less appealing as you list them, down to the worst of all, a completely private, gated subdivision.
  Chimney Rock Park is the anchor of Rutherford County. It is always the first thing you say to a person when they ask: Where is Rutherford County?
  I usually say something like: Have you seen the Last of the Mohicans? Most everyone says yes. Well, that was filmed here at Chimney Rock Park.
  If Chimney Rock Park falls into the hands of a private developer who is not interested in running it as a park, Rutherford County will lose a big part of its identity. We will become something much less special; a place less about public celebration and more about pri­vate money. I can honestly say that Chimney Rock Park is one of the main reasons we moved here. My better half was recruit­ed through Rutherford

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Hospital and as part of our first visit here, Gale Roller hooked us up with two passes to the park.
  We went there on our way out of town, hiking out to the top of Hickory Nut Falls, soaking in the majesty of the place on an absolutely perfect early fall day.
  Those feelings of awe stuck with us, making our decision to turn down two “city jobs” easy.
  I also remember the genuine friendliness of the park staff.
  The people who worked at the park wanted to be there.
  I wanted to stay there forever.
  We also came here wanting to buy land and were able to do so, but the proximity to the moun­tains and to Chimney Rock Park is what makes land here more special than places east.
  My hope now is that the public reality of the park falling into uncertain hands will draw more conservation-minded people forward to make sure the park stays a park.
  To me, there are only two acceptable results: The conver­sion to a state park, or contin­ued operation of the entire property as park much like it is now.
  Anything else and we will have lost part of the character of this county.
  It was abundantly clear from Todd’s reaction Tuesday that this is not what he wanted to do. It is like he is selling his own soul.
  I spoke with Todd after Tuesday’s press conference and I listened to him talk about how special the mountain is to him.
  He talked about his brother, Lucius, who was tragically killed by a drunk driver. He said his fondest memories with his brother were getting up early in the morning before the park opened and running all over the mountain.
  Todd said the mountain is his main emotional connection to his brother.
  This is indeed a sad day for Todd and everyone associated with the park. Let’s all hope that final result is something that can remove the feelings of uncertainty and return us to a sense of wonder and celebra­tion.
 Stensland i

CHIMNEY ROCK — Chimney Rock Park, privately owned for the past 100 years by the Morse family, is being offered for sale for $55 mil­lion.
  Fourth generation owner/presi­dent Todd B. Morse, who was over­come with emotion several times, made the announcement Tuesday morning.
  Morse told the media and close friends during a press conference in the Park’s Meadows that deciding to sell the Park was the hardest deci­sion he had ever made.
  Morse’s great-great uncle Lucius B. Morse opened the park in 1902 as a tourist attraction and Morse is now the fourth generation owner.
  Morse’s father, Lucius Morse, chairman/owner of the company, said in a statement read by his son, “After much thought and reflection on our family’s proud century-long relationship with our beloved Chimney Rock Park, we feel the time has come for us to step aside and identify the next steward to oversee this majestic part of the world.” Morse cried as he read the state­ment from his father.
  “ The magnitude of what we’re doing is definitely catching up with me,”

he said.
  He told the group that if he had all the choices in the world regarding the Park, “My children would have had this.” As he read his own statement, Morse again became emotional, “ ... We have chosen to list our property for sale with Sotheby’s International Realty,” he said of the Wilmington-based Cape Fear Sotheby’s.
  Morse said he told the Park employees Monday night during a company meeting.
  “Our area and our business have been going through a period of sig­nificant change,” Morse said.
  “Development is taking place around us, the state has begun acquiring land for the state park in the Hickory Nut Gorge, and we have been examining how all of this will

impact our long range business opportunities and challenges.” Due to the business climate in the past number of years, “we had to take a strategic look at what we were going to do,” Morse said.
  For the third consecutive year, adverse weather has had a signifi­cant impact on the business.
  Morse said there were about 215,000 visitors at the Park last year and so far in 2006, there is a 15 percent increase in visitors.
  The Park reached its peak in 1999 with 280,000 visitors.
  “ Whatever the sale is, we hope the outcome will be a positive one for all. We will explore all possi­bilities,” he said. “As business owners and stew­ards of this property, we have been actively working to under­stand our business and property in light of the changes that are occurring locally, regionally and nationally so that we can make informed decisions about our future that are in the best interest of this company, the property, our associates, and our family,” Morse said.
  Morse said the family chose Sotheby’s because of its 260 years of experience in handling unique treasures combined with its worldwide real estate organiza­tion that

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provides high level ser­vice in representing extraordinary estates.
  “Our family feels that Sotheby’s is distinctly qualified to help us connect with individuals or orga­nizations who truly appreciate the uniqueness of our property and respect its legacy,” Morse said.
  He also said as the family works with Sotheby’s, all other options will be explored including the on­going discussions with the state of North Carolina.
  Offered at $55 million, Chim­ney Rock Park is believed to be the highest private property list­ing ever in the history of the state.
  “ We will endeavor to ultimately make the best decisions we can, decisions which are consistent as possible with our family’s values and which build on our family’s stewardship of Chimney Rock Park for over 100 years,” Morse said.
  Morse said nothing has changed in the Park operations regarding visitors and the pass holders. “ We will operate the Park in the way we have been,” he said.
  “Our hope is that the Park will remain accessible to the public and we hope that someone will want to continue on and preserve it.
  “ We are looking for the best stewards of this property,” Morse said.
  One of the great challenges of the world, said Morse, is to be a “Good neighbor and a good stew­ard in a for-profit run business.”