Ask your local town, city or organization to pass the following resolution:

RESOLUTION

Whereas Chimney Rock Park, a 1000 acre privately held natural preserve in Rutherford County, North Carolina, has been offered for sale, and

Whereas this extraordinary parcel has been well maintained and has benefited from, the sound ecological practices employed by the same family for 104 years, and

Whereas the Park is home to numerous state and federally listed rare species, and

Whereas the Park has contributed to the local and state economy by hosting 200,000 to 250,000 visitors annually, the great majority of those being out of area tourists, and

Whereas Chimney Rock Park is situated in Rutherford County which in 2005 had the third highest unemployment rate in North Carolina out of 100 counties  (USDA Economic Research Service), and

Whereas Chimney Rock Park being operated as a tourist destination has traditionally employed 60 full and part-time   individuals, and

Whereas Rutherford County ranked 26^th in tourism impact out of the state’s 100 counties generating tourism revenues of over 118 million dollars, and

Whereas Rutherford County tourism, greatly aided by tourism in the Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area, contributed state and local tax receipts in 2005 of 7.1 million and 3.75 million dollars respectively (NC Department of Commerce), and

Whereas the citizens of Hickory Nut Gorge strongly support continuation of park presence and facilities in the gorge area, and

Whereas the Rutherford County Daily Courier has opined that “It would be a disaster unprecedented in Rutherford County to see all that the Park has become and all that it still might be relegated to our memories.”  (Daily Courier 7/19/2006), and

Whereas the Asheville Citizen-Times has stated “Losing Chimney Rock Park to private development would severely harm the economy of Hickory Nut Gorge and be a sad end to a remarkable legacy of family stewardship” (Citizen-Times 7/21/2006), and

Whereas the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, the legislators of Rutherford County, the General Assembly and Governor Easley have shown the desire, foresight and commitment to establish a state park in Hickory Nut Gorge, and

Whereas the 1000 acre Chimney Rock Park would be an addition of inestimable value to a new state park and such has been previously recognized by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and state officials, Now, 

Therefore, be it resolved that the (Lake Lure Town Council, Chimney Rock Village Council, Hickory Nut Gorge Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Hickory Nut Gorge, Rutherford County Commission, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, other) does hereby strongly urge and encourage the State of North Carolina through its various agencies, divisions, and legislative bodies, to do all that is possible and necessary to acquire Chimney Rock Park and add that acreage to the planned Hickory Nut Gorge State Park.

If you have time, please copy us any resolutions pasted by any organization.  We would also like to be copied any emails, letters or notes you send. We are archiving all the work done in regard to saving Chimney Rock Park.  Thank you for all your help!  savechimneyrock@aol.com

Thank you to the following groups that have passed the resolution:

Village of Chimney Rock

Town of Lake Lure

Town of Marion, NC

Town of Rutherfordton

Town of Forest City

Town of Brevard

Town of Morganton

Town of Waynesville

Town of Highlands

Town of Tryon

Town of Fletcher 

Town of Boone

Town of Cramerton

Town of Montreat

Town of Holly Ridge

Town of Black Mountain

Town of Seven Devils

Town of Mills River

Town of Oak Island

Town of Hope Mills

Town of Laurel Park

Town of Thomasville

Town of Chapel Hill

Town of Momeyer

City of Statesville

Town of Mars Hill

Town of Franklinville

Village of Flat Rock

City of Creedmoor

Town of St. James

Town of Lincolnton

City of Shelby

Watawga County

Buncombe County

Rutherford County

Polk County

Gaston County

Henderson County

Burke County

Chimney Rock VFD

Rutherford County Democratic Party

Henderson County Democratic Party

Polk County Democratic Party

Hickory Nut Gorge Chamber of Commerce 

The Upper Broad River Community Club

Rutherford County Economic Development Council

Kiwanis Club of the Hickory Nut Gorge

Friends of the Hickory Nut Gorge

Lake Lure Preservation Society

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina

Henderson County League of Women Voters

The Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Club

The Environmental and Conservation Organization

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy

Rutherford Outdoor Coalition

Carolina Climbers Coalition

The Access Fund

Please note that this is a partial list that is changing daily. Please let us know when we are missing a group.