Better late than never, former Speedway property finally transitions into State Park’s hands.
In real estate deals, timing isn’t always a thing you can control. And no project reflects that more than the transfer of the Historic Occoneechee Speedway property in Hillsborough. So we are thrilled to announce that the ink is dry, and the 200+ acre property that includes the James M. Johnston Nature Preserve formerly owned by Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation (formerly Classical American Homes Preservation Trust) is now a part of Eno River State Park.
Conversations around the transition of this property began in 2021, which put the Eno River Association at the center of facilitating the transfer of a 24-acre Eno River Bend parcel to The Archaeological Conservancy and a 205-acre parcel to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation to be included in Eno River State Park.
The project received major funding support from the NC Land & Water Fund, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, and the Harkrader Family that issued a $100,000 challenge matched by donors to the Association in 2022.
“Our family was thrilled to help the Eno River Association bring two treasures of Orange County, the historic Occoneechee Speedway and the wild and beautiful James M. Johnston Nature Preserve, into the Eno River State Park so that they can be preserved and enjoyed by all for generations to come.”
The Harkrader Family, Richard, Lonna, and Carson
The closing was delayed from the anticipated date by about a year due to the complexity of the transaction which had multiple parcels, easement holders, and future owners. During negotiations, it was determined that a one acre site that houses an active pump station along the river would be donated to the Town of Hillsborough, instead of to the State.
The property transfer protects the future of the sites and the people, plants, and animals that rely on it. While 94% of the property was covered by historical preservation, trail, and conservation easements that protect the resources, State Park ownership means the site will remain open to the public, and that the trails, cultural heritage, and other facilities will be maintained. Improvement and maintenance plans have not yet been released, but the Eno River Association and the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail provide significant volunteer, programmatic, and trail maintenance support to the State Park.
I am thrilled to bring the Historic Speedway into our state parks family! Adding this jewel to Eno River State Park will ensure that the area is protected for future generations through conservation, recreation, and education. Our park staff’s management of the area will increase the health of its ecosystem and add educational programming to introduce the public to the history of the Speedway.”
Eno River State Park Superintendent Kimberly Radewicz
This expansion of Eno River State Park will include the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail, of which the dirt speedway is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. The trail system includes four miles of recreation trails within the speedway and neighboring James M. Johnston Nature Preserve, a state dedicated nature preserve. The trail system connects to the Hillsborough Riverwalk and is an integral part of the N.C. Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
To learn more about the project, visit dcnr.nc.gov.
