Dunn’s Meadow a done deal

By Justin Harmon

In 1778, an army gathered in Craig’s Meadow. From there, they marched to a victory in King’s Mountain, S.C.

Though the location was later redubbed Dunn’s Meadow, the history of the Overmountain Men who mustered there remained intact. And in order to keep that history from becoming a housing development, Abingdon has bought the property.

“It’s the most historic site in Abingdon,” said Town Manger Greg Kelly.

Since 1970, Kelly said that re-enactors have traveled from all over to Dunn’s Meadow to relive the gathering and walk the route colonial soldiers did more than 200 years ago. Now that the town owns the property, Kelly is hoping it will be able to make that and other similar events on the property more accessible to the public.

According to Kelly, the town started looking at the property about a year ago, when the owner, Rose Dunn, came before the Planning Commission with the intent to subdivide and develop the property.

“We wanted to save it from development,” he said.

Kelly said that Dunn was gracious that the town was to take over the property and save it from its fate.

Shortly thereafter, Kelly said the town entered into negotiation with Dunn for the property, which was appraised at around $1 million. The town was able to obtain the property for $800,000.

According to Kelly, no plans have been etched in stone as to what will be done with the property, but possibilities for the property likely will be discussed at the July Town Council meeting.

“We’ll have to get a committee of people together and go from there,” he said.

One thing Kelly said that would likely happen is that the property might be rezoned as a historic district. Kelly said that by doing that, the town could keep the property as a piece of history, even if it were to sell the property sometime down the road.

“It would put some restrictions via zoning on the property that would preserve it,” he said.