News-Record.com

In my view, Grandfather Mountain is the grandest place in North Carolina. So the idea that I, as a resident of this state, can become a part-owner of sorts for whatever my share of $12 million purchase price will come to is just remarkable.

This might be the best land deal since the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7 million in 1867. That transactions was foolishly ridiculed as Seward's Folly after the secretary of state who negotiated the agreement. Maybe this will be called Easley's Steal -- except the Morton family isn't being robbed. They're in effect making a huge donation to the people of North Carolina.

Compare this to the state's acquisition of Chimney Rock Park last year. That cost $24 million for 1,000 acres -- and sounded pretty good to me. Chimney Rock is a jewel.

But Grandfather Mountain comes with 2,600 acres for a price that works out to a dollar and change for every resident of North Carolina. Thank you, Crae Morton and family.

Most of that acreage is rugged wilderness, which now can be preserved forever -- a priceless treasure.

But the park also includes valuable development -- a road, a visitor center, a museum, wildlife habitats, McCrae Meadow where the annual Highland Games are held, the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge and an extensive trail system. The hiking up there is outstanding, and the views are unsurpassed in Eastern America.

My only concern is maintenance. I hope the state will do a good job of keeping it up. I'll guess the state will continue the current admission charges, or close to it, to pay for upkeep.

Grandfather Mountain has always been a great asset for North Carolina. The Morton family has operated it almost like a public trust. I suppose the danger was that, someday, they'd no longer be able to do that. So now they're entrusting it to the public, and it's going to be an asset of North Carolina. Let's do it justice and enjoy it as long as it stands against our western horizon.