By Jessie Burchette
Salisbury Post
The family of the late Rep. Eugene McCombs wants the log house he built to be located at Dan Nicholas Park.
And the county’s Parks and Recreation Commission has agreed, unanimously voting Monday night to ask county commissioners to allow placement of the cabin at Dan Nicholas Park.
The motion by commission member Paul Brown specified that all the costs will be paid by donations, with no tax dollars involved.
The family offered the house several months ago. Parks officials had debated whether to place it at Dan Nicholas or at Sloan Park on the western side of the county.
In a letter to to Don Bringle, parks director, McCombs’ family wrote: “The development of the park on Bringle Ferry Road was a proud accomplishment of the time Eugene served on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners. Of the many things he was involved in during his many years of public service, he would always point to the park as the thing he was most proud. … The fact that Eugene was from the eastern part of the county also adds significance for us that the cabin be located at Dan Nicholas.”
The house was constructed from logs that are believed to have dated to before the Civil War. Part of the logs came from a barn on the Murray Corriher farm off N.C. 152 near China Grove.
An updated log house, it has electricity, running water and other amenities.
McCombs built the house in 1976 and later enlarged it.
A Faith grocery store owner, McCombs became possibly the county’s most successful politician, running in 25 different elections. He served 12 years on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners and was elected to six terms in the N.C. House.
The McCombs family also requested that the cabin continue to have electricity, “so that the inside of the structure can be easily viewed throughout the day.”
Brown noted that the house will not be a historically correct house.
In other matters, the board:
– Heard a report from Bringle about a recent visit by the operators of various N.C. welcome centers.
He said they were favorably impressed with Dan Nicholas Park and will be helpful in promoting the campground facilities.
The group also toured Patterson Farms and the Lazy 5 Ranch.
– Reported that revenue at Dan Nicholas Park was up $161,000 for the first six months of the fiscal year, compared to the same period in 2006.
– Reported that, weather permitting, Dunn’s Mountain Park will be open two weekends in February. Bad weather prevented opening this month.
– Welcomed a new board member, Frank Deal, who lives near Sloan Park.
– Agreed to consider rotating sites for future board meetings.