COOLEEMEE — With the bust in the housing market, there are a lot of deals to be had for someone wanting to purchase a home. A “house raffle” in Davie County is perhaps among the sweetest.
The grand prize of the Cooleemee House Raffle is an historic three-bedroom mill cottage. Raffle tickets are $100 each. An “Early Bird” drawing will determine the winner of a $1,000 cash prize when 500 tickets are sold.
The grand prize drawing will take place in January, six months after the raffle kicks off this week, or when 1,000 tickets are purchased. All ticket sales will be conducted on the Internet through the raffle website, www.CooleemeeHouseRaffle.com
Rules are posted on the site, along with “This House Can Talk” history, a brief description of the town and other details about the raffle.
“We have two goals for this contest,” said Tony Steele, the organization’s president. “First, this is something our organization can do to help raise the number of owner-occupied historic houses in town. Second, we operate three heritage museums and a unique kids history program. All need financial support.”
Historical society leaders say they are really looking for a family who wants to own a home — not just win a prize. Raffle rules require that the winner (or a member of their immediate family) live in the home for at least three years.
“We want to attract a good neighbor who likes the idea of living in a traditional community,” says Joey Shore, president of the Cooleemee Historical Association. “This is a great place to live. That’s why I’ve moved back home.”
The raffle property is located at 105 Joyner St. in this former mill town located in the south end of Davie County. The South Yadkin River is seven blocks away and the community boasts of an 80-acre nature park on its banks.
An “Open House” allowing those interested to tour the property will be held from 1-4 p.m. on the last Saturday of every month.
“This is a walkable community,” says Steele.
Every morning and evening, scores of people walk for exercise, go to the ice cream shop at the local shopping center or visit neighbors. Cooleemee is located about 15 miles from Salisbury and 30 miles from Statesville, Lexington, Mooresville and Winston-Salem.
Sitting on the Joyner Street lot, at the corner of Marginal Street, is the historic Cooleemee Journal office.
“This place is ideal for an ‘empty nester’ or a family with older children,” said Shore. “That Journal building is nearly 700 square feet and could easily become a home office, a studio or a one-room bed and breakfast.”
For 66 years, the weekly newspaper brought local mill employees and their families “the news.” Last to live in the house was J.C. “Bud” Sell and his wife, Maxine, who have both died.
The Sell family published The Journal until it was purchased by the Salisbury Post after the mill closed in 1969.