Queen’s Gap Arts and Crafts Beauty- 2019

Before the Great Recession of 2008, a very ambitious golf course development was under construction in the wilderness of the far north Rutherford County mountains.  This magnificent Community and Wellness Center, along with the matching Arts and Crafts Gatehouse, were the only elements completed before a very nasty bankruptcy.  The Jack Nicklaus championship golf course was surveyed and a number of fairways were cleared before the fall.  Over the years I have documented the plight of these architectural treasures as the case moved through the courts. Ultimately, the structures were put up for sale, and that is the situation today as I post this piece.

I’m amazed that over the past ten years, the buildings have weathered the mountain winters, and attacks by vandals, to still be in the same pristine condition that they were when first built. My hope continues to be that some large corporation or educational institution will rescue them so their wonderful craftsmanship can be appreciated for generations to come. It would be such a travesty if they were allowed to slowly decay, or worse yet, be lost to fire or storms. Needless to say, with the asking price being a fraction of what they cost to build, someone will steal these jewels at pennies on the dollar, not to mention the 69 wooded acres that will go with them.

The view of the golf course and mountains from the Community Center’s rear porch.

 

Tags: Arts and Crafts Architecture, Blue Ridge Mountains, Jack Nicklaus Golf Course, North Carolina, Queen's Gap, Rutherford County, sunset, winter

• February 12, 2019
• Queen's Gap
• 6 Comments