Help us create a woodland, greenway park in Malvern Hills
A historic 32 acres of forest and wetland in Malvern Hills is listed for sale for development by Pulliam Properties. Development of this property would destroy what could become a beautiful woodland park for our community.
Location of the Vrabel property, site of Asheville’s first golf course. This land was know as “the meadow” in the 1840’s. Click on the image to see Pulliam Property’s concept drawing for development. (Click map to see Pulliam Properties concept drawing)
The Meadow, as it was called in the early 1800’s, was farmed for many decades before becoming Asheville’s first golf course in 1895 and later the Malvern Hills Country Club course in 1925.
In 1827, Robert Henry and his slave discovered the sulphur springs on his property. Then in 1830, Reuben Deaver, Robert Henry’s son-in-law, started taking in boarders who came to drink the healing waters from the springs. “Deaver’s Springs,” as it was known then, became a popular tourist destination until his hotel burned down in 1860. for more history, click here.
This popular tourist destination changed hands several times over the next hundred years. In 1944, Chester Cogburn and his wife, owners of Pisgah View Ranch, purchased the Malvern Springs tourist park. The property has been vacant for over 40 years and is an ideal site for a greenway and park.
The estate that owns this 32 acre tract bordered by Hillside Terrace, School Rd., Wendover, and Sand Hill is anxious to sell this property. If sold for commercial usage it could look something like what is shown on the property listing: 66 houses and roads along the creek which would probably need to be channelized so the road could be built. The property is zoned R4 which would allow 128 houses to be built in this forest.
This land is a perfect for greenway that would connect Asheville School to the Hominy Creek Greenway as well as a woodland park for the Malvern Hills Community.
This project is just starting. It’s a big one, but what a gift we’ll be giving our community. We plan a community presentation of the project tentatively on April 8th. If you want more information about the presentation, the park, or wish to be on our mailing list, email caniecreekgreenway@gmail.com or call brotherhug at 828.398.0580.
We can make this happen through your support. Click here to donate through RiverLink.
“I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want.”
― Andy Warhol