Question: Who transformed Chimney Rock into a public park?
Answer: A man named Jerome B. “Rome” Freeman originally purchased Chimney Rock and the surrounding 400 acres for $25 around 1890 from a speculation company. Freeman was the first to think of cutting a trail to the base and erecting a stairway to the top so the public could enjoy it.
Around 1900, Dr. Lucius B. Morse, a physician with tuberculosis, became captivated by Chimney Rock’s rugged beauty. In 1902, backed financially by his older twin brothers, Hiram and Asahel, Lucius purchased it from Freeman for $5,000. With a vision for creating a park, the three men built a bridge and road to Chimney Rock, which was dedicated in 1916.
