Oak Ridge 20th Anniversary Celebration

INSIDE Oak Ridge’s Incorporation........................ 2 Oak Ridge Park: A shining star .................. 4 Our Historic District ..................................... 6 20 Years at a Glance ..............................8-9 Changing Face of Oak Ridge ................ 10 OR Fire Department: Then and Now ..... 11

PLUS Join the Celebration: Upcoming Anniversary Events

Oak Ridge’s incorporation:

A story of dedication and luck

by SANDRA SMITH

T

iming, as they say, is everything. Many people believe that applies to the founding of the Town of Oak Ridge.

Although the Oak Ridge community was well established, it had traditionally fallen under the jurisdiction of Guilford County. That seemed fi ne until the late 1990s, when local residents began to feel the need for self-governance.

For many, those feelings had to do with Greensboro’s aggressive annexation efforts.

“During the 1990s the City of Greensboro developed detailed plans to annex 45 square miles of property. Greensboro’s planned unilateral annexation activity within Guilford County spurred the incorporation of several of the counties [sic] newest towns including Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden, Sedalia and Summerfi eld,” Russell M. Smith wrote in an article in Southeastern Geographer. The Town of Kernersville was also greedily eying the growing community and making plans to cross the Guilford/ Forsyth County line.

Fiercely independent, Oak Ridge residents did not want to be gobbled up and controlled by Greensboro or any other neighboring municipality.

“We wanted to be able to make our

File photo

(Left to right) Rep. Mike Decker and interim town council members Gary Blackburn, Bill Parrish, Greg Bissett and Mack Peoples celebrate Oak Ridge’s incorporation in this 1998 photo. (Not pictured: Councilman Roger Howerton)

own decisions and to not be taken over by somebody else,” said Roger Howerton, an Oak Ridge native who has seen many changes in the primarily agricultural community he grew up in.

A member of the incorporation effort who served on the fi rst appointed town council, Howerton went on to be elected and served 14 years as a town council member and mayor pro tem.

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CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

“I personally supported the effort because I knew without incorporation, the ‘town’ of Oak Ridge would cease to exist within a very few years,” said Gary Blackburn, who was

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20 YEARS

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“The opposition of (then-) Mayor Larry Brown and the Kernersville Board of Aldermen was total,” Black-

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But Kernersville was a different story, and an all-out war erupted between Kernersville leaders and Oak Ridge residents.

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Neighboring municipalities ran the gamut from supportive to outright hostile. Stokesdale and Summerfi eld lent their support fairly quickly. Some of those involved recall Greensboro working behind the scenes to derail the effort, but ultimately agreeing to a compromise that moved Oak Ridge’s southern boundary to Reedy Fork Creek, reducing the new town’s overall size.

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Incorporating a town is an arduous task involving much time, effort and determination over a period of months or even years. It requires many hours of strategy meetings, gathering community support, and getting consent from neighboring municipalities and the county on the effort as well as specifi c town boundaries. It also entails lobbying state offi cials to help maneuver legislation

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“It was a non-entity as far as they were concerned,” he said. “I thought it was important that locally, we make our own decisions. We needed local government.”

The Northwest Observer, then called the Oak Ridge Observer, covered the incorporation effort in an article titled “Oak Ridge Pursues Incorporation” on the front cover of its inaugural edition in November 1996, and in many subsequent issues. The article reports on a September 1996 community meeting at Oak Ridge Elementary School: “With Hurricane Fran coming in like a lion, the turnout was amazing,” with an estimated 350 residents in attendance.

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Oak Ridge Town Limits

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In the 1990s, Cooke had tried three times to have the northwest corner of the intersection rezoned to allow for what is now Oak Ridge Commons shopping center. Each time, he tried to meet individually with the 11 Guilford County commissioners to explain what he wanted to do. Meeting with that many people and trying to get a favorable vote on an area they knew or cared little about was draining.

Oak Ridge residents were fortunate to fi nd a friend in Mike Decker, a member of the N.C. House of Representatives. Blackburn said Decker not only attended every meeting with Oak Ridge residents, but he promised to introduce the bill and shepherd it through the legislature.

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“It was just a sleepy crossroads,” Cooke recalls of Oak Ridge at that time.

HAPPY

Jerry Cooke was another local resident who was involved with incorporation efforts. Cooke had purchased a large farm that encompassed three of the corners at the intersection of N.C. 68 and N.C. 150 in 1975.

through various committees, and approval by a three-fi fths majority in both state houses.

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director of public relations at Oak Ridge Military Academy at the time and was appointed mayor pro tem of the fi rst town council. “I believed it was the last chance to save the town, and I believed it was worth the fi ght.”

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burn recalled. “They and their legal team continuously changed tactics and tried to out-maneuver us every step of the way.”

In the end, Oak Ridge residents gave up the proposed plan to incorporate the entire fi re district and settled for less, believing that the

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smaller-than-desired area was better than nothing.

“It wasn’t what we wanted, but it was what we had to do,” Howerton said. In order to get approval, Oak Ridge also had to agree not to try to

...continued on p. 14

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20 YEARS

3

Oak Ridge Town Park:

A ‘shining star’

by ANNETTE JOYCE

A

t one time, the nearly 80 acres at the corner of Linville Road and Lisa Drive in Oak Ridge was central to the livelihood of several local farmers. They depended on the land for growing crops such as tobacco and hay.

Back then, no one envisioned that this piece of farmland would have a far greater impact on the Oak Ridge community by one day becoming a much-loved town park and center for town events.

The idea for the Oak Ridge Town Park took shape in the early 2000s.

Karen Dodd, former Oak Ridge Town Council member, recalls that residents had been interested in a park since the town’s incorporation.

“We sent several questionnaires to our citizens for input on what we needed to provide in services or facilities for

Oak Ridge,” Dodd said. “A few wanted public garbage pickup, but the majority were interested in a community park.

A park that contained ball fields, walking trails, and playground equipment was very important.”

To pursue the goal of a fully-developed and well-planned park for the growing town, Oak Ridge formed a Parks and Recreation Commission in 2006.

As the commission’s first chairman, Oak Ridge resident Bill Edwards wanted the park to be the centerpiece for the town’s recreational activities.

“Oak Ridge was fortunate to have land become available in which to invest on behalf of its citizens,” Edwards said. “Other than the Oak Ridge Swim Club, there were no other recreational amenities in the immediate area. I consider the decision to build a park on that property to be brilliant.

“The original Parks and Recreation

Photo by Sandra Smith

A variety of organized sports have found a home at Oak Ridge Town Park.

Commission’s goal was to make the park the ‘shining star’ for the town. We strived to develop a safe, high-quality, family-friendly environment that would draw folks from throughout the state for both active and passive recreation,” Edwards said.

In 2007, Terry Lannon became the town’s first Parks and Recreation director. With over 40 years of parks and recreation experience, Lannon has focused on working with the commission to oversee the park and plan for its future development.

Today, Lannon and his crew work hard to maintain the park’s status as the town’s “shining star.”

Photo by Sandra Smith

Walkers are a common sight at Oak Ridge Town Park.

4

“I’m very proud of our current and past staff members who have taken ownership and responsibility for the park and made it what it is today,” Lannon said. “They care a great deal about what’s going on and take a lot of pride in their work. It’s definitely a team effort.”

As to what’s going on in the park,

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20 YEARS

there’s something for everyone. Organized groups, families and individuals from across the region have found it a place to call home, giving the park the feeling of a town square.

Anna Carter, owner of Anna Carter Fitness, has operated a boot camp in the park for the past five years and has personally experienced the sense of community the park offers.

“I have the opportunity to be in the park on a regular basis and have gotten to know many others who use the park at the same time,” Carter said.

“We speak, say hello, have conversations and most notably recognize when someone hasn’t been around for a while. It’s common to ask one another, ‘Have you seen so-and-so?’”

“The park has become a destination for not only our citizens, but for many others for a broad spectrum of reasons,” Dodd added. “Whether it is attending a sporting event, a community festival, school or family function,

File photo/NWO | Photo by Ashley Royal

With its playgrounds, trails, ballfields and special events (including the annual RidgeFest, above left, and kids’ games at Music in the Park, above right), the town park provides hours of enjoyment for local residents and guests. meeting a friend to enjoy a walk, bike ride or allowing your children to enjoy the wonderful playground equipment, it is a fabulous park.”

There is defi nitely something for everyone to enjoy. Tournaments and practices for baseball, softball, football, soccer and lacrosse bring kids and families out to the park’s four playing fi elds. Running clubs, boot camps and members of a dog-walking club are also regulars at the park. Wooded trails offer shaded routes for bikers, walkers and runners. A fi shing pond, two playgrounds and picnic shelters see regular use. A dog park, paved walking paths, two bathrooms, a camping site and a beautiful amphitheater round out the park’s current offerings.

Vicki Long, a park regular, enjoys the park’s walkability.

“My husband and I love the park,”

she said. “It is always so clean and it’s our favorite place to walk our dogs.

Sunny and Grady get so excited when they know that’s where they’re going.

The trails and walking paths, plus the dog park, make it a fun place to go.”

In addition to its many amenities, the park also provides a central location for a variety of local events.

RidgeFest, Canine Capers, Music in the Park, Heritage Day, Movies in the Park, Light up the Night Luminary/ Tree Lighting and a Fall Arts and Crafts Festival all draw crowds from the broader northwest community.

In 2017, the park also hosted an overnight for over 1,000 riders participating in Cycle North Carolina’s Mountain to Coast tour. Parties, celebrations of all kinds, and even a recent wedding at the amphitheater have also been held at the park.

Photo by Annette Joyce

Heritage Day is one of several popular events held at the park throughout the year. This year’s Heritage Day will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

By all measures, the park has been a huge success. Dodd sums it up best.

“The Oak Ridge Park was a huge undertaking for a community of our size,

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20 YEARS

5

Our Historic District:

Past and present

by ANN SCHNEIDER

O

ak Ridge’s historic district was created by a group of dedicated residents in 1994 – four years before the town’s incorporation – when Oak Ridge was still a slow-paced crossroads community.

These residents may have had an inkling of the growth that was in store for Oak Ridge. They knew, for example, that there were plans to widen N.C. 68 through the town and ongoing interest in commercially developing the town core. That was reason enough to motivate them to go through the lengthy process of surveying the town’s historic structures and open spaces and working with residents, politicians and preservationists to determine its boundaries and gain offi cial approval.

Ironically, the fi nal decision on whether to approve the district rested not with the residents, but with nine Guilford County commissioners, none of whom lived in Oak Ridge.

Because of this, “It was really about political strategies – a political process that didn’t have much to do with Oak Ridge or its history,” said long-time resident Frank Whitaker, one of those who worked to form the district. Although the vote was close (5-4), the commissioners ultimately

Photo by Sandra Smith

Built in 1914, Alumni Hall is the centerpiece of the Oak Ridge Military Academy campus. Its combination of Colonial Revival and Neoclassical styles has influenced many of the commercial buildings built since the historic district’s formation.

approved the district’s formation.

Their decision set in motion a state-mandated process that led to the creation of Oak Ridge’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) following the town’s incorporation in 1998. (Before then, a county-level commission managed the district.)

Today, the historic district is an

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30 years experience

6

accepted part of Oak Ridge. “It hasn’t been the headache and hassle that some people thought it would be. It’s given Oak Ridge a higher standard of appearance that makes our town unique,” Whitaker said. He believes the district has been critical to maintaining Oak Ridge’s livability and to preserving many of the town’s im-

portant historic sites. Those include 10 historic structures on Oak Ridge Military Academy’s campus (founded in 1852) that form an impressive National Register District. As its name implies, this mini-district, located in the heart of the town’s historic district, is of national signifi cance.

Oakhurst (1897), the Charles Benbow

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CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

20 YEARS

Twenty Years of Appreciation We are grateful to all who serve, or have served, on our town’s councils and committees: Courtesy photos

(Above) Many businesses, including the Bank of Oak Ridge, have drawn architectural inspiration from buildings in the town’s historic district.

(Left) Located at the western boundary of the historic district, the town’s newest marker honors Oak Ridge’s history and its 20th anniversary.

House (c. 1823), and the Jesse Benbow House (1858) are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Recent efforts by the HPC have focused on highlighting other historic sites, both inside and outside the district’s boundaries. For example, informational historic markers now stand outside the iconic Old Mill of Guilford (c. 1767), the Stafford-Benbow House (c. 1890), and the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (1895), one of the area’s fi rst African American churches.

“People driving through Oak Ridge notice the markers, the buildings, and see the historic nature of our town,” explained HPC member Kristin Kubly.

Given the amount of open space in Oak Ridge, the historic district has also helped shape new construction, with the goal of ensuring that

new buildings fi t in, visually and aesthetically, with nearby historic sites. Many builders have looked to the Oak Ridge Military Academy and Oak Ridge Elementary School (1924), among others, for inspiration.

Durable, handsome and available in a variety of tones and textures, brick has become the material of choice for new construction in Oak Ridge, especially in the commercial core.

Many are pleased with the results, including former Oak Ridge resident Bill Schmickle, who was one of the co-leaders of original efforts to form the historic district and is now the author of two infl uential books on historic districts.

“The way Oak Ridge has developed is precisely the way we hoped it would, and indeed is much better and

Beautification Committee

Historic Preservation Commission

Building Committee

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Committee

Ordinance Review Committee

Planning and Zoning Board

Land Use Plan Steering Committees

Parks and Recreation Commission

Pedestrian Plan Steering Committee

Special Events Committee

School Committee

Streetscape Committee

Water Committee

Tree City Committee

Board of Adjustment

Oak Ridge Town Council

We are also grateful to our Town staff, past and present, for their service.

Thanks to our 20th Anniversary Sponsors:

Maureena Shepherd, Realtor/Broker – Allen Tate LeBauer Primary Care, Oak Ridge Bank of Oak Ridge

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Checkers Hair Gallery

Rio Grande Mexican Kitchen

And a big thank you to PS Communications, publisher of the Northwest Observer, for making this publication possible!

...continued on p. 14

CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

20 YEARS

7

NORTH CAROLINA

1998

Official incorporation of Oak Ridge

1998

Appointment of first Mayor and Town Council

1999

2001

2000

First Oak Ridge Town Council election

U.S. Post Office on Linville Rd. constructed by Oak Ridge Society

Planning & Zoning Board formed

2002

2006

Parks & Recreation Commission formed

2005

Historic Preservation Commission formed

2005

Oak Ridge Elementary expansion completed

2004

Merchants of Oak Ridge formed

2007

Oak Ridge Town Hall and Town Park dedicated

2007

Preservation Oak Ridge formed

2008

Fun Fact Prior to the formation of the Town’s Planning & Zoning Board (2000) and Historic Preservation Commission (2005), these services were provided through Guilford County

Oak Ridge Town Park Phase I completed

2008 First

RidgeFest

What’s in the Historic District?

2011

Oak Ridge Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) approved by state

an o C A at

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• More than 50 historic sites on 400+ acres

Changed from Mayor-Council to Council-Manager government

2009

Oak Ridge Commons opened

• 37 historic buildings, including two National Register sites and the ORMA National Historic District

2011

Hired first Town Manager

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• 16 tracts of open land, including our Town Park

2012

Annexed 130-acre Cascades Preserve

c

2012 First

Canine Cap event

Total length of walkways in Town Park & Cascades Preserve: 9.5 miles

2014

Added playground, restrooms, dog park, and biking trails to Town Park

2014

100th nniversary of Linville Chapel & Alumni Hall Oak Ridge Military Academy

20 YE

1998-2018

2014

20th anniversary of Oak Ridge Historic District

2014

First Music in the Park events

pers

2016

Population growth over the years 1998 2,548 2000 3,988 2002 4,103 2004 4,231 2007 4,758

2017

First Explore Historic Oak Ridge event

2018 10

Total length of sidewalks in Oak Ridge: 1998 – 0 2018 – 5.53 miles

Town Park Amphitheater completed

First Heritage Day event

Cascades Preserve opened

2017

2013

2015

First Light Up the Night luminary event

2016

2017

250th anniversary of Old Mill

Oak Ridge Pedestrian Plan completed

ARS AT A GLANCE

th

anniversary of

2008 4,849 2010 6,185 2012 6,600 2014 6,927 2016 7,209

2018

Purchased 61 acres of land in heart of Oak Ridge

2018

Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Special Events Committees formed

The changing

face of

Oak Ridge

Located in the heart of Oak Ridge, this 60-acre tract of land was recently purchased by the town.

Preserving the land’s historic rural vistas along N.C. 150 is a high priority for Oak Ridge’s Town Council. | Photo by Ann Schneider

by SANDRA SMITH It’s been 20 years since Oak Ridge won its battle for incorporation. With most of the residential and commercial development occurring since then, the town looks markedly different than it did in 1998.

Many of the town’s long-time residents recall similar things about the Oak Ridge community: The tiny elementary school with creaky oak fl oors but caring teachers and staff.

The community baseball fi eld, complete with a grandstand for spectators.

Oak Ridge Military Academy, with its impressive buildings and the campus barber shop that served the community as well as the school’s cadets. The Old Mill, a place to buy stone-ground products and catch up on news from area farmers. The annual Oak Ridge Easter Horse Show. The intersection of N.C. 68/150 that slowed many a driver with its blinking caution lights.

Farmers working their land, driving their slow-moving tractors along area roads. The wide-open spaces.

“Living in Oak Ridge had a slower feel, especially for a family who had

previously lived near the downtown of Winston-Salem,” recalls Chip Cook, whose family moved into the historic Stafford-Benbow House on N.C. 150 in 1988. Next door, residents could get autos repaired at the service station or purchase milk, bread or a cold drink at W.D. Grocery. While a few country stores dotted the roads, not many other businesses existed.

Ray Combs, former Oak Ridge mayor, remembers the N.C. 68/150 intersection as being “horses on three corners and a blinking light.”

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Former town council member

Danny Yanusz recalls a community bulletin board at that same intersection on which “locals would pin notes and business cards.”

“Until we opened Village Store in 1995, you couldn’t even buy a cup of coffee in Oak Ridge,” said Jerry Cooke, who led much of the commercial development in Oak Ridge, including the Oak Ridge Commons and Marketplace shopping centers.

In 1998, the Northwest Observer community newspaper was still in its early stages. “I started what was then the Oak Ridge Observer in Novem-

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CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

20 YEARS

ber 1996, and was largely motivated to do so because Oak Ridge was taking steps to incorporate, but there wasn’t a local news source to keep the residents consistently in the loop about what was occurring and why,” said editor and publisher Patti Stokes.

But there was no doubt that Oak Ridge was changing. In the mid1990s, new subdivisions – such as Oak Ridge Plantation and River Oaks, featuring large, modern houses – were being developed.

“The secret got out…Oak Ridge is a terrifi c place to live and raise a family,” Chip Cook said.

Traffi c, particularly on N.C. 68, was increasing. “There were only two traffi c lights on our 10-mile commute to Greensboro, and now there are nine,” longtime Oak Ridge resident Terry Hammond said.

With residential growth on the rise, there was talk of widening N.C. 68 through Oak Ridge and of a potential new shopping center. Some residents worried how the looming growth would impact historic institutions such as the Old Mill of Guilford and Oak Ridge Military Academy, and they worked to create a historic district in 1994. That was followed by the town’s incorporation four years later.

Oak Ridge’s estimated population in 1998 was 2,548. By 2008, it had nearly doubled to 4,849. Today, the population is believed to be around 7,500 – nearly triple what it was just 20 years ago.

Area schools have expanded to accommodate the burgeoning number of students. Oak Ridge Elementary,

originally built with six classrooms for around 125 students, now houses about 750 students.

Thirty-year resident Frank Kelleher recalls the formation of the Oak Ridge Youth Association, created by a dedicated group of parents and volunteer coaches in the late 1980s. The organization now has around 1,200 youth participating in its basketball, baseball, softball, football, soccer and cheerleading programs.

While many things have grown, others have gone by the wayside. The Oak Ridge Horse Show, traditionally held on the grounds of Oak Ridge Elementary School, was forced to move around 2000 when the school was expanded. Although it was held at another location for several years, the community charity event, established in 1945, has not been held since 2012.

While some would like to see the annual event return, others accept it may have been replaced by new traditions.

Oak Ridge Fire Department: Then and Now Oak Ridge POPULATION CALLS FOR SERVICE FIREFIGHTERS: Volunteer Paid PERSONNEL from Oak Ridge NC Dept of Insurance RATING Fire Department TAX RATE Fire District PROPERTY VALUATION Special

FOCUS: COMMUNITY EDUCATION provided via:

33 2 40% Class 7* $ 0.08** $335,000,000

10 19 7% Class 4* $ 0.0977** $1,456,710,122

2,548 296

7,209 811

Oak Ridge Observer Northwest Observer, (now Northwest Town Council meetObserver), word ings, social media, of mouth, public message board, events public events

Combs said the town and its residents have much to be proud of. That includes not just physical assets – such as the Town Hall built in 2007 and the Town Park that opened the following year – but other, less tangible things.

...continued on p. 12

2018

Construction of Staffing in a competsecond fire station itive market; water on Northwest delivery challenges School Road

“The town park and its numerous activities and events in many ways replaced the former horse show,” Chip Cook believes.

“People in Oak Ridge are civil, and that’s extremely important. I think Oak Ridge has an idea of what a town should be,” Combs said.

1998

Oak Ridge Fire Chief Steve Simmons *NC Dept. of Insurance Rating is based on a detailed evaluation of the department; ratings range 1-10, with 1 being the best. **Per $100 of assessed property value

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11

CHANGING FACE

Oak Ridge Town Hall on Linville Road was dedicated in 2007, the same year as the town park.

...continued from p. 11 Another thing both Combs and Jerry Cooke agree has had a huge impact on the town relates to a large regional landfi ll nearby. Piedmont Sanitary Landfi ll opened just outside Oak Ridge in Forsyth County about 1990. Originally touted by owner Waste Management as a local landfi ll, it soon began accepting trash from across the southeastern U.S. Trucks heading to the landfi ll created traffi c problems, caused accidents, damaged roads and littered garbage throughout Oak Ridge. As the original footprint for the landfi ll expanded both in overall size and height, Waste Management applied to the Guilford County commissioners to expand its boundaries even closer to Oak Ridge.

Had the Town of Oak Ridge and a small grassroots group of neighbors known as NEST (Neighbors for Environmental Safety Today) led by former mayor Tom Brown not stepped up, “That garbage thing would have grown like kudzu,” Cooke said. In a David-and-Goliath tale, local residents doggedly fought the garbage giant. The little town of Oak Ridge paid legal fees of around $150,000 and ultimately won the battle. The landfi ll, barely recognizable on Goodwill Church Road, is now closed.

File photo/NWO

Gary Blackburn, mayor pro tem of the fi rst appointed town council, said the town’s increasing popularity has surprised him.

“I don’t think I really expected the amount of growth and development we have seen over the past 20 years, although I guess I should not have been surprised,” he said. Blackburn said he hopes the town can continue to manage its growth and development wisely.

“You can see the park and the town hall, but you can’t see that there’s not a dump there,” Combs said.

“In my mind, the most signifi cant change has been the town park,” said Ron Simpson, an active town volunteer. “When we arrived in 2007, there was just land there. Now there is a beautiful park providing a wide range of facilities and a venue for events.”

Some might say the Oak Ridge of 20 years ago bears little resemblance to the Oak Ridge of today.

Oak Ridge recently acquired nearly 60 more acres in the heart of town. Plans for the property have not

yet been made, other than to protect the open space along N.C. 150. With much of Oak Ridge’s farmland gone, the current town council feels this is a critical move.

Many people also believe the town’s participation in the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a good step for the future.

“I think it was a big coup for Oak Ridge when we jumped on the MTS trail,” Combs said. “When it’s fi nished, Oak Ridge will be a focal point for this part of the state.”

While moving forward, preserving the town’s heritage is also important.

That includes both its open land and historic structures, as well as the community’s relationship with the 166-yearold Oak Ridge Military Academy.

“The Academy is the center of our historic district. After our fi rst

Oak Ridge United Methodist Church Welcome. Grow. Love.

12

CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

Explore Historic Oak Ridge event in 2017, we heard from many residents who said how excited they were to visit the Academy’s campus and learn more about the school,” Oak Ridge Town Council member Ann Schneider said.

Through all the changes Oak Ridge has seen, some things are constant.

“What remains is a strong bond that binds us all,” Yanusz said. “Oak Ridge is not just any town, small or large. It is actually a place of community with many people that share a very special place they call home.”

Longtime resident Phyllis Anders is an integral part of planning community events at the park.

“I have lived in Oak Ridge the majority of my life, and I would never want to live anywhere else,” she said.

2424 Oak Ridge Road, Oak Ridge (336) 643-4690 www.oakridgeumc.org

20 YEARS

ak Ridge!

Happy

Happy 20th anniversary Oak Ridge!

Supporting our community through SCHOLARSHIPS Graduating NWHS seniors Oak Ridge Military Academy cadets

DONATIONS TO LOCAL CHARITIES Good Samaritan Food Bank Next Step Ministries Oak Ridge United Methodist Church – Youth/Backpack programs Preservation Oak Ridge Summit Church Oak Ridge – Youth Outreach Oak Ridge Youth Association

Proud sponsor of

1.5-Mile Run/Walk & 3-Legged Race

merchantsofoakridge.com Meets monthly on 2nd Thursday, 7:45am l Questions? Email info@merchantsofoakridge.com

INCORPORATION ...continued from p. 3 annex any area closer to Greensboro or Kernersville for 20 years.

Sunday, Sept. 16 Mexico Independence Day

September specials

REVOLUTION MARGARITA

After the bill was finally approved by the legislature, Oak Ridge faced one more hurdle before it was a town – a vote of the people. When residents came out to vote in the November 1998 election, a whopping 95 percent of those who voted were in favor of incorporation.

With many municipalities seeking incorporation during that time, some began fearing that towns would incorporate simply to receive portions of franchise fees and sales tax revenue and to thwart existing municipalities’ annexation efforts. Such “paper towns,” as they were called, did not provide any services or charge property taxes, but took money from the county and state.

PAST & PRESENT ...continued from p. 7

CHIMICHANGA

more respectful of the past than we dreamed at the time,” Schmickle said.

QUESO FUNDIDO (Mexican sausage and cheese dip)

Ask us about catering OAK RIDGE COMMONS SHOPPING CENTER 2205-S Oak Ridge Road • (336) 644-7199 riograndemexicankitchen.com • facebook.com/riooakridge * Limitations apply and these offers are only good at the Oak Ridge location.

14

Oak Ridge’s historic core is important to newer residents as well.

Maureena Shepherd and her family chose to move to Oak Ridge in 2014 for its excellent schools, but they were also drawn to its unique character.

“We love the town’s ambience – and we love that it’s been built around buildings that played a role in our history,” Shepherd said.

Looking ahead, Shepherd hopes that historic buildings like the Chester and Linda Redmon House at Oak Ridge Town Park are one day open to the public “so that we can have more places for families and young people to hang out.”

CELEBRATING OAK RIDGE

20 YEARS

So legislation was passed that stipulates any town incorporating after Jan. 1, 2000, must provide at least four services – such as law enforcement, street maintenance or construction, garbage collection or zoning – and charge a property tax of at least 5 cents per $100 of property value.

That legislation effectively closed the door on many towns, including Colfax, that also wanted to incorporate.

Howerton now counts the fact that the town was able to incorporate and the construction and success of the park as two of his proudest accomplishments in service to the town.

“I do not think any of us who became members of the first town council thought we were doing anything ‘historic,’” Blackburn said. “It was much more personal than that. What we were doing came from the heart.”

Kubly, who moved to Oak Ridge with her family five years ago, was also charmed by the town’s pride in its history.

“The fact that the historic district is in our town core – where we go to shop, where we drive by – gives it a special sense of place,” she said.

Reflecting on the success of the 2017 Explore Historic Oak Ridge event and ruminating on the town’s future, Kubly hopes that “Oak Ridge continues to celebrate and maintain the district, because it’s irreplaceable.”

The importance of Oak Ridge’s historic district, past and present, makes it fitting that the HPC’s newest marker – at the corner of Williard Road and N.C. 150 – highlights the town’s long history and commemorates the 20th anniversary since its incorporation.

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JOIN THE

CELEBRATION i H s t o e r i g c H e r i t a g e Mon t h ! d i R k a O s i r e b m e t p e S Oak Ridge

SCAVENGER HUNT sponsored by LeBauer Primary Care, Oak Ridge

Sept. 3 - Sept. 30 $100 Grand Prize!

LAWN PARTY

at Charles Benbow House sponsored by Maureena Shepherd Realtor/Broker – Allen Tate

Sat., Sept. 15, 5-8pm Advance tickets available at Town Hall or online at merchantsofoakridge.com/events

See oakridgenc.com for details!

Adults Only

UPCOMING EVENTS

Organize your team of 4-6 players now!

COMMUNITY TREES (New!) at Light Up the Night sponsored by Rio Grande

HERITAGE DAY

Pie Baking Contest – 11am

20th ANNIVERSARY Party at the Old Mill

sponsored by Bank of Oak Ridge

Beard Contest – 2pm

Sat., Sept. 22, 10am-4pm Old Mill products, music, cake, and more!

sponsored by Checkers Hair Gallery

Sat., Sept. 29, 10am-4pm at the Town Park

OAK RIDGE VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION POTLUCK sponsored by Walraven Signature Homes

Sat., Dec. 1, 6pm

Save the date: Sat., Jan. 12, 6pm

Details to come on how businesses/groups can create their own customized trees in the Town Park!

All are welcome!

Details to come.

Check for latest details at oakridgenc.com or on the Town’s Facebook page. Questions? Call Town Hall at (336) 644-7009