Lucius B. Morse purchases sixty four acres of Chimney Rock. Over time small purchases would extend the area owned to nearly one thousand acres. This area would be a tourist attraction owned by Lucius Morse and his brothers for the next few decades with small improvements being added. 1 Dr. Morse was interested in making the area into one of the largest resorts on the Eastern Seaboard. There were many plans and renovations to make the area a more appealing tourist attraction. Despite speculation that this was merely to grow his wealth Dr. Morse and his brother, Hiram Morse, took plenty of actions to try and conserve the land and instilled a sense of conservation that continued on to their modern-day descendant, Todd Morse. Had Dr. Morse and Hiram Morse not had control over Chimney Rock the land likely would have been swallowed by industry, lumber companies, or any number of other capital ventures that would have destroyed or defaced the landmark. Dr. Morse and Hiram’s eco-tourist attraction was a balance of feasibility and conserving the land for the enjoyment of future generations.2 3
- Chimney Rock History, Biography, year unknown, Box 2, Folder 7, Chimney Rock History, Biography, year unknown, Box 1, Folders 1 through 7, Receipts, Newsclippings, Reports, Legal Briefs, Historical Documents, University of North Carolina Asheville Archives and Special Collections, Univeristy of North Carolina Asheville Library.y.].
- Dr. L. B. Morse, Biography, year unknown, Box 2, Folder 7, Dr. Morse Biography, University of North Carolina Asheville Archives and Special Collections, University of North Carolina Asheville Library.].
- Todd Morse, Interview by Christian Roughton, March 27, 2019. .].
