Historic Rugby sponsored a community information meeting on Saturday which was well attended and touched on several important issues to which I will devote most of this week’s newsletter.

RUGBY BYPASS UPDATE
Historic Rugby updated the community on progress in getting a bypass road built around Rugby. HRI and concerned residents have been trying to get a bypass for about 30 years as there have been concerns about the safety of residents and tourists due to vehicles which frequently come through the village at a very high speed. There have been several traffic fatalities and many overturned trucks as the speeding vehicles have trouble with the winding roads and the slow tourists.

Barbara Stagg reported that the bypass is part of the state’s Upper Cumberland Corridor plans. Most of the land for the two-mile section of the road around Rugby has been purchased except for one lot which the state is in the process of acquiring through the courts. The actual road building did not get bid last year because the federal government had to withdraw some transportation funds for other uses, such as the war in Iraq.

Several months ago, in a conference call arranged by State Senator Tommy Kilby, the engineer for the state told Barbara Stagg that funds for the road construction are expected to be in this year’s transportation budget. To help keep this project on track, Barbara passed around a petition for meeting attendees to sign asking Commissioner of Transportation Gerald Nicely to help make sure the funds are in this year’s budget.

BIG SOUTH FORK NRRA NEWS
Also at the meeting was Howard Duncan with the National Park Service who explained the recently completed 15 to 20 year management plan for the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. He also discussed recent improvements that have been made in park areas near Rugby including road, trail and camping area improvements at Zenith, as well as better parking and other amenities at Burnt Mill Bridge.

Duncan said that the Park Service prohibits people from creating what he calls private trails in the NRRA as all trails must be part of the NRRA management plan so that they can be open to the public and properly maintained.

Duncan also mentioned that while there are no immediate plans to build it, the John Muir Trail is expected to go very near Rugby along the west and north side of the Clear Fork.

STATE PROTECTED AREAS AROUND RUGBY
Barbara Stagg used a map of the Rugby area to show the land around the Rugby Historic District that is now protected. These include the 185-acre “Bowater Tract” that Historic Rugby recently acquired. The recently created Rugby State Natural Area is another protected area which includes a major portion of the Martin land sold by the Episcopal Diocese and the Allerton Ridge land recently sold to the state by Historic Rugby. Also protected is land acquired by the state through the Forest Legacy Program which includes property along Horseshoe Bend Road down to the White Oak and back along both sides of Highway 52.

Through an agreement with the state Department of Environment and Conservation HRI is required to protect the Bowater land, although some recreational uses, such as hiking trails on existing roads are allowed. The state will manage the other areas through the Natural Areas Program. Rugby’s liaison with the State Natural Areas, Lisa Huff, also spoke at the meeting. She explained that the state would be limiting access to these areas only for use as pedestrian trails and would be putting up gates at various places. The state hopes to work with Historic Rugby to create a loop trail to the historic Massengale Homeplace. A grant is being requested to help build the trail and create a trailhead with kiosks near the current Historic Rugby workshop and at the actual home site up on Allerton Ridge.

Chip Elliott expressed concerns to Lisa Huff about how the state’s surveying was done for the Forest Legacy land that surrounds his property. He said that surveying markers were inappropriately placed at numerous places on his land and that he was concerned that the state may think it owns some of his land. Barbara Stagg said she would get a copy of the survey to Chip and his mother so they can determine whether there are any problems with the actual survey.

In addition, as Rugby’s liaison with the State Natural Areas, Lisa Huff is available if anyone has concerns or suggestions or wants to report problems. She can be reached by phone at 865-594-5601, or by email at lisa.huff@state.tn.us. The website for the Rugby State Natural Area can be seen at http://state.tn.us/environment/na/natareas/rugby/

FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES FUNDS
The Clear Fork Volunteer Fire Department received $1318 in state community enhancement funds recently. The Morgan County News said the funds were made available from state funds left over in last year's budget process that Sen. Tommy Kilby and Rep. John Mark Windle received to allocate to local groups. Fire Chief Gerald Hanwright says the department would like to use the money towards the purchase of badly needed wild land fire gear, but most likely will go toward the repair and maintenance of the department’s trucks.

DONNA’S MOTHER
Our condolences go out to Donna Heffner whose mother passed away last week. Linda Konig says that Donna and Annie went to Pennsylvania for the funeral last week.

NEXT NEWSLETTER
Tom Howell has agreed to do next week’s newsletter while I am recuperating from minor surgery scheduled for this Friday. If you have any news items, please email Tom at tshowell1003@highland.net

BIRTHDAYS
March 4 Glenda Drogich
March 5 Kathy Hicks and Ryan Erickson
March 6 Steve Logan

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 4 – Hike has been canceled.

March 8 – Cafe returns to regular hours

March 9 – Return of Daylight Savings Time

March 14 – History Night at Grey Gables – The Brooks Family at Rugby and Armathwaite. History meeting at 7:30 pm EDT. The deadline for making reservations for the 6:30 pm dinner has passed.

March 15 – St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at Harrow Road Cafe – reservations recommended

March 29 – Hike the Spicewood Branch – Old Mac Trail, Frozen Head State Park, Wartburg. Tom and Benita Howell will lead this approx. seven mile hike rated moderate to strenuous because of the 1500 foot climb. Meet at the Harrow Road Cafe at 9:00 am EDT to carpool, or meet at the Frozen Head Visitor Center parking lot at 10:00 am EDT. Please register with Tom Howell at tshowell1003@highland.net or phone 423-628-5521.

Historic Rugby Workshops – contact Historic Rugby at 1-888-214-3400 or locally at 628-2441 for details and reservations
March 15 – Personalize and Decorate with Quilting - instructor Joyce Lantz
March 16 – Create a Unique Table with Quilting – instructor Joyce Lantz
March 22 & 23 – Create a Birds nest Basket – instructor Judy Zugish
March 30 -Acrylic Painting - instructor Mara Trumbo.

Exercise Group - Monday and Thursday at 9:00 am EDT at the Friendly House

Quilters Group - Wed. and Sat. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EDT at the Friendly House