State purchases, preserves land near Historic Rugby

The tract was purchased for $485,000 through an equal combination of State Land Acquisition funds and National Park Service Land and Water Conservation funds.

The nonprofit group Historic Rugby, Inc. will cooperate with the state’s Department of Environment and Conservation to manage the purchased land. The state’s plan for the tract is to develop pedestrian trails for public use.

“This acquisition ties directly in with Governor Bredesen’s plan to form partnerships and leverage resources to protect these important areas for the people of Tennessee,” said Commissioner Jim Fyke.

Historic Rugby was set up by British author Thomas Hughes to be a cooperative, agricultural community for the younger sons of British emigrant families in America.

The current mission of the nonprofit is to preserve and protect the historical and environmental landmark that sits on the edge of the Big South Fork National Park in Oneida, Tenn.