Eminent domain proceedings on a building with historical significance in Hillsborough may be completed this year according to Tom Stevens, the town’s mayor.

The building sought for appropriation by the Hillsborough municipal government is the Colonial Inn, a hotel erected in 1838 that operated for over 130 years before falling into a state of disrepair.

The Carolina Inn was auctioned off in 2002 by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to Francis Henry, a real estate mogul whose name appears on a stadium at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Since 2003, Henry has been embroiled in a dispute with town officials regarding the upkeep of his property and whether a public-private partnership should assume ownership of it.

Henry paid $400,000 for the Colonial Inn, but a report by the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative put the cost of restoring the property at $3 million.

Stevens noted that other development projects are planned for Hillsborough in the coming months, including the reconstruction of an historic Native American settlement that was once located along the banks of the Eno River.

Native Americans belonging to the Occaneechi tribe were discovered in 1701 by John Lawson near land on which the Hillsborough Farmer’s Market currently sits.

Stevens claimed the replica will add to the authenticity of Hillsborough by providing residents with an historical context for current events.

Related Stories
‹
Week of August 20, 2018
Lavelle and Dorosin wrestle with Silent Sam. Speaking before the statue's toppling, Stevens discusses sidewalk seating and remembers a fallen firefighter.
Hillsborough to Hold Public Hearing on Highway 70 Rezoning Request
Hillsborough’s Board of Commissioners is holding a public hearing on Thursday to address a rezoning request from Orange County for a 21-acre plot of land off of Highway 70. The county is looking to use the land for a new government complex which would include an agricultural center and detention center as well as some […]
Hillsborough Mayor Discusses Anticipated Sale of Colonial Inn
The deed to one of the oldest buildings in Hillsborough may be changing hands as the municipal government drops eminent domain proceedings against the owner of the Colonial Inn. A settlement was reached last month regarding the historic hotel that opened in 1838 on West King Street and operated for over 130 years before falling […]
Hillsborough Police Join Fight Against Opioid Overdose
Hillsborough Police officers are receiving training to administer a drug to those suffering from an opioid overdose. Naloxone is known for its ability to reverse the effects from a fatal opioid overdose of drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, morphine, heroin and others, within minutes. Carrboro and Chapel Hill police departments and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office […]
Garbage Collection, Local Transit and More: How Memorial Day Will Impact Local Services
The observation of Memorial Day Monday, May 25 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will be closed. Residential trash will not be collected on Monday, with the make-up day […]
Orange County Reports Rabies Incident Involving Raccoon in Hillsborough
Orange County Animal Services has confirmed a positive rabies test from an incident involving a raccoon last week. OCAS says it received a report about a dog having an altercation with an aggressive raccoon near Cates Hickory Hill Lane – southwest of downtown Hillsborough – on April 24. Animal Control responded and retrieved the raccoon […]
Orange County Sheriff: Paula Floyd Murder Suspect in Local Custody After Extradition to N.C.
UPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff's Office shared an alert on the morning of Apr. 10 saying Matthew Vukmer was now in its office's custody.
Orange County Sheriff: Suspect Captured in Stabbing Death of Hillsborough Woman
Orange County Sheriff’s Office says it has taken 53-year-old Matthew Jared Vukmer into custody. Vukmer is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Paula Floyd at Vukmer’s Hillsborough home Friday morning. The sheriff’s office says an investigator working with the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Capital Area […]
Wild Vehicle Pursuit Leaves 2 Orange County Sheriff's Cars Damaged, 2 Charged for Drug Possession
A cross-county vehicle pursuit on Wednesday resulted in two Durham residents facing several felony changes, as well as a pair of damaged Orange County Sheriff's vehicles and Alamance County properties.
Sheriff's Office: Moving Truck Hit and Run in Hillsborough Ends With Dramatic Chase, Stop in Greensboro
A Virginia man faces several charges in North Carolina after an extensive vehicle pursuit that began with a hit-and-run case in Orange County. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared a release on Monday afternoon detailing the incident from Sunday night. Law enforcement officials were dispatched at 10:20 p.m. to help the Hillsborough Police Department with […]
›