Asheville News

‘Heart-breakingly beautiful’ 160-acre tract in Swannanoa up for sale

Jason Sandford August 1, 2011

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Story from Julie Ball of the Asheville Citizen-Times. I visited the property for the first time Sunday night for the first Blind Pig dinner and can concur – the land, the views, the setting, were all absolutely stunning.

George Coggins named his baby daughter Craig after Craigfields, the estate he had just inherited after his father passed away.

The more than 160 acres are untainted, wooded and just bordering Warren Wilson College. It has been in the family for more than 200 years. Now, Craig Coggins, more commonly called “Copper” for rust-colored hair, is selling it for $4.8 million.

Coggins, who is the director of Organizational and Professional Development at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, said her life isn’t conducive to caring for the property. She said selling it in the most practical thing for her to do right now.

“I have more property than I can take care of,” said Coggins, after halting a car tour in front of a long, fallen branch blocking the road in the property’s deep forest near Bull Creek.

…

Over the years, Coggins also allowed different artists to live on the property. “This is a heart-breakingly beautiful place. It’s got good karma,” she said. She’d love the land to become a haven for artists with families, a bed-and-breakfast, a conference center or even a cluster of 16-acre farms. “They’d go like hotcakes,” Coggins said.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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3 Comments

Neighbor to this tract August 3, 2011

Our small 2-acre property is adjacent to this parcel. We have toured this property once before and we have talked to many WWC students that have lived here over the years. It is a gorgeous spot. I can only hope it ends up in the right person or organization's hands. Thankfully, it did not go up for sale during the boom a few years ago. The wrong developer could destroy this unique parcel of land.

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april August 1, 2011

I saw this article on the Citizen-Times today and I have to agree with some of the comments: it reads as a real estate ad. I don't know Ms. Coggins or her circumstances but it does seem sad to let such a property fall into the hands of realtors instead of an organization like The Nature Conservancy.

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Conservationist August 1, 2011

Maybe the Stanbacks could help buy this property for a conversation easement and donate it to Warren Wilson College. Surely WWC can find the money to add this invaluable tract to their campus.

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