On September 29, 2008, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley announced that the state had agreed to purchase 2600acre of the undeveloped portions of Grandfather Mountain from the Morton family for $12 million [REF].
As part of the purchase agreement, the state acquired part of the mountain commonly referred to as the "backcountry" in fee simple, and it also acquired a conservation easement and right of first refusal over the remaining "attraction side" of the mountain.