You might have missed the fireworks at Pilot Mountain. No, they were not part of the July the 4th, 2018, celebration.
Fireworks appeared at Pilot Mountain on September 30th, 1967. They were postponed from earlier in the week due to rain. The purpose of the fireworks was to kick off a money-raising campaign designed to raise enough money to purchase the mountain so that it could serve as a state park.
Pilot Mountain was owned by Mr. and Mrs. John William Beasley. They bought the mountain at auction in 1944 for $14,500. Mr. and Mrs. Beasley developed the land as a tourist attraction, putting their money into paving the road to the top, and building swimming, picnicking, and recreation facilities.
Mr. Beasley was an automobile dealer in Pilot Mountain. He was also a member of the town board and the school board. Mr. Beasley died in 1959 and the responsibility for overseeing the mountain fell to his wife, whose name was Pearl Forkner Beasley.
Pearl, whose photo is shown above, worked with her husband in his automobile business as secretary-treasurer of the company. She was also a talented musician and gardener. Pearl was concerned that the mountain was vulnerable to development after her death and that the development would ruin the beauty of the mountain. A campaign was established by Joe C. Matthews, chairman of the Northwest Economic Development Commission, to purchase the mountain (1,065 acres) and the surrounding 1,000 acres. The campaign sought federal and private money, working through 1967 and half of 1968.
On July 24, 1968, the Pilot Mountain Preservation and Park Committee bought the mountain from Mrs. Beasley for $682,500. This property would form the nucleus of a new state park. Additional land was purchased along the Yadkin River in 1970, and even more acreage has been added since then.
Today, 50 years after Pilot Mountain State Park was established, the park is open for recreation all year with activities that include camping, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, picnicking, hiking, and environmental education.
Mrs. Beasley died in 1979, secure in knowing that the mountain that she and her husband bought and nourished would continue to share its natural beauty with those who visit Pilot Mountain State Park.
To read about the park today, with hours and activities, follow this link: https://www.ncparks.gov/pilot-mountain-state-park
Black and white photo of Pilot Mountain courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
