A Brief History Lesson
I am not a particularly enthusiastic supporter of the Rockledge Inn proposal by Valley Forward, but only because I do not believe that it has as much potential to attract people to the valley as the group suggests. There are legitimate pros and cons to consider, and these have been debated vigorously over the last several months. Unfortunately, there have also been a great number of people who claim to speak on behalf of Mr. Fishburn who need to familiarize themselves with the basic historical facts.
Mr. Fishburn acquired 100 acres of mountaintop property and donated it to the city in 1941. At the time, the original Rockledge Inn had already been in place for 50 years. The structure remained there for another 35 years until it was destroyed by fire in 1976. In 1949 the world’s largest neon star was erected atop the mountain, and 3 years later Mill Mountain Zoo was opened to the public. When we consider that all of these events took place during his lifetime, it is simply impossible to support the proposition that he would oppose any development on the site. Regardless of your opinion on the issue of future development, these are the facts which must be taken into account before anyone attempts to speak on Mr. Fishburn’s behalf.