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Justice!Road off the Beaten Path Leads to Justice Lands
by Beth Wickham It seems that I have traveled 15-501 from Sanford to Chapel Hill a thousand times. Growing up in Sanford, I started making the trip as soon as I could drive, and now, many years later and living in Durham, I still travel that same path regularly. I could drive it with my eyes closed except for "Construction Ahead" stops and the traffic circle in Pittsboro. Rarely have I veered off of the beaten 15-501 path, and never taken that familiar turn onto the Moncure-Pittsboro Road - not until a few weeks ago when TLC's Doug Nicholas and I went to explore the Justice land. TLC closed on the Justice land in July of 2003, marking the purchase of the largest single tract in TLC's history. At 760 acres, this wonderland of mature hardwood forest, imposing rock outcroppings, and engaging topographic contours partners perfectly with one of the prettiest sections of the Deep River. The river borders the tract for approximately one mile and this particular section is wide, rocky and great for paddling. There is a maze of old logging roads throughout, allowing for easy access to the river, ponds, and small open spaces. Other than its intrinsic beauty, the most compelling feature of the Justice land is its proximity to Jordan Lake. The Deep River here reaches its northernmost point in our area and Jordan Lake lies just 1.5 miles away at its southernmost point. The Justice tract provides a crucial link to create a protected wildlife corridor between these two important waters. Only a half-mile of land on two tracts remains unprotected between the Justice land and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ buffer around Jordan Lake. Another compelling feature of the property is its short distance from major population centers, including Cary and Chapel Hill. This will provide for easier access to the Deep River for greater numbers of people. TLC is currently negotiating with state officials who hope to eventually make this tract part of a state park on the Deep River. In the meantime, TLC will make the initial purchase with a major fundraising campaign and a grant from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
Concurrent with the Justice's decision was the completion of a conservation assessment for the Deep River conducted by TLC and volunteers. Although there were others interested in the property at the time, the real estate agent contacted TLC about the sale. TLC's Kate Dixon contacted the Justices and began negotiations in April of 2002. "We were definitely leaning toward preserving it, so I think we made the right choice and we are really delighted that it's going to be preserved," Jack Justice said in a recent interview. Mary Justice calls the sale "an answer to our prayers', and both say that their children are happy about the deal. As an added bonus, the Justices and TLC staff members have gotten to know each other well, and there is a lot of mutual respect. "I am so excited about the land," says Dixon, "and getting to know and care about people like the Justices is so much a part of it.” I recently read a keynote address made to the Foundation of the Carolinas by noted architect William McDonough. In the address, McDonough notes that Thoreau did not travel very much and when he was asked why his response was, "I have traveled widely in Concord." McDonough goes on to point out that sustainability, like politics, is local and can only be measured at the local level. So, from now on when I ride down that familiar 15-501 path, I’ll know that a turn onto the Moncure-Pittsboro Road will take me to a beautiful section on the Deep River. I’ll also know that there is a chance that someday Jack and Mary Justice's great-great grandchildren will be playing with mine along that same section.
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All of this would not be possible without Jack and Mary Justice (pictured right) and their five children. The land has been in the Justice family since the 1950s, and was originally purchased by Jack Justice's uncle and his father, a Pittsboro car dealership owner. A few years ago, the Justice's decided to sell the land instead of attempting to divide it among their five children. With this part of Chatham County becoming increasingly attractive to developers, the potential for a lucrative deal was good. The Justices listed the land with a local real estate agent.