Another protection project in Rowan County involved the enlargement of the previously protected Alexander Long House in Spencer. Tommy Thomas and his wife, Dr. Barbara Thomas, owners of the historic home, purchased an additional 33 acres situated adjacent to their existing tract.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1792, the residence is believed to be the second oldest residential structure in Rowan County constructed in 1783 and the one time home to famed Salisbury Confederate Prison doctor, Alexander Long.
“We were very excited to learn that we could enlarge the protected site to a total of 68 acres. The more natural and open space we can permanently protect around the 18th century historic home the better,” said Tommy Thomas regarding their recent addition.
Along with extending the buffer around the home, the easement also protects significant wildlife habitat and serves as a safeguard for water quality, as the property is adjacent to Grant’s Creek near its confluence with the Yadkin River. The Alexander Long House, once the seat of a several hundred acre plantation is the second oldest house in the county, built in 1783.
