Faith Rock, Franklinville

Piedmont Land Conservancy partnered with the Town of Franklinville and received a CWMTF grant of $88,052 and an Environmental Enhancement Grant of $110,000 to purchase 14 acres along the banks of the Deep River in Randolph County.  The site is significant to the Town because it contains Faith Rock, a local land mark and location of a legendary Revolutionary War story.

During the Revolutionary War, a local named Andrew Hunter was captured by the Tory leader David Fanning.  Hunter was able to escape by stealing Fanning’s favorite horse and riding the horse over Faith Rock and into the Deep River.

 Later the property was owned by one of the textile mills that operated in Franklinville.  It has been used for hiking for many years but now it is officially open to public to enjoy the hiking and history that it offers.  It also acts as an anchor for the Deep River Rail Trail which runs through Guilford, Randolph, Chatham, Moore, and Lee counties.

To learn more about the history of Franklinville, including the Revolutionary War story of how Andrew Hunter escaped from David Fanning by riding Fanning’s horse over Faith Rock: https://sites.google.com/site/macwhat/deepriverlandmarks

To learn more about the Deep River Trail in Franklinville:  https://franklinvillenc.org/about-franklinville/deep-river-rail-trail/