Chatham Community Library is hosting an event with local author Bill Arthur, who will be discussing his latest work, "Fearrington: Creating an English-Style Village in the Carolina Countryside." The session will provide insight into how an ex-U.S. Air Force pilot's vision evolved into a significant development in North Carolina's Chatham County.
The library event, scheduled for next Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., will be held in the Holmes Family Meeting Room, located at 197 NC Hwy 87 N in Pittsboro, according to Chatham County's announcement. The session will focus on the planning and development of planned communities, with an emphasis on Arthur's detailed history of Fearrington Village. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the village has grown from an initial concept to a community featuring 1,600 homes, an inn, a restaurant, a bookstore, and a spa.
The origin of Fearrington Village dates back to 1974 when R.B. Fitch purchased 632 acres in Chatham County. Inspired by English villages he admired during his time in the UK, Fitch, along with his wife Jenny, worked to bring his vision to life. Today, Fearrington Village is known for its unique development and its impact on the local economy and politics. The village’s evolution is detailed in Arthur's narrative, which includes previously unpublished excerpts from interviews with R.B. Fitch conducted by the Southern Oral History Project at UNC in 2011.
Arthur, a journalist with experience at publications such as The Charlotte Observer, Bloomberg News, Washingtonian Magazine, and The Nation, now resides in Fearrington Village. His connection to the community is expected to offer attendees a detailed look into the creation of a planned community that combines the characteristics of an English village with the Carolina countryside. The event is free to the public.
