Whispering Pines - A historical account of how Whispering Pines began

History & Histories of Moore County Towns and Places Aberdeen, Cameron Carthage, Jackson Springs, Pinebluff, Pinehurst, Robbins, Seven Lakes, Southern Pines, Taylortown, West End, Whispering Pines, Daniel Blue farm, & Civil War Letters in and around The Sandhills of North Carolina. Golf history in Pinehurst pictures of Donald Ross out side the Pinehurst Country Club and Pinehurst #2 course

Whispering Pines in Moore County, Whispering Pines in North Carolina, Whispering Pines in the Sandhills, Whispering Pines history, story of Whispering Pines, Town of Whispering Pines

Moore ... Towns Whispering Pines

The history of Whispering Pines, most especially Thagard’s Lake can be traced back to colonial days. In 1759, Charles Hurd was given a land grant by the king of England; he received 100 acres on the south side of what is now Thagard’s Lake.

Nicholas Smith was given a grant for 50 acres by the king in 1859. His tract was on the north side of the lake and included a lake. Smith, being an entrepreneur, built a dam and a mill on that lake. John Ray, a Scot, eventually bought both parcels.

William Thagard had moved to the county around 1850 and lived in Carthage for 15 years before he and his family moved to a block of land adjacent to the Ray property. The Thagards and Rays lived as neighbors and the little community of Thagardsville grew rapidly and in 1865 Thagard bought the lake and the surrounding property. Today the lake still bears the Thagard’s name.

I.F. Chandler operated a small factory in Southern Pines in the early 20^th century. The factory made wooden baskets to hold produce. Chandler used the factory’s waste lumber as fuel to create enough energy to light a few homes in Southern Pines.

As the demand for electric lighting grew, Chandler decided Thagard’s Lake was the right location to build a power plant. Chandler purchased the lake and the land in 1902 and constructed a concrete and rock dam in the same location where a wooden and earth damn had stood. He operated a power plant there until he sold it to Sandhills Power Company in 1920. They later sold it to Carolina Power and Light (now Progress Energy).

Rushing water broke the damn in 1927, after the flood the lake was abandoned. John C. Watson bought the property sometime in the 1940’s. He rebuilt the dam in 1944 with hopes of restoring it to its past glory among anglers and sportsmen.

In 1959, A.B. Hardee, a high school teacher from Lexington who sold real estate in the summers, realized the lake’s appeal and bought it along with over 400 acres of the surrounding acres. His plan was to turn the area into a private residential and golf course area.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed the Whispering Pines Charter of incorporation in 1969. This made Whispering Pines the very first municipality in the state to be officially designated as a village.

When the majority of development was completed, Whispering Pines spanned over 3000 acres, had 16 miles of paved road and six lakes. Residents surround the six lakes and there are two semi-private golf courses. Whispering Winds and Whispering Woods are also part of the Village of Whispering Pines.

The Village is comprised of over 2100 residents, both young people and retirees. Whispering Pines appeals to new residents because of its country club living, quiet charm, golf and lake activities.