Oral History Interview with Richard Lee Hoffman Jr., November 8, 2000. Interview K-0505. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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Abstract
In this interview, Richard Lee Hoffman Jr., a real estate broker in Mars Hill, NC, describes his response to the area's growth, ushered in by the construction of the I-26 corridor. Hoffman is ambivalent about change—he longs for the undeveloped land he explored as a child, but is willing to sacrifice it in exchange for the economic development that he will likely benefit from and contribute to as a real estate broker. But economic growth seems uncertain, as housing values are rising but few people seem willing to buy. In Hoffman's account, Madison County seems trapped between the past and the future. Longtime residents mingle awkwardly with newcomers, pockets of undeveloped land hide between housing developments, and an expanding population challenges community bonds.
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This interview is part of the Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007), a collection of over
4,000 interviews housed at the Southern Historical Collection.
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Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.
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Last updated May 14, 2008