The Pecan Grove

The Pecan Grove. . In the first decades of the 20th century, Oak View's owners worked with their farm manager to plant the Pecan Grove in an effort to diversify the crops grown on the farm. The farm managers were careful to plant the trees in distinct row patterns to best use the available space, a common practice for the time period. At one time, the Pecan Grove encompassed over three hundred acres of the property. In comparison, as it stands today, all of Historic Oak View County Park is only 27 acres. One of only a few such orchards in Wake County, the Pecan Grove is an important part of Oak View's landscape and is designated in the National Register of Historic Places. , Bill Bunn (1935-2011) served as orchard manager of Historic Oak View County Park's Pecan Grove from 1996 to 2011. He began volunteering with the park after Hurricane Fran, using his expertise to oversee the replacement of more than 100 trees lost during the storm. Bill's 15-year commitment to Oak View created a lasting legacy through the restored grove, education to park visitors, and 7 years of service on Historic Oak View's Advisory Board. , In addition to his work at Oak View, Bill was the founder of Lakeview Pecans, retired from North Carolina State University, a farmer, a family man and friend to many. Bill was instrumental in establishing and directing the North Carolina Pecan Growers Association, serving as President from its incorporation in 1994 until his death. , He was a great ambassador and educator for the pecan industry in our state. This Pecan Grove is hereby dedicated in honor of Bill Bunn, in appreciation of his commitment and work through the years with the North Carolina Pecan Growers Association and at Historic Oak View County Park. , [Bottom section] , . Stuart The Stuart was the first successfully grafted pecan tree in 1866 and dominates older orchards. It produces large crops of thick-shelled, high quality pecans. To find the Stuarts in our orchard, look for red dots on their trunks. , . Cape Fear First created in North Carolina in 1941, the Cape Fear matures early, yielding excellent quality, thin-shelled pecans. The tree is strong, with proven resistance against high winds. To identity our Cape Fear trees, look for yellow dots. , . Sumner Created in Georgia in 1932, Sumners are resistant to many pests and pollinate well with other pecan cultivars. Our Sumner trees were added to the grove in the 1990s, replacing trees lost from storm damage. To find our Sumners, look for the trees with blue dots on their trunks. , [Captions (left to right)] , . Historic Oak View Pecan Grove, circa 1958. , . Some of Bill's most enjoyable hours were spent in this orchard, accompanied by his dog, Sport, talking with park staff and visitors.