Bonclarken Is Name of Resort. . . Seceders Christen Their Summer Assembly Grounds Near Hendersonville
Associated Reformed Presbyterians from all over the South are expected to assemble next Tuesday at the former Heidelburg Gardens, three miles from Hendersonville, to have an outing and also to make their selectin of the residential lots at the new summer assembly grounds which were lately purchased there by a group of laymen and ministers of this denomination.
E.C. Stuart of Bartow, Fla., one of the wealthiest laymen of the Church and president of the company owning the property prior to its being taken over by the Church officially, has been on the grounds there for several days and will have charge of the disposition of the property by lots at the Tuesday meeting.
It is expected that a number from Charlotte will attend, Rev. W.B. Lindsay stated Saturday. Mr. Lindsay, pastor of the First A.R.P. church here, was one of the prime movers in the enterprise and an officer of the corporation.
The plan in the mind of the company is to dispose of the lots which are wanted by members of this denomination for summer homes, the property containing about 25 acres which can be utilitized for this purpose, and then, perhaps, the entire development will be deeded to the Church as its Summer assembly grounds, to be maintained on the plan by which such other developments, such as Montreat of the Presbyterians, Junaluska of the Methodists, and Ridgecrest of the Baptists are now being maintained.
The new development of the Seceders is located not far from Montreat and by reason of the comity existing between the Presbyterians controlling that assembly grounds and the A.R.P.’s, it is anticipated that the two will, in the future, co-operate in their Summer programs in obtaining ministers and Bible scholars of national and international renown for these Summer events.
The Heidelburg Gardens, as the estate has been known for a century, was developed originally by a wealthy German. In more recent years it has been utilized for private school purposes, only having been put on the market during the past Summer. It was bought for approximately $40,000 and it is the plan of the corporation procuring title to it to spend several thousands of dollars more in its beautification and development. Some improvement will be made on the palatial buildings which are of stocco sturcture and which, by reason of neglect, are said to be in need of renovation, but no new buildings in the wa of an assembly auditorium will be needed, it is stated.
During the past week a committee of which Rev. J.M. Bigham of Huntersville was chairman, appointed some weeks ago to give the development and assembly ground a new title, met at Greenville, S.C., and declared that the future name of the Heidelburg Gardens to be “Bonclarken” which interprested, means “good, clear vision.” The first two syllables of the name are derivates of two Latin words, donus and clarus, and the proponent of this name, Mrs. Sallie Miller of Chester, S.C., contends that the name “Bonclarken” appears in Paradise Lost, canto 129. Names numbering more than two score were suggested, but this won over all others entered in the competition.
The development which has been undertaken is adjacent to the Carolina Naval and Military Academy and arrangements have been perfected by which the lake utilized by the students at this school and athletic grounds will be used also in connection with the Summer conference attendants and those living on the estate during the Summer months, Rev. Mr. Lindsay stated.
From The Charlotte News, Sunday, Nov. 20, 1921. The photo is from www.bonclarken.org/about/history/.
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