1865

Hugh MacRae (Morton's grandfather) is born in Carbonton, NC at the family's Chatham County home. Originally from Wilmington, the family will return two years later after Federal occupation ends. He will marry Rena Nelson and have two children: Nelson and Agnes (Hugh Morton's mother).

1897

Julian W. Morton (Hugh's father) is born in Savannah to T.L. Morton, an engineer with the Atlantic Coast Line.

1885

Hugh MacRae graduates from MIT and goes to Spruce Pine to mine mica.

1889

Buys 16,000 acres from Walter Lenoir (including Grandfather and Grandmother Mountains). He founds the Linville Improvement Co. to develop this area. Later develops Linville, Grandfather Mountain as tourist spot.

1895

MacRae becomes president of the Wilmington Cotton Mills (father's).

1900

MacRae becomes president of the Wilmington Gas Light Co., which has or soon will already buy a power company. He begins the Hugh MacRae Banking Co. and through it develops the Rockingham Power Co.

1902

MacRae founds Hugh MacRae & Co., a development company that develops much of Wrightsville Beach, Winter Park, Audobon and Oleander.

1905

Starts the Carolina Truck and Development Co. responsible for colonizing New Berlin, Castle Hayne, Van Eeden and others.

1906

Julian Morton's family moves to Wilmington.

1907

Consolidated Railways becomes Tidewater Power Co. with MacRae as president until 1929.

1909

MacRae and Frederick Van Eeden, a Dutch medical doctor who had experimented with communal farm colonies in Holland, establish the Van Eeden colony in Pender County. The colony fails in 1939 and is purchased by Dr. Alvin Johnson to sponsor Jews trying to flee Germany.

1917

Julian Morton Joins the UVA Unit of the Ambulance Corps. Is awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star.

1919

Julian Morton joins to Linville Co. and Hugh MacRae & Co. He will construct many of the resort homes in Linville in the 20s and 30s and will serve as president of both companies until his death.

1920

Agnes MacRae and Julian Morton are married.

1921

Hugh MacRae Morton born to Julian Morton and Agnes Macrae Morton.

1925

The first Singing on the Mountain is held at MacRae Meadows at the base of Grandfather Mountain, as a church picnic under the leadership of Joe Hartley, a warden of Grandfather Mountain.

1930

Julian Morton builds the Wilmington Pier (Johnny Mercer's Pier).

1934

Hugh Morton attends a photography class at summer camp in Linville when he is 13. The next year, the photography instructor doesn't show up, and Hugh is old enough to be a junior counselor. As such, he teaches the class.

1935

First published photograph is a golf scene for a NC tourism ad that appeared in Time magazine when Hugh Morton is 14.

1939

Linville Improvement Co. sells 448 acres along the Yanoahlossee Trail, which evolves into US 221. Hugh attends UNC-CH and takes photos for the Buccaneer, Carolina Mag and Daily Tar Heel. Strings for the AP and does shoots for Esquire. Is sports photographer for newspapers in Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham. He is later inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece.

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