A historic late-18th-century home and about $500,000 in cash given to a local Tennessee government to create a public park have been returned to a family descendant after nearly 10 years of municipal delays. The legal transfer ends a long dispute over the estate, which was originally meant to protect local history and create open green space for the community. According to a report published by AOL, the local authority failed to meet important deadlines and responsibilities set out in the owner's will. As a result, a legal process returned both the property and the money to the owner's family. The property includes a house built in the late 1700s, making it a rare surviving example of early settlement architecture in the region. When the owner died nearly a decade ago, the will clearly stated that the home and surrounding land should be turned into a public park. A $500,000 endowment was also provided to pay for early improvements, preparing the site and future maintenance.
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