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Sam Crawford

Sam Crawford came from a family that had farmed land along Cane Creek in Orange County for generations. He helped lead the Cane Creek Conservation Authority against OWASA's reservoir, serving as its president, secretary and communications person, and OWASA acquired 50 acres of his family's land. He recorded an oral history of the fight in October 1985.

Source: Documenting the American South: Oral history interview with Sam Crawford, October 26, 1985 (K-0006)

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Oral history interview with Sam Crawford, October 26, 1985: interview K-0006, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007)

Crawford, Sam · 2007 · University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill

… Sam Crawford was a founding member and leader of the Cane Creek Conservation Authority (CCCA), beginning in 1975, when the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) planned to build a reservoir in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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  1. Opponents sue in federal court, arguing the dam permit has lapsed The Cane Creek Conservation Authority filed suit in U.S. District Court claiming OWASA's Corps permit expired on August 31, 1982 because no fill had actually b… People: Sam CrawfordDaily Tar Heel (DigitalNC): Fights on to stop OWASA dam, October 20, 1982
  2. OWASA buys out most of the Cane Creek landowners By April 1986 OWASA owned 48 of the 50 parcels needed for the reservoir, almost all bought through negotiated sales. Sam Crawford recalled an opening offer of … People: Sam CrawfordDaily Tar Heel (DigitalNC): N.C. Court of Appeals upholds (Valerie Stegall), April 4, 1986
  3. Cane Creek Conservation Authority members go to the General Assembly to oppose an OWASA bill Fifteen members of the Cane Creek Conservation Authority traveled to the legislature to oppose a bill OWASA sought to settle its outstanding court cases and wi…Search the index · Documenting the American South: Oral history interview with Sam Crawford, October 26, 1985 (K-0006)

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Background reading at OCPL

Held in OCPL’s Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection. Selected because their titles or catalog subjects provide wider historical context for this person; they may not discuss the Orange County person directly.

  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection Remembering North Carolina Tobacco Yeargin, Billy · 2008 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Yeargin, Billy; Tobacco -- North Carolina -- Anecdotes; Tobacco farms -- North Carolina -- Anecdotes
  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection Helping Patrons Find Their Roots: A Genealogy Handbook for Librarians Schultz, Janice Lindgren · 2018 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Reference services (Libraries) -- United States; Genealogy; Genealogy -- Library resources -- Handbooks, manuals, etc
  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection Black Indian Genealogy Research Walton-Raji, Angela Y. · 2018 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: African Americans -- Southern States -- Genealogy; African Americans -- Oklahoma -- Genealogy; African Americans -- Relations with Indigenous people
  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection Guide to Reference in Genealogy and Biography 2015 Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Biography -- Bibliography; Genealogy -- Bibliography; Biography -- Reference books -- Bibliography

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