Resident tells Fayetteville board blasts shook historic home, asks to buy adjacent city parcel

A public commenter told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Dec. 4 that a nearby historic log house and the commenter’s property were shaken by an explosive-like event and asked the city to let the speaker and spouse purchase adjacent city land at 1803 to protect the house.

The commenter said work by an entity identified in the remarks as “WPC” could include blasting within 300 feet of a water tank and recounted, "I was very alarmed in recent weeks to hear what sounded like a bomb go off behind the southwest corner of our property. The entire house shook, the floor shook." The speaker added that neighbors at a nearby college reported similar shaking and said contractors told them seismic meters were "okay." The speaker also asked the board to consider allowing the private purchase of the city parcel, saying, "We owe it to this historical property as the caretakers."

The commenter detailed the house’s local history, naming long-standing families associated with the residence and citing past owners and a Civil War-era family connection. They also asked whether the city’s 500,000-gallon tank could be damaged in a flood and what that would mean for nearby properties.

The board did not take an immediate action on the request during the public-comment period; the meeting proceeded to other business. The transcript contains no recorded response from the board addressing the request to sell or transfer the city parcel during the session.

Next steps: the comment was entered into the record and the board moved on to its agenda; the transcript does not show whether staff were directed to follow up or investigate blasting activity, seismic readings, or the feasibility of a city sale of the parcel.