SPENCER — Years of planning and work came to beautiful fruition Friday morning at 10 a.m. when Spencer Mayor Jonathan Williams was joined by many of those who have worked on the project in cutting the ribbon to officially open the Spencer side of the Yadkin River Trailhead Park.

The first phase of the full plan for the site has been completed, connecting across the Wil-Cox Bridge with the Davidson County side and marking the site where three of the 14 trails throughout North Carolina come together. In addition, the site is a historical marker for both Native Americans and military veterans.

In a statement issued Friday morning, it was noted “it has been reported that there is more military history at this site than at any other location in the United States.” From Native Americans who called the land home thousands of years ago, to early Spanish explorers, to the Revolutionary War battle between American General Nathanael Green and British General Charles Cornwallis in 1781, to President George Washington’s visit to Rowan County in 1791, to the last battle of the Civil War in N.C. fought on the land in 1864, to the World War II encampment at Fort York during the war, and the largest textile mill, the North Carolina Finishing Company, in the state.

The Wil-Cox Bridge, completed in 1924, was at one point slated for demolition, but a local group called “The Bridge Group” was successfully able to lobby the state for the bridge’s preservation as a regional historical artifact. Davidson County began working to develop a part on that side of the bridge, and Spencer joined in with plans for the Rowan County side in recent years.

The project has taken time to raise the funds needed for each part of the project, and has included grants, government funds and private donations. The city initially budgeted $560,000 for the first two phases of the project, but had to work to raise more funds when the bid for the work came in at $700,000, but it came together.

The future plans include the potential for a mixed use space where the former finishing plant stood, along with amenities like a playground, a dog park and an environmental center, but the first piece is now open and welcoming walkers, bikers and those who want to access the river for canoeing or kayaking on the other side.

The trailhead will continue to be a pivotal spot for recreation as the future connection to Downtown Spencer and the Carolina Thread Trail, noted Williams before cutting the ribbon.

“I said this was a start, didn’t I?” said Williams. “It’s all about collaboration. I cannot begin to say thank you enough to all those who helped.”

Joe Morris, Spencer’s planning manager, and Ronnie Smith of Friends of Rowan both received particular thanks for both keeping the energy moving forward and making sure the money was there. Smith has said “this is not going to be a rest area on I-85. The dream is to make it one of the premier parks in the state.”