After nearly four years of negotiations and planning, a major acquisition of land in Hillsborough officially added more than 200 acres and a popular historical attraction to the Eno River State Park. The North Carolina State Parks system announced Tuesday that property, including the Historic Occoneechee Speedway and the James M. Johnston Nature Preserve, formally transferred to its ownership and joined the 4,500 acres of protected land just east of the town. The land was previously owned by the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation, which was approached by the Eno River Association in 2021 as it began a reorganization with new leadership after being known as the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust. The trust donated a portion of the land’s value and the Eno River Association – which works to preserve land within the Eno River basin in northern Orange and Durham counties – successfully fundraised the rest to complete the sale. The nonprofit earned commitments by the North Carol...