Back in 2001, Larry Henson and Kim Crenshaw were living an idealic life. They had taken up residence in their 1930s dream home and set to work refinishing their little piece of history. The house was surrounded by overhanging trees under which the family of four would sit leisurely, sucking on watermelon. To the couple, the “watermelon trees”, as they were referred to by their then five year old daughter, were a symbol of Southern charm and a gentle way of life.

Then, the area started to change and Beaver Creek was envisioned. It was to be built in the same spot where the family of four lived. Not to be put off, the couple accepted the change and chose to have their home raised on a wheeled platform and transported four and a half miles to its new location on Highway 751. At the time, they were questioned by friends and neighbors who said, “Why are you moving way out into the country?”

That was a mere eight years ago. Today, the suburban creep continues. Kim, who operates Kim Crenshaw Photography out of their house, regularly hears clients comment on their great location. In 2009, clients find the couple well situated to stop in on their way to work or before heading to the Shops at Southpoint.

At nearly 37% growth per year since 2001 when the couple moved their home, the expansion of Wake County has been astounding. This growth has meant change: expanded school systems, transformed farm land, and grocery stores on every corner. New neighbors no longer start conversations with “What do you do for a living?”: now, it’s “Where are you from? Boston, New York?”

What does all this change mean for the “watermelon trees”, for the way of life that Larry and Kim, like so many other local families, had grown to value and appreciate?

Said Larry, who is a minister with the Unity Church, “Yes, change is all around us these days. In fact, by moving the house those years ago, the two of us kicked off some of that change ourselves. But, the lifestyle is one that we’ve created deep within our hearts. We continue to choose a path that savors the smaller things in life, like having our family near, spending time in our gardens, and the enjoying the kindness of people each day.”

When asked specifically about the “watermelon trees”, Kim chuckled at the memory, saying, “I’m grateful for the years that we spent watching watermelon juice drip down little Hannah’s chin, but she too has grown and changed. I guess that is the biggest emotion for me – gratitude. For as much as this house captures the history of the area, the lifestyle that we came to love is within us. I am so grateful that we’ve had the time and opportunity to understand this and the presence to live knowing that the ‘watermelon trees’ would always be part of our lives.”

Related Links

1. http://www.kimcrenshaw.com/