The Walters State Community College Foundation has purchased property adjacent to the college's downtown Greeneville campus from Dr. Bob and Chris Thorpe.

The residential property is located next to a demolition project where a portion of the former Laughlin Memorial Hospital building is being razed for the development of a parking area.

Walters State has not announced official plans for the newly-purchased property, which includes a historic home and elaborate rose gardens.

Dr. Thorpe purchased the property in 1991, and the couple, who were married in 1994, have raised hundreds of award-winning roses in gardens behind their home.

The property is at 224 North Main Street and includes a 4,000 square-foot house and 0.66 acres of land, according to a press release from the college.

The price of the sale was not announced.

The historic home was built around 1830 as a wedding present from Valentine Sevier, one of Greeneville's early and most prominent citizens, to his daughter and her husband, George Jones, according to Chris Thorpe.

She said the home was used during the Civil War period to help runaway slaves make their way to freedom as part of the secret network often called "the Underground Railroad."

The Thorpes are only the fourth owners of the home. Prior to the Thorpes, the late Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Hubbs were the owners and residents. After the Joneses, the owners and residents were Mr. and Mrs. William Armitage.

"I hope they take care of the home," Chris Thorpe said, "because it's a very important part of Greeneville's history."

The home is not zoned as part of Greeneville's Historic District, because it is surrounded by the former hospital property, and the hospital "opted out" of the Historic District when it originally was developed.

As the WSCC Greeneville Center continues to develop, the foundation intends to transfer ownership of the property to the college, according to the press release.

While possible uses for the property have yet to be determined, WSCC President Dr. Wade McCamey said an architect developing a Greeneville campus expansion plan will incorporate the property into the design. The expansion plan involves utilization of facilities, parking and beautification.

"This purchase occurred fairly quickly, so we are just now beginning to explore all of the possibilities in which the property could be utilized," McCamey said.

Chris Thorpe said her conversations with college officials brought up several options for the home including the following uses: as a museum, for conference meetings, as part of the culinary arts program and for expansion of the horticulture program.

The Thorpes have purchased the former home of Dr. Walter Chapman, who died in February.

The home on Old Indian Hill Trail suited the Thorpes well, Chris Thorpe said, because it includes a beautiful area to develop as a garden, along with ample yard space for playing with the grandchildren.

She said the couple's decision to move was not an easy one, because they love their home and appreciate living downtown.

But, she said, they eventually realized that the college had plans to develop the area, and they decided it was time to move on.

Dr. McCamey said, "The college's foundation, which in 1995 with assistance from the Greeneville City and Greene County governmental bodies purchased the former Laughlin Hospital building in which we are currently located, continues to make the difference in our ability to increase access to higher education for Greene County citizens."

In 2006, the state of Tennessee purchased the Greeneville Center building from the foundation for $1 million.

"We are extremely grateful to have such a visionary and generous foundation," McCamey also said.

The college's foundation is currently funding the demolition of approximately 70,000 square-feet of the former Laughlin Hospital building that was deemed a safety hazard.

The foundation also recently received from Laughlin Hospital the Laughlin Square property located next to the Greeneville Center.

And the foundation has funded recent renovations at the Greeneville Center which allowed the college to expand its nursing program to Greeneville.

The Walters State Foundation, the official fundraising arm of the college, is governed by a board of trustees and managed by a 15-member executive committee. The current president of the foundation is Sam Miller of Greeneville.

The foundation received more in private giving than any other Tennessee community college during the past year, according to a recent report by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE).

The CAE showed that the Walters State Foundation received more than $2.1 million in private contributions during 2008-09, outpacing all other Tennessee community colleges listed in the report.

Enrollment at Walters State Community College's Greeneville Center set a college record this past fall, with 1,132 students attending.