Who We Are
The overarching objective of Saxapahaw Forward is to culivate, sustain, and enhance the unique village identity of Saxapahaw, ensuring that the big spirit of this rural community thrives for generations to come. Over the past decade, community members began to envision a connected, healthy, and active community where both residents and visitors can interact with one another, support local businesses and schools, walk the trails, and participate in community events.
Beginning in 2010, groups of community members began to gather with concerns for safety and a desire for traffic calming measures (see history below). In 2023, the non-profit, Saxapahaw Forward, Inc., was formed. Recognizing the opportunity to be more than a traffic committee and different from a homeowner's association, board members formed a community-based nonprofit committed to working toward interconnected goals:
COMMUNITY: Nurture a resilient and livable rural community that encourages social interaction, cultural expression, and a sense of belonging among community members.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Enhance access to and connections with Saxapahaw’s landscape and riverscape, inviting appreciation and interdependent relationships among residents, visitors, and our natural environment.
SPACES: Cultivate spaces and opportunities for meaningful interchanges between community members, businesses, visitors, and all who care for our village.
Go to the News & Archives page to learn more.
Our Team (Sax FWD Board Members)
Our strength lies in our individuality.
Lorraine McNamara
Chair
Amy Beth Kessinger
vice-chair
Deborah Perotti
Treasurer
Sue Eldon
Judith Brooks
Kyle Decker
Marc Smith
Mike Bordeau
Kathryn Newlin Brown
Some of Our History
The formation of Saxapahaw Forward is the result of more than 14 years of work by various groups within the community of Saxapahaw as the community has changed and grown. A brief review the history of this community points to the dramatic change:
1994 – The mill closed. The post office and B Everett Jordan Elementary School remain open.
2006 – The Rivermill Apartments opened. These apartments are the result of a $20M HUD renovation project aimed at preserving the historic mill and reimagining a sustainable village.
2008 – The Upper Mill renovation began through a $17M adaptive reuse renovation to the second mill building to include 29 residences and 9 commercial condos for seeing out the vision of sustainable community living.
2010-2020 –
–> Saxapahaw witnessed a Business Boom: The Eddy Pub, Left Bank Butchery, Saxapahaw General Store, Haw River Ballroom/Cup 22, Haw River Farmhouse Ales, Paperhand Puppet, Haw River Canoe & Kayak, many local farms, and subsequent surrounding businesses all opened – together generating local and national attention and becoming a tourist designation for the benefit of the wider community. In addition, several nonprofits have opened, including the Culture Mill (fostering a creative ecosystem for art and education) and SAFE Food Ministry (currently the largest food pantry in Alamance County).
–> New Schools Opened: The Hawbridge School (a charter school established in 1998) opened in the Upper Mill. A major expansion was completed in 2022 on land across from the original school, making Hawbridge a K-12 school with more than 600 students. In 2013 Saxapahaw Village Kids Preschool & Daycare opened at Saxapahaw United Methodist Church. And B. Everett Jordan Elementary School, part of the ABSS, continues to serve the community.
–> New Parks Opened: There were no public trails in Saxapahaw in 2010. Over the past 14 years the Saxapahaw Island Park, sections of the Haw River Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail, and various other Saxapahaw trails have opened providing opportunities for more than 10 miles of hiking.
–> Rise in Number of Homes and Housing Developments: Beyond the Rivermill Apartments and Sissipahaw Lofts, new homes have been built in Haw Village (the first ones were completed around 2008), the Timberlake Community just north of Saxapahaw, and more.
More people now reside in Saxapahaw’s center and surrounding areas than ever before. In addition, there are a significant number of visitors who come daily for the dining, entertainment, and the many recreational activities the river and parks offer. On a Saturday in the summer there are between 2,000 and 4,000 visitors.
Over the years various community members have worked with the DOT to add two crosswalks, and to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph. Based on DOT traffic counts, this has been helpful, but insufficient. In 2002, the DOT counted 3,100 vehicles on Church Road, just south of the bridge. Twenty years later, in 2022, the DOT counted 4,700 vehicles. This dramatic increase is the result of both the dramatic growth in Saxapahaw and the reality that the smart phone and mapping applications have made Saxapahaw a shortcut for a large number of trucks.
In 2020, a small group of community members organized to collect stories and sign petitions. More than 275 local residents signed the petition, identifying safety and noise concerns, and recommending various traffic calming measures. Steps were taken to plan for two roundabouts, but nothing came of that. In the past two years community members have come to realize that the dramatic change needed to cultivate, sustain, and enhance the unique village identity of Saxapahaw will require a more organized effort.
Thus Saxapahaw Forward was formed in 2023, and is actively working to make a positive impact in our community.
