Harley-Davidson Founders Home Has been Saved
The Davidson Legacy Preservation Group has raised enough to secure the future of the historic Scottish property
You may remember that last year we brought you the news that the birthplace of William C Davidson, one of the founders of Harley-Davidson, was under threat of demolition.
We have good news for you this Wednesday afternoon because the crowdfunding effort to save it has succeeded, thanks to the Davidson Legacy Preservation Group raising the required £70,000.
Originally home to Alexander ‘Sandy’ Davidson in the 19th Century, the Davidson family lived there until 1858, when they moved to Milwaukee. William C Davidson was born in the cottage in 1846, a boy said to be born with a love for all things mechanical… We all know the story from there, with brothers Arthur, Walter and William Davidson going on to set up the Bar & Shield brand alongside Bill Harley.
The house has been on the market since 2021, although the previous owners, who bought the quaint stone-wall property in 2008, have only received offers that would see the cottage razed to the ground, using the land for a larger development.
Thankfully that won’t be happening, and thanks to the work of the group, Harley fans from around the world can once again head to the historic location as they have for a number of years.
Speaking to Motorcycle News, the lead fundraiser for the cottage, Nyree Aitken, said the next steps would be to develop the site sympathetically to reflect how it was used at the time. The Davidson Legacy Preservation Group will also be looking to shore up the access road to the property.
Find all the latest motorcycle news on Visordown.com
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
