Harley-Davidson Founder’s Home in Danger of Being Demolished

In Danger

With a history stretching back well over a century to this point, there are plenty of milestones and notable figures that have played a role in the success of Harley-Davidson. Two of the most important are obviously Bill Harley and William A. Davidson, the founders of the company, but as some may not be aware, the latter is from Scotland - not the U.S. Now, Davidson's childhood home -  a cottage in Netherton, Scotland - is the center of a battle between a group of fans and a number of entities who want to build new housing on the land it's resided on for three centuries. 

Saving History

A group of concerned citizens formed a group called Davidson Legacy Preservation Group, which has launched a GoFundMe page to try and save the cottage from being demolished altogether. Before Davidson's family emigrated to the U.S. in 1857, they lived in this very cottage, which was put up for sale by the previous owners in 2021. Problem is, every offer they've received is from a group looking to remove the cottage and make way for new housing. 

Raising Funds

Thus, for the last three years, the Davidson Legacy Preservation Group has worked non-stop to prevent that from happening, and is trying to raise enough money to match the owners' best offer. They received $250,000 from the UK's community ownership fund, but still need $70,000 more, which is why they're asking the public for help in raising those funds. Thus far, they've raised $20,000 of that sum from local bikers and the surrounding community. 

Tourist Spot

The group's goal - if they are able to purchase the cottage - is to transform it into a community hub that hosts events and educational workshops, and ensure that the cottage - a true piece of Scottish history - becomes a spot where people can come and visit for years to come. The site already sees quite a few tourists on a regular basis, many of whom are bikers who have made the pilgrimage from pretty much every part of the world. 

Getting Close

"We've been tirelessly working for these three years, raising awareness, setting up the charity to enable the community to save the cottage, and now with two unsuccessful attempts at securing funding from the National Heritage Lottery, we're now facing a daunting reality. We are so close but just need a bit more!" the group wrote of its mission to save the cottage. 

>>Join in on the conversation about the founder's home here in Harley-Davidson Forums.

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