Georgia state park views [Aug.1962], Georgia state parks views State park views State parks views

VIE G e o r g i a
STATE PARK
1962 LI FE

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Cha r les A. Collier Directo r

Barbara Ranki.. n Editor

ON IviAN AND NATURE
A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man's life as in a book. Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping. Keep ~he time, observe the hours of the universe, not of the railroad cars. ~11hat are three score years and ten hurriedly and coarsely lived, to moments of divine leisure in which your life is coincident with the life of the universe?
- t'Jhen v1e are unhurried and wise we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence - that petty fears and petty pleasures are but the shadow of reality. This is always exhilarating and sublime.
- Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.
- Our thoughts are the epochs of our lives; all else is but as a journal of the winds that blew while we were here.
- You must converse much with the field and woods, if you would imbibe such health into your mind and spirit as you covet for your body. ---Henry Thoreau

RECREATION AND LEISURE
I wish I vruz a little rock A settin' on the hill
A doing nothing all day long But just a settin' still.
I wouldn't eat, I wouldn't sleep, I "t..rouldn' t even wash,
I'd just sit dmm a thousand years And rest mysel, by gosh!
That's a little rhyme youngsters used to repeat years ago. It does not say very much but immediately you get a mental picture o a person sitting alone against a tree, completely relaxed, chewing a piece o grass and enjoying the solitude and beauties o the outdoor world.
The word "recreation" has many different meanings and is used to cover a great variety o activities. Most everyone will agree that ~ecreation" is the opposite of "work"; recognizing, however, that an activity that is recreation or one person may be drudgery for another; i.e. , building a boat, making a paddle, or even painting a picture.
Definitions o "leisure" also vary a great deal. One that is acceptable reads *"Leisure is free time after all duties, obligations, and oiher practical necessities have been attended to." All this is by 'i'ray of saying that vast numbers of people spend their leisure pursuing recreational activities.
The demand for recreation has greatly increased during the past ten years. There are our major reasons: Shorter work hours - more leisure time; the mobility of our population; higher incomes; increase in population. Experts predict that by 1980 the demand for recreation will inc*ease 400 per cent. The wise or worthy use of leisure can be a great boon to the individual and to society - t'!asted or misused leisure can become a serious problem. This is a direct challenge to every agency concerned l~rith recreation.
The Georgia Department of State Parks is, of course, only one o t~e many agencies trying to meet some o the recreational needs. In light of the prediction above, there is a tremendous job ahead of us. State Park Superintendents are in a position to observe v1hich recreational activities are most in demand and to help the General Office to plan ifttelligently and to provide the facilities that will keep pace t1ith the increasing demands - thus meeting the needs and interests o the public.
It is often said, and rightly so, ttJhere there is no leisure, there i$ little or no culture."
*Leisure and Recreation by Martin H. and Esther s. Neumeyer.
The Ronald Press Co. 1955, New York
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Spare moments are the gold dust of time. Of all the portions of our life, the spare moments are the most fruitful in good or evil.
---The Right Hand, August 1962

Many of you vlill be interested in seeing the rates and fees that ~e charged by State Parks in some of our neighboring States, as shown in the chart below.
STATE PARK OVERNIGHT CAJVJPING RATES & FEES
(As submitted by Individual State Agency and compiled by the Florida Park Service)

- - - - - ---~~ _f..!A~_rG_f!-9~~-I_Ai_KY~--r ~-I_SS_._( C._ -,_S_-:.._~C~--...~'1.:~

DAILY
C.Ar::PING FEE
NEEKLY
FEE
DAILY ELECTRIC FEE
REYJARKS

$2.00

l' $1.00 $1.00 - $1.50 Ii$1.50 - $1.50 $1.00 -

Devel. i I $1.50
$1.00 !

Devel. 2 pers.

4 pers.

4 pers.

I 25

25

25

I 50 each

$1.00 each

$1.00 each

Undev.

I
!

I Undev. 1add ' 1 !person

add ' 1 person

_tl. ~--

add'l person
I

$14.00

$5.00 ,$7.00 -, $7.00 j$10.50 ,$10.50 i$5.00 -

Devel.

Devel.,2 pers.

,~ pers.j

4 pers.

$9.00

$1.75

,$1.75 .

$1.25

$7.00 ;

$2.50 leach

$6.00 !each

$7.00 each

Undev.;

Undev. add'l
jperson

I ladd'l 1
!person

add'l person

---\-----+---~-

I

l

25 25 where
available

I
I

I I

II 50

1

I

,

I,1
l I

!---iI --t.-

1 .
Regular fee !include :one ;elec. 1outlet

7-day ' No pet$

1,

i

I

i7-day

limit. 14-day :

i
:

I
I

,
I

'limit.

I limit. !14-day 14-day: 2-eek! 14-day Pets

14-day

I 14-day No

!limit

limit I limit I limit now.

limit

I limit. minors

I

Consid-

Some unless

ering

fishing accomp. fees. by adult

I

I

'

"no
~preegtsu"la.~1

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COMPARISON OF GEORGIA STATE PARK FEES AND CHARGES t'IITH OTHER STATES

sERVICE CHARG~~----~I~N_O~T~H~ER~~S~T-A~T~ES~------------~I~N~G~EOR~G~I~A~-----------

1. Admission to Park-

Seventeen (17) States make some charge, ranging from
25 daily parking fee to a $10.00 annual admission fee.

Georgia does not chargee

2. Parkin~ Cars,usses, boats, trailers

-Three (3) States charge parking fee in addition to
entrance fee
-Four (4) charge parking fee only
-Three (3) charge extra for busses and boat trailers

s. Facilitr use
a) Camp1ng
b) Swimming, use of bath house or locker
c) Boat Launching
d) Cabins

Thirty-eight (38) States make a charge. Average, $1.00 to $1.50 per night per campsite.
Twenty-five (25) States charge for these services. Average cost, 35 for adults, 25 for children.
Thirteen (13) States charge a fee for boat launching. Average cost, 50 per day.
Twenty-five (25) States list overnight rates that range from $3.00 per day per person (minimum) to $20.00 per day (maximum). Average, $6.00 to $8.00.

Georgia does not charge.
Georgia charges 50 par night (undeveloped areas), and $1.00 (developed areas) Georgia charges 30 for adults, 20 for children.
Georgia does not charge.
Georgia's rates range from $6.00 for 2 persons to $15.00 for 8 persons. t-Jeekly rates are less.

4. Funds Available for Park Operation

Funds derived from fees and charges for use of park facilities are 62 3/4% of total spent for park operation in twentysix (26) State Parks.

Georgia derives only
12t,% of cost of operation from fees and charges. Thus, it is evident that charges made by Georgia Parks for park use are exceptionally low.

Basic data compiled by Ohio Division of State Parks

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NE\.'JS

ELIJAH CLARK STATE PARK L1ncolnton J.F. Fortson, Supt.

CROOKED RIVER STATE PARK

Kingsland

M. K. DeLoach, Supt.

July 'l'tras an inspiring month :for

Our park has enjoyed a very good

Elijah Clark State Park. The Fourth season this year. In July we had

came around with a bang and ever

:five :family reunions, one Church

since, we have really been busy

Training Reunion, one annual church

trying to please our many July

party of 65 people, two birthday

campers. There was r,,Irs. Jones nho parties, and one Boy Scout Troop

just had to have a second picnic

#220 on an outing :from Jacksonville,

table to put her new hotplate on--- Fla. Visitors :from as :far north as

we were only short about 200; so you Canada and :from California have com-

can see we had a time "inching" the mented highly on the beauties of

area :for another. l\1r. Bill, at the Crooked River Park, especially the

concession, just couldn't keep

salt water :fishing and the historic

enough "honeybuns" :for the big eyes sites to see while camped here.

and hungry mouths that wanted them.

Billy and Hank were so busy carrying ~~e hope to develop trails thru the

garbage to the city dump that they swamps alongside the river. The

didn't even have time to stop and

tropical scenery is very pretty,

ask about ~~s. Higginbotham's baby overlooking Crooked River :from the

possums.

bluffs. Many skiers come here to

use the broad river to have their

July 4 was really jam-packed.

:fun on skis, as well as motor boat-

Above the shrills and squeals of

ing and sail boating.

that day, I knew it must have been

dinnertime---an echo chimed in

We look :forward to a large influx

v.rith, "Mama, come open some more

of traffic soon, as construction of

cans!!" Nevertheless, picnickers

the new Thykol Solid Fuel base has

didn't hurt the concession stand's started near Brunswick, Ga., on the

business---Sara Beth and Johnny

coast 40 miles from our park.

couldn't even finish the last chap-

ters of Auntie Marne and The Egg and I :for spread1ng thick layers of catsup and onions on hamburger buns.

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L. s. TJJALKER STATE PARI<

~vaycross

Clay Morgan, Supt.

I'm glad to say, in all the rush of

last month, that nothing drastic

News is rather scarce this month

happened on the lake because there but, as Mr. Collier says, "If your

was hardly a square :foot of water

park is open, there should be news."

that wasn't covered by either a

boat or a skier---4,000 boaters

We are still having an increase in

really take up the space.

the number of picnickers. Last

Sunday we had 7 large family re-

Our superintendent, Mr. Fortson, and unions coming from all the southern

his family will be moving into the states. nut we are sending away

park area soon. Their new home was tent and trailer campers every day

started a :few rJeeks ago, and they

---NO SvJI!VlMING. Of course, if they

plan to move in October. It's

are going north, we send them to

really going to be a nice house r!ith Mr. \'Jillcox, and if they are going

plenty of outdoor space for their

south, ;.:Je send them to Mr. DeLoach~

two boys to catch lizzards and

i!Jith the new swimming pool construe-

frogs.

tion taking so much room, we are now

at a disadvantage with our tent and (Our thanks again to Miss Beth Turner,

member of I"'..r. Fortson's staff, :for such a fine verbal picture of the

(continued on next page)

park's activities.)

L. S. WALKER STATE PARK (cont 'd)

and trailer people---just not enough room (real estate).

We are having some of the hottest weather in 20 years$ according to the weather man---right around 100 degrees every day. Then, at night, we have mean electrical storms, but the storms do not cool off the
atmosphereo We already have cut down 10 large trees that were hit by lightning. A tree is no good after being hit---not even for firewood.

Our campers have been on the increase from Florida, for some reason, and if we had a place for their kids to swim, we would have had a time trying to make room
for them. They have all promised
to come back next year.

We had a full house for group camping until the news about the lake hit the papers, and then the cancellations started to come in. We have only two left.

Certainly hope we have another training period at Cordele this fall,

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FORT YARGO STATE PARK

W1nder

w. s. Fricks, Supt.

At Fort Yargo, attendance for July was very good. We had pic-
nickers, family groups, church groups, and tourists, daily.

Every Sunday in July we had one to two family reunions. We also are having a few campers. During the month, we had visitors from Toronto, Canada, Florida, Alabama, Texas, South Carolina and, of course, Georgia. Because of our limited camping facilities, they do not sta7 over very long.

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GEORGIA VETERANS MEM. STATE PARK

Cordele

George Greene, Supt.

July has brought what is probably the hottest weather that we have had during my seven and a half years at this park. August is right in line with a 98 yesterday. Yet, enough rain has fallen to keep our grass growing right along.

Response to our Museum has been favorable. trJe have had visitors from Canada, China, Cuba, Iraq, and Panama.

Our new camping area has been open for almost two weeks now. Everyone seems to like it fine. Right away, we can see that extra facilities will be needed in the next year or two. Especially will we need more showers. Campers seem
to be more pleased with the showers than with any other
feature

Josie joins me in sending best wishes and warm regards to all. We are grateful for the opportunity of both meeting and getting to know so many of you. It has surely been a pleasure to have had you
visit here with us, both at the fine meetings and the individual trips that some have made. When you come this way, please call us on the phone, if only to say
''Hello"

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STEPHEN C. FOSTER STATE PARK

Fargo

George S1rman&, Supt.

The Clinch County High School Class of 1951 held a class reunion at
s. c. Foster State Park in July.
Approximately 2/3 of the class members attended and brought their families. Everyone enjoyed a fish fry and watermelon cutting. Incidentally, I was a member of this 1951 class.

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NANCY HART STATE PARK

Elberton

Mrs. John Allgood

Nancy Hart Park has had a number of picnics as well as a few reunions. the Palmer reunion was held here sunday, August 5th, and there t'rere at least one hundred present.

PERSONNEL NEtrJS
Charles Ray Keasey, a retired colonel
of the u.s. Army, has joined the
staff of the State Parks Department as Parks Engineer.
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The sudden death last month of ~J. Jack Etheredge, F. D. Roosevelt

DID YOU KNmJ??

State Park, was a shock to all who

knew him. I:Je extend our sincere

one of the most unusual reference

sympathy to Mrs. Etheredge in her

books around is the ''Guinness Book

bereavement.

of VJorld Records", a compendium of

odd statistics about such things as

*'k*****

the world's longest sausage (3,000

feet) and slowest railway (10 m.p.h.). A MESSAGE TO ALL PERSONNEL OF THE

You may be interested to learn that STATE PARKS DEPARTMENT:

the largest oil field is 1,800

square miles, at Oktyabrski, Russia;

'.'Jorking with the State Parks

that the cheapest car ever built vJas Department while Barbara Rankin was

the $295 1923 Model T; and that the on leave of absence has been an

deepest oil well is a 25,340-foot

interesting and rewarding experience.

dry hole drilled in Texas in 1958.

I take this opportunity to thank

each of you for making me feel a

---"Our Sun"

"member of the Team", and for your

Jummer 1962 issue

support and cooperation.

* * * * * * *
I will not hurry through this day! Lord, I v1ill listen by the t'Jay, To humming bees and singing birds, To murmuring trees and friendly
words; And for the moments in between Seek glimpses of Thy great Unseen.
I will not hurry through this day, I will take time to think and pray; I will look up into the sky, Where fleecy clouds and swallows
fly; And somewhere in the day, maybe I will catch whispers, Lord, from
Thee!
---"Meditations Under the Sky" by Dorothy Wells Pease
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Fisherman: "I tell you, it was that long. I never saw such a fish!"
Friend: "I believe you."

As a "born and bred in the Briar Patch" Georgian, and one who loves the out-of-doors and believes in the great value of recreation, I have long been interested in Georgia's Park System. There has been notable progress in the past may it continue in the future.
Best wishes to all,
SUE HAMivJACK Acting Director Division of Recreation and Public Relations
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VACATIONISTS NOTE
Watch your children at the beach because this is the time of year t1hen they have no fear of water unless it's soapy, of course.
---The Right Hand August 1962 issue

Dear Governor Vandiver:

' / /) ; / / 1 It

It is a pleasure to write this letter and tell the State of Georgia, the United States and all foreign countries, what a wonderful state park you have at Indian Springs. My family and I have traveled in most of the States and two foreign countries, and we have never as yet met any better Superintendent and State Park employees than you have there, always willing to aid you, day or
night. The rest rooms are kept in first class condition at all times and the park is kept in the best condition under the circumstances.

Dear Governor Vandiver:
We have just enjoyed a pleasant week-end at Black Rock Mountain State Park.
We would like to commend the very fine gentleman, Mr. J. L. Christian, the park ranger. Mr. Christian stayed on the job from early in the mprning until late at night, seeing that the camp and rest rooms V!ere kept clean and chatting briefly vrith each camping family.
During your adnlinistration, the parks in Georgia have come a long w~y. In the past, we had to leave the State for a suitable place to c~p; now there are several vrithin comfortable driving distance. I must say, though, that none of the others we have visited are as well m~naged and as clean as Black Rock operated by Mr. Christian.
Sincerely,

My family and I belong to the Southern Campers Association of Florida and I intend to bring up this park in our meeting on Sept. 6th and recommend that we all stop there v1hile traveling north. Also, I intend to tell our'most beloved campers while on the road that I highly recommenc this park, without prejudice to any, as being one of the best in the United States
Respectfully yours,
Capt. J. L. Baker, Sr. Upper Key Largo, Fla.
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Dear Sir:
During the month of July this year, rre spent several treeks on a camping trip through the South. We had previously requested information on such a trip through Georgia and were promptly serviced.

James H. Cole Atlanta, Georgia
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llJhen we compared the services rendered at the various State Parks in Georgia and other States, v1e felt that you people at the Little Ocmul-
gee State Park, near McRae, were the most courteous and hospitable. This is certainly a fine reflection

(continued on next page)

out OF nm NAIL BAG (continued)
on your of~ice - truly Southern Hospitality in action. Thank you.
A. v. Esposito
Cincinnati, Ohio
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oear Sir: MY family and I had the privilege and opportunity of visiting and camping in several State Parks in GeOrgia. I would like to thank you and all members of your Department, and the people of Georgia, tor providing such wonderful parks, not only for their own pleasure, but for the pleasure of peoplq from other States.
Travelers usually pick one park that, in their opinion, is outstanding. To me, Black Rock Mountain State Park surpasses any park that I have ever been in. I have seen other parks with more natural beauty, but never have I been in a park, including the National Parks, that had the supervision of Black Rock. It gave me great pleasure to see how some take pride in their work.
To the Superintendent of Black Rock I would like to say, I wish we had more men like you in our parks service
Yours truly,
Robert J. Bloomfield Beaumont, Texas
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Dear Miss Rankin:
I have recently become a resident ot Georgia and feel it is necessary to write to the person, or persons, responsible for the very enjoyable times I have spent in the State Parks.

The developments in terms of facilities, the excellent locations, the courteous service, and the added attractions offered by such cultural innovations as museums are extraordinary.
May I congratulate you, and thank you, for the pleasant times I have spent in the State Parks. I plan to spend many more pleasant and profitable hours in these pleasant surroundings.
Sincerely yours,
David E. Hernandez Atlanta, Georgia
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A PRAYER
God of the open air, we kneel reverently in this temple not made with hands. The tall pines lift our thoughts above us to the Source of all this beauty. The singing of the feather-throated choir puts a melody in our hearts, a song of joy and praise and trust. All the discordant notes of the world are muted; all the problems of life are forgotten. We are filled with an inner peace and know that here we have found Thee. As t'..re leave this hallowed spot, may the reality of Thy presence go lvith us to give us courage and strength for our daily tasks.
* * * * * * *
Because of a calendrical switch, the year 1752 had only 271 days--with September 2 followed by September 14. It was the shortest year in history!
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He that plants trees loves others beside himself.
---Thomas Fuller

A MESSAGE FROM I"R. COLLIER :
The State of Georgia, in cooperation with Lenox Square, Inc., in Atlanta, will present a "Salute to Grovling Georgia" program at the Lenox Square shopping center on Peachtree Road, Monday, August 27, through Friday, August 31.
Major State Departments will present exhibits, demonstrations and displays so that the thousands of people who patronize the shopping center may see the many services paid for by their tax dollars.
This is probably the first time that all State Departments have cooperated in a joint exhibition, and it will be an effective means of informing the public about their State Government.
Editor 's Note: Needless to say, your Department of State Parks is very busy working on
plans for presenting in a dramatic and attractive manner the many services offered to the public. In addition to informing the public about their State Government, we hope it will also result in greater public interest and increased attendance.