Georgia state parks views [Jan. 1964]

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VIEWS Parks
JANUARY 19o4

Growing

doudland canyon

fort
mountain

vogel tr

black ro * mtn.
unicoi

-with Georgia

amicaloia falls

victoria bryant

red top mtn.
* george w. carver

fori yargo

hard labor creek

senoia

mdian sp?ings

nancy hart
*
bobby brown
fijoh clarke ah. Stephens
keg creek*"

f d. ropsevelt
i

magnolia springs

yam grandy

* Imcoln

little ocmulgee

go. vtterdhs memorial

gordonia alatamaha

kolomoki

chehaw

\faichild
|* t *bambridge
seminole

[eff davis

Is. walker *
s.c. foster

crooked river *

Horace G. Caldwell Director

Mabel B. Wilkins Editor

WELCOME, LEGISLATORS!
This issue of Park Views is dedicated to the members of the legislature now in session.
We, in the State Parks Department, are very proud of the progress made during 1963 in all of our State Parks. The information given on the following pages is in capsule form so that our busy legislators may see at a glance how fast our parks are growing.
State Parks are rapidly becoming "Big Business" all over the country and our hats are off to our legislators who have shown vision in helping the State Parks Department to prepare for the visitation boom the parks are now experiencing.

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BONDS

Through the last legislative session, the Department of State Parks v/as placed under the Jekyll Island Authority for the purpose of floating capital improvement bonds. The Department is now in a position to float bonds in the amount of approximately $2,300,000. In order that this money may be spent wisely, an exhaustive study of various parks is being made to determine which of the parks would best support new revenue-producing facilities.
By constructing revenue-producing facilities with the bond money, we hope to increase our capital improvement budget considerably
Although we are concerned with revenue-producing facilities, we also realize it will be necessary to expand all phases of our park facilities,

EXPANSION OF PARK FACI LITIES
In an effort to keep up with the public need and demand for State Park conveniences, many additional facilities were installed in our parks during 1963.
The major portion of our efforts and money was allocated to the expansion of present tent camping areas and to the building of more comfort stations.
Inasmuch as cabins could not be built fast enough to halfway meet the public's demand for such facilities, fortyfive (45) trailer homes were installed in six parks where they were most needed. These trailer homes will not replace cabins in our parks but serve only as supplemental housing until more cabins can be built

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EFFECT OF PARKS ON THE STATE ECONOMY
There are definite and specific economic impacts on communities in the vicinity of state parks. These range from a rise in real estate values in the vicinity of the parks to increases in sales to park visitors. After the initial establishment of a park, its operations create jobs and call for the purchase of supplies and equipment, thereby giving a boost to the local economy.
State parks are an attraction to the tourist trade, an adequate source of health and happiness to the citizens of Georgia, and an important factor in the appeal for new industries and commercial institutions.
PLANNING DIVISION
In October of 1963 a new Planning Division was set up and a professional Landscape Architect was placed as its head .
This division is responsible for the preparation of a master plan of development for each park; and the development of parks are to be in accordance with both individual master plans and the master plan for the entire park system.
Constant cooperation is maintained with the Engineering Division whose duty it is to supply engineering surveys to the Planning Division. The master plans also include landscape planting plans which designate location and type of plant materials, always attempting to preserve native material
This division is responsible for coordinating all the necessary work involved in preparation of the master plan, and for the continuous operation of keeping it current.

REPORT ON SOUTH GEORGIA STATE PARKS
TO: HONORABLE GEORGE T. SMITH Speaker, House of Representatives

FROM:

THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INSPECT STATE PARKS:
Representative Frank Arnsdorff of Effingham County, Chairman Representative Gerald Leonard of Murray County Representative Truitt Davis of Heard County Representative Knox Bynum of Rabun County

We, the Committee, respectfully submit this report to the Speaker of the House:

We, the Committee, inspected the Indian Springs State Park, Indian Springs, Georgia; the Magnolia Springs State Park, Millen, Georgia; the Little Ocmulgee State Park, McRae, Georgia; the Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Georgia; the Chehavv State Park, Albany, Georgia; and the Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain, Georgia; among others, in the inspection trip made by the Committee.
We are pleased to report that the State Parks appear to be in suitable appearance for the amount of monies heretofore available to the State Parks Department. We believe the Parks Department and the local personnel are performing a good job with the amount of money available.
It is apparent to the Committee that there is a definite trend toward more popularity of the State Parks' use by the citizens of Georgia and tourists from other states, and we do not believe the present facilities, recreational and otherwise, in our State Parks will meet the demand in the immediate future unless a constructive program of development of new and expanded facilities is pursued with vigor .
We respectfully recommend the improvement of the roads inside the State Parks and the paving where possible as soon as money can be obtained for this purpose.
We recommend the construction of revenue producing projects to place the State Parks Department on a self-sustaining basis in the future, and to better serve the public.
We believe that the State can save some money by using more prison labor on the development and maintenance of the State Parks system, and recommend that more prison labor be used for this purpose where feasible.
So as to familiarize the public with the locations of the State Parks, we recommend more directional signs at highv/ay intersections .

We recommend as soon as funds become available that consideration be given to providing a more incentive producing pay scale for the professional park personnel.
We certainly commend Honorable Horace Caldwell, the State Parks Director, and his assistants, for their splendid enthusiasm for the promotion of the State Parks system, and we would like to express appreciation to the local citizens and local park personnel for their warm hospitality extended us on this inspection trip.
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Yogi Bear

By Hanna-Barbera

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"Watch the expression on his face when he suddenly realizes there's NO electrical outlet!"

REPORT ON NORTH GEORGIA STATE PARKS

TO: Honorable George T. Smith, Speaker of the House FROM: The Committee Appointed to Inspect State Parks

Rep. Goodwin Hall of Lee County, Chairman; Rep. Jack Morgan, Newton County; Rep. Talmadge Echols, Upson County; Rep. James Warren, Wayne County; Rep. Roy Coker , Turner County; Rep. Francis Houston, Pierce County, and Rep. Howard Rainey, Crisp County.

We, the Committee, respectfully submit this report to the Speaker of the House.

We have found that North Georgia's mountains are second to none in the United States when it comes to unspoiled natural beauty that
captures the glory and grandeur of creation.

-- BUT

the North Georgia state parks are sadly lacking in ade-

quate facilities, severely handicapping all Georgians' abilities to

enjoy their own parks and causing hundreds of tourists to leave our

state unaware of the wonderful scenery in our parks.

The people need to develop tourism as a major industry in North Georgia. To do this they must have state parks in tip-top condition, fully developed for both young and adult citizens of Georgia and tour-
ists to enjoy.

We submit that there is no better way to promote tourism in North Georgia than to develop, maintain and expand the state parks and
facilities

We, therefore, recommend:

1. Revenue-producing projects are needed in the state parks to help place them on a self-sustaining basis insofar as possible without gouging the public.

2. We have been impressed with the devotion and dedication of state parks personnel. We have found the parks superintendents and their families to be respected members of their communities who take an active part in community affairs.

We have found parks personnel in many instances to be underpaid and overworked. Therefore, we recommend that higher standards be established for state parks personnel and that higher salaries should be paid in order to secure the best personnel available to operate our
state parks.

This policy should be put into effect as soon as is feasible and practicable.

3. We strongly recommend that misdemeanor prison labor be utilized to the fullest extent possible to perform needed work in each state park, insofar as is practicable. We believe that the use of

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prison labor in the state parks is a perfect way to help in the rehabilitation of prisoners; and in beautifying our state parks; and in improving the roads that exist in deteriorated condition in many parks
4. We strongly urge that a pay telephone be established in each and every state park so that in an emergency help can be summoned immediately. Fort Mountain State Park especially needs a telephone for the Park Superintendent and his family.
5. We strongly recommend that the state establish two model parks, one in North Georgia and one in South Georgia, as ideal state parks for our citizens and as a tangible yardstick for measuring the type park desired by the citizens.
6. We strongly urge and recommend that a master survey of all Georgia's state parks be performed and an inventory taken so that all Georgians will know what their parks contain and what resources are within the parks.
7. We believe it is imperative that the State Highway Department, working with the State Parks Department, should develop, as soon as possible, large directional signs both at the entrance to our parks and along the major traffic arteries of our state informing travelers and Georgians alike of the location of our parks and what is contained within these parks for the enjoyment of the citizens and tourists.
8. We recommend that additional camp sites and tent sites be made available in virtually every North Georgia park in view of the severe shortage of cottages and cabins in these parks. Camping is booming in the South as our youth and our families take to the "great outdoors" in increasing numbers. We need tent sites and camp sites in great number to accommodate these campers.
9. We recommend that when timber is cut and sold in state parks it be done sparingly and on a contract sawing basis so that the money derived from the sale of timber in our parks goes back into the Parks Department funds.
10. We recommend in particular for Amicalola Falls State Park that the beautiful lake brimming with fish at the top of the falls should be ringed with suitable cabins and that a scenic overlook be prepared overlooking the beautiful falls.
Also, at Amicalola, we recommend that additional tent sites and camp sites be constructed and that the road to the top of the falls be paved. For children's safety, a fence should be erected at the top of the falls.
11. We recommend that, in each park in the mountains, scenic overlooks be built both within the parks and along the highways leading into the parks, so that motorists can breathe in the beauty of the mountains and replenish their spirits and lift up their hearts with the inspiring views.

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12. We strongly urge the full cooperation of the State Parks Department, the Highway Department, the Forestry Department and the State Department of Industry and Trade and other state agencies in developing our parks into the best in the South.
13. We recommend that the parents in Georgia be urged to send their children to visit our state parks, and that they be invited to participate in "group camps" perhaps, rather than going off to New York and Washington.
14. We recommend that additional "group camps" be constructed for the benefit of Georgia's youth, since the state parks exert a wholesome, moral and healthful influence upon both children and adults alike
15. We inspected and found Vogel State Park cabins in a state of disrepair. We recommend that Vogel State Park be brought up to park standards as rapidly as possible.
This committee commends State Parks Director Horace Caldwell for his vision, energy and foresight in seeking to improve Georgia's parks and we would like to express our appreciation to the Department of Industry and Trade, Public Relations Director, Frank Veale, for
-- assistance on the parks inspection tour one which will long be remem-
bered by the members of this committee.
We would also like to express our appreciation for the splendid reception given us by the citizens of North Georgia at each state park visited by the committee.
There was true Southern hospitality shown by all concerned at Hard Labor Creek State Park, Fort Yargo State Park, Unicoi State Park, Vogel State Park, Amicalola Falls State Park, Fort Mountain State Park and Red Top Mountain State Park.
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X OUT
OF THE MAIL BAG

Dear Mr. Caldwell:
It gives us great pleasure to answer your inquiry concerning our recent stay in your Cloudland Canyon State Park . This park is, by far, one of the cleanest and best kept parks we have ever camped in.
As for criticism, we have none; and for suggestions, our only comment would be to keep up the good work and we feel sure all future campers will be as pleased as we were.
The custodian of Cloud land Canyon State Park should be comm ended for his excellent job in oper at ing this park in a manner you shou Id be proud of. The bathhouse and al 1 the park were as clean as your own home, This is the only park we have ever been in where we saw the garbage cans emptied and then was hed out
If Cloudland Canyon is an example of all Georgia State Parks, you can feel sure we will try to visit some of them again. We have told all of our fellow campers of the beautiful park on the top of a mountain....
Mr. & Mrs. John H. Allison Alton, Illinois
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ADVICE TO CAMPERS
We read that a scientist says an insect will respond to kind treatment. So just pat that pesky fly
--good and hard

Dear Mr. Caldwell:
I want to thank you (and the State of Georgia) for your very nice letter in regards to our stay (my wife, children and myself) at the Laura S. Walker State Park .
We found the park to be excellent; clean restrooms and showers, wellkept grounds, and a beautiful location
As far as my wife and I are concerned, everything was "A-OK"! I have no constructive criticism because of all the State Parks we have stayed in, Georgia has the nicest
The young lady who took care of the registration and fee was very nice and made us feel right at home. We couldn't ask for more!
We hope to return to Georgia in the not too distant future and we are looking forward to our stay.
James H. Thompson Phillipsburg, N. J.
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Dear Mr. Caldwell:
Your recent letter brought to mind something I meant to do a long time ago, and that is to congratulate the State of Georgia for the facilities offered campers and to thank the Georgians for the hospitality extended us.
I can say, without qualification, that Chehaw State Park provided the best locale, services, atmosphere, and facilities of any campsite used during our 6,000-mile trip.
In particular, please pass my thanks to the superintendent of Chehaw and also to Mr. Fletcher, the park custodian.
A very pleasant memory of the State of Georgia remains with us.
Eleanor J. Lumley Denver , Colorado

OUT OF THE MAIL BAG (continued)
Dear Mr. Caldwell:
Our stay at Magnolia Springs State Park was one of the most pleasant of our vacation.

Thank you again for your letter. It brought back some pleasant memories.
Donald A. Edwards Plattsburgh, N. Y.
a--******

We especially liked the swimming, hot water, showers, and general cleanliness of the park.
Mrs. E. B. Moore, III Daytona Beach, Florida
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Dear Mr. Caldwell:
In answer to your letter, we would like to say that our weekend stay at Little Ocmulgee State Park was very enjoyable and we were impressed with the natural beauty and cleanness everywhere.

Dear Sir:
We enjoyed our visit to the State of Georgia last summer. After arriving at Indian Springs State Park in a deluge of rain, the hot showers were excellent refreshers. Our campsite was well drained.
Your letter was a delightful
-- surprise like you were glad we -- came and the first we ever received
after visiting at least 38 states...
Mrs. G. R. Brindle Fritch, Texas

We were delighted with the birds and little red-billed Florida gallinules. At present, we find it hard to make suggestions for improvement .
The cabin was nicely kept, adequately furnished, and the employees were courteous, friendly, and anxious to make us comfortable.
We plan to go again sometime.
Mrs. C. B. Fulghum Milledgeville , Ga.
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Dear Mr. Caldwell:
Mrs. Edwards and I were pleased to have your letter concerning our visit to Victoria Bryant State Park .
The summers of 1962 and 1963 have been our first experiences as campers, and we made the trip in each of those years from our home here in Piatt sburgh, New York to the home of my wife's parents in Montgomery, Ala
We want you to know that of all the camps we have stayed in, those in Georgia have been the cleanest and best equipped, and the surroundings most attractive.
If we have any suggestion at all, it would be a pay telephone within the camping area.

Dear Mr. Caldwell:
Regarding your recent letter, we certainly enjoyed our visits to your parks. We have visited parks in many states (10 states in 1963) and I will say you have some of the best
At Black Rock Mountain State Park ,
Mr . J. L. Christian did more for us than anywhere on our trip. On arriving at Black Rock Park, my wife was very nervous about the hill and was going to walk down (afraid to ride down); however, Mr. Christian took us around, showing us the flowers, views, etc. She wants to go back and camp there for at least another week, which we plan on doing.
On arriving home, v/e found a note from Mr. Christian saying he hoped we had a pleasant trip home. This
(continued next page)

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OUT OF THE MAIL BAG (continued) had never been done before at any place.
I have mentioned these two things to show you why we think your parks are second to none.
Charles W. Turner St. Clair Shores, Mich.
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SOMETHING TO REMEMBER
A State Park visitor is not an interruption of our work he is the purpose of it
he does us a favor when he visits with us we are not doing him a favor by letting him enter;
he is deserving of the most courteous and attentive treatment we can offer

PULSE OF THE CAMPING PUBLIC
As all of the Park Superintendents know, Mr. Caldwell has sent out personal letters to a great many campers and cabin users during the past few months, asking for their suggestions and constructive criticism of our State Parks.
The response has been tremendous and the way in which our park visitors have pinpointed the areas for improvement is invaluable in planning for the future development of each park.
Very soon, some of these letters will be assembled in booklet form and then sent to each Superintendent so he may learn firsthand just what the public thinks of him and his park.
Many of the letters (some of which were included in the "Out of the Mail Bag" section this issue) were so downright flattering that it is hard to keep from swelling a little with pride. Because we are a great believer in "smelling your flowers v/hile you are alive", these bouquets of appreciation are also being included in the booklet.

Why? Because he's the fellow who pays our salary that's why!
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ATTENTION: FELLOW TAXPAYERS
The resistance of Mr. Wilkes, Accounting Division Head, is starting to crumble!
A mute witness to his expert knowledge of how to reach the majority of State Park employees in the shortest possible time, the following memorandum was found taped to the refrigerator door in the lunchroom:
"I shall be glad to advise or assist any employee in the preparation of the Short Form 1040-A. If you are preparing the Long Form 1040, it might be advisable for you to contact a person specializing in Income Tax work."
Note to State Park employees: You will note that he used the phrase "it might be advisable." Just a little more pressure now, everybody, and I think we've got him!
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The suggestions regarding improved management and additional facilities are being cataloged for each park and will serve as a guide for the future.
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ORCHIDS THIS MONTH TO:
Mrs. Mary Murray, Secretary
Reason? - It takes real character to have the same ailment the other fellow is describing and not even mention it
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LAURA S. WALKER STATE PARK

Waycross

C. H. Morgan, Supt .

During the last of October, we had Mr. Alec Houston of the Jimmy Dean Show visiting us. He is the ventriloquist handling Elmer.

In October, also, we had the Wildes, Strickland, Sweat and Purdom family reunions. The Wildes party reported 450 present. They came from Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Honolulu. They came from the Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, Coastal Geodetic Survey, and many colleges. And what a history these people have kept recorded.' It dates from the time their folks
landed in this country, through the time the Indians killed all but
four of them in the Okefenokee
Swamp just 100 years ago this Octo-
ber, up to the present.

Vignette of Life in the Camping Area: Trailer camper apologizing
-- ether campers for his wife's
3 e sire to be alone "We lost our only boy in South Vietnam two weeks r\yo . He was a pilot."

En joyed having Mr. Caldwell with us en November 25. We attended a notary meeting where Mr. Caldwell made one of his fine talks.

The weather was fine on Thanksgiving Day, and school children were everywhere.

On November 29, the temperature was in the high 70 ' s at noon, but by 5 a.m. the next morning it had dropped to 28. A group of Girl Scouts had come for the week end. It was a sight to behold at 7:30 a.m, with Girl Scouts before a booming fire, sipping coffee, hovering near the fire and squealing with teen-age delight, goose bumps showing on their arms, and the flag rippling

through the air at half mast, the lanyards giving in on long sways.
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FORT YARGO STATE PARK

Winder

W. S. Fricks, Supt.

We were so glad to have Mr. and Mrs, Caldwell, Mr. and Mrs. Struble, and several State Representatives and their wives visit our park several weeks ago. We hope they will come again soon.

The work on the development of our park is progressing nicely. We can hardly wait for another season when we will have better and more facil-
ities to offer our visitors. The concession buildings are almost finished and the dam is rising daily

With the nippy weather, our attendance is off, but we have plenty of people riding around looking at the work going on here.
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VICTORIA BRYANT STATE PARK

Royston

F. h. Hill, Supt.

We had a lot of people at the park as long as the weather stayed fine.

This fall the scenery v/as as beautiful as I have ever seen it.
I cannot believe the mountain leaf colors were any more beautiful.

We had our first freeze in November with a low of 28 degrees. The leaf tourists are gone now.
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K0L0M0KI MOUNDS STATE PARK

Blakely

Cecil Hall, Supt.

It v/as a real pleasure to visit ten of the parks in northern and eastern Georgia last August. It was enlightening to see and compare the other parks with Kolomoki.
(continued)

KOLOMOKI MOUNDS STATE PARK (cont'd)
Now I think even more of the superintendents I visited. I was sorry I couldn't go by Magnolia Springs but Ollie knows I like him anyway.
I found out how Mr. Christian gets along so well with his campers. He is a good man and has a fine park, but it is the women who do most of the writing in about him I notice.
I had the occasion to see the Laura S. Walker Park recently. It happened to be right on the way to Woodbine. We lost the football game but I did enjoy the park.
I'd like to boast just a little about my son, Jimmy. In a ceremony at the Blakely Methodist Church in November, Jimmy received the Eagle Scout Award.
A few months ago we had a family camping with five children in the group. The youngest of the children was nine days old (!) when they arrived here. The baby got along just fine. I do hope they don't start bringing them any younger , though
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NOTICE TO SUPERINTENDENTS
The new printing of our State Park brochure is now available. The new cabin rates and trailer home rates are listed.
Every Superintendent who has not received a supply, please notify General Office.
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A LIFE-SAVING SUGGESTION
Have a life preserver for every person on board your boat. Those who can't swim should always put on a life jacket before the boat leaves the dock.
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3 210fl 0M55M 153E
FOR PARENTS ONLY
Family life specialists at the University of Georgia Extension Service say many teen-agers today feel that parents have not given them enough responsibilities. (!!!)
(Editor's Note: Our parental reaction to that quotation is that it is just a matter of semantics and the key word is "responsibilities." To our own teen-agers it means seeing that the car battery does not get a chance to run down from lack of use, and contributing their most diligent efforts toward keeping the economy of their country on the uprise by the prompt circulation of all family income. What parents would like to know is, what in the world happened to the good old-fashioned meaning of the
-- word namely, responsibility for
keeping the lawns cut, the car washed, and their own rooms clean.)
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At the age of 20 we don't care what the world thinks of us; at 40 we worry about what it is thinking of us; at 60 we discover that it wasn't thinking of us at all.
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A Tip for Gardeners - Decomposed leaves and other organic matter is important in building top soil around ornamental plants. The added organic matter changes the soil structure so it is aerated better and has better water -holding capacity
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IN-SERVICE TRAINING MEETING
Tentative plans now are to hold the Superintendents 1 In-Service Training Meeting about the middle of March at Jekyll Island which shouldn't make anybody mad!
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