Georgia state parks views [Jan. 1966]

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JANUARY 1966

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Georgia

STATE PARKS

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GEORGIA STATE PARK VIEWS January 1966 Issue

Georgia Department of State Parks 7 Hunter Street, S. W. Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Horace G. Caldwell Director

Mabel B. Wilkins Editor

FIND OUT ABOUT CAMPING FROM CAMPERS? BOSH.1 J !
by Bob Harrell (Journal-Constitution Camping Editor)

It was a first-time meeting at Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park near Pine Mountain. Host was director of State Parks Horace Caldwell. Guests were those representing about 2,000 family campers from all over Georgia.

Objective: Find out from those who use state parks what they

think is needed

and not needed.

(Actually, this whole thing seems unreal. Here's a department head inviting a bunch of family campers to gather about his campfire and tell him what's good, bad or lacking. What it does is make too much sense.

It does seem that there must have been a harder way to do it. Asking those who most use state parks to discuss, suggest, offer constructive criticism. It's too logical.
So they sat down and pow-wowed about state parks. And why state parks? (1) To set aside specifically beautiful or scenic areas. (2) To preserve a natural area in its original form. (3) Historic interest. (4) Provide overall outdoor recreation for urban areas.
So suggestions rolled forth and here is some of the cream skimmed off the top for your consideration: A general plan for each individual park. Keep campers secluded. Organized recreational programs. Information at each park in form of bulletin boards and leaflets showing layout of area, facilities available and general information on surround-
ing area.

"THE CAMP GROUND" was discussed: Water at each camp site not a must. A country store not necessary except for perishable foods. Campgrounds should be located far enough from day use areas. One or two kitchen-type shelters with cooking facilities should be in camping area just for convenience. A few walk-in tent sites should be available not too far from parking lot.

The folks mentioned the little folder that superintendent

Dodson Carter at Hard includes map of area,

Labor Creek has for people entering the park. It nature trails, nearby churches, theaters, points

of interest around Rutledge. Why not something like this at all parks?

Some take

"YEAR-ROUND CAMPING" mentioned. Winterized comfort stations'? comfort stations getting heaters. Places like Fort Mountain will a heap of winterizing to keep pipes from freezing.

"THE CAMP SITE" came up for discussion: at each camp site? Most seem to think a fire ring carry their own grill and it could be placed.

Is a
more

grill necessary important. Many

was

Tables, wooden or concrete? suggested table be placed so that

Everybody has his own choice It trees would provide base for rigging

/-Bob Harrell (continued)

shelter over eating area. (Nice idea.)

All seem to agree on need of better camp sites, comfort stations, tables and good roads instead of electricity.

"THE COMFORT STATION": More doors and showers. Cleanliness most important aspect. Small (not glaring) lights on all corners of structure so it can be located at night. Electrical outlets for shaving.
Mirrors in men's side, none in women's side. (They stay in there all day applying beauty aides.) Let 'em go back to their own tent and play beauty parlor

Washing machines available? Yes, if park is far removed from commercial facility. No, if such private facilities are not too far from park site.

Vending machines (candy, soft drinks....) in park? No. Problem of litter. Would cause more vehicular movement in park. Perhaps
local vendor could come into park every day.

"PRIMITIVE CAMPING" came up for discussion: This area set aside, naturally, from other areas with fancy facilities. Should have car trail and perhaps another primitive area with only walk-in approach. Water pump and chemical toilet necessary. Each camp site separated from another by trees and undergrowth.

"RULES, REGULATIONS, FEES": Gates close at 9 p.m. Extra charge for campers with extra electrical appliances. No alcoholic beverages. No dogs. Reduce charge for swimming, especially for those camping or have none at all for campers. A definite quiet time was
suggested. There should be a check-out time.

And that's about it, that meeting between the Parks Director

Caldwell and the campers. Can't help but be suspicious of something

like this. A parks director asking campers what they think about camp-

ing.' It doesn't follow the pattern. Had Mr. Caldwell consulted the

DAR ,

the League of Women Voters or

even Kiwanis

International about

camping, I would have unfolded nary a sheet of typewriter paper. But to

get it straight from the tenter's flap, it makes too much sense.

est aim.

Mr. Caldwell acts like a man with better state parks his highAnd he becomes more convincing all the time.
**-********

Editor's Note: All right, superintendents, how much of what campers really want do you now have at your park? General Office is now acting
-- on several of the suggestions made but there are some things the super-
intendents can go ahead and do on their own fire rings, for example. However, please ignore that brave, but foolhardy, suggestion (from the
-- male campers, no doubt) that no mirrors are needed in the women's side
of the comfort station.' unless you want to see the women (who have their own small son spy system) boldly march in at an opportune moment and requisition the mirror from the men's side.

COMPARISON FIGURES - FIRST HALF OF FISCAL YEAR

July thru Dec. 1964

July thru Dec.

1965

Change

TOTAL ATTENDANCE OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS

2,171,684 519,940

2,538,108 57 8,912

+17% +11%

TOTAL RECEIPTS TENT/TRAILER SITES CABINS/MOBILE HOMES

$ 246,379.83 $ 46,903.35 $ 61,412.65

$ 333,420.10 $ 75,039.78
69,460.75

+35 % +603
+1:

Note to Su perintendents : Attendance and receipts are still on the upswing in
Georgia's State Parks. The percentages of increase look good. How does your
park compare percentagewise with the averages above? The phenomenal increase in receipts from tent and
trailer sites is due, of course, to the increased number of sites made available to the public.
The increase in receipts from cabin and mobile home rentals is due primarily to increased use of the mobile homes

_


-- --)

-- -- CLA--Y--~M--O----RG--AN----PAS--SES
Some of the saddest news to ever reach General Office was that of Clay Morgan 1 s passing just a few days before Christmas.
Clay possessed a most vivid personality and never lacked for an interesting tale to relate about his experiences as a sailor during World War I. His sense of humor and salty expressions were truly without equal.
To Clay, the people who visited
-- his park were the most interesting
people in the world and the nicest.1 He had a genuine liking for his fellow man.
-- Clay Morgan met every emergency
in his park emergencies that ran from broken water pumps to sick
-- campers who had to be taken to the
hospital with a capability and sense of responsibility that are all too seldom found in the world today.
He will be missed.
***** *#
INFORMATION PLEASE !
During the winter months when school is in session, General Office receives as many requests for information from school children as from potential park visitors.

report is always due "next Monday" and we all know the world would have
-- to stand still to get it to the
child in time the Information Division has a great affection for these children and their letters that are many times wildly funny, occasionally pathetic, sometimes overwhelming, but always quite serious.
Even though the sample letter quoted below is classed as one of our "overwhelming" ones, it also qualifies as one of the unconsciously but sweetly funny ones.
"Dear Sirs:
Would you please send me some pictures in Georgia History about Oglethorpe, Paul Revere, rivers in Georgia, maps of Georgia, and peaches and peach trees?
Sincerely Yours,
P.S. If you can't give me any in-
formation, please let me know of a place where I can get some materials in Georgia History. (If you can, please send me some booklets, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, and something about things like the establishment of Common Sense, etc
.
"Thank You"
(over)

It can be hectic at times when several schools over the state begin a study of Georgia's State
-- Parks at the same time and every
child writes an individual letter to us. There have been mornings when it was necessary to stand on tiptoe to find Mrs. Murray behind her desk, but she always manages somehow to survive these "snow jobs" and to come up smiling.
Despite the fact that almost always a sense of impending doom is implied Between the lines of the children's letters since the scrapbook or

Oh, yes.' I forgot. Can you please send me something about our Georgia Indians, also?
(Excuse me for writing on the back of his letter and being so messy.)"
* * * * * * *
This looks like the right spot for this quotation:
Most parents today want their children to have all the things they never had when a child including all A f s on their report cards.'

--

.

..

j FROM THE PARKS

SALOLA FALLS STATE PARK

Juno

Charles Collins, Supt

Most every visitor falls in love

with our ten new cottages at the

lake. We think they are beautiful,

too, and are already beginning to

take reservations for the summer...

but some people still prefer our

co u ca

at the foot of the falls.

Several park superintendents and their wives have visited our park this winter and we were very happy to greet each one of them.

We were sorry to hear of the recent death of Superintendent Clay Korean. Our hearts go out to Mrs. Morgan and family.

-*

* **

E LACi: ROCK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

Mountain City J. Christian, Supt.

Sciae time ago, I noticed quite a few

clcrd black walnut trees scattered

over the park acreage, so I decided

to have them cut and a desk made for

permanent use here at Black Rock.

Thanks to Mr. Dodson Carter and his

cr<

i fine men at Hard Labor Creek

State Park, one of the nicest sur-

prise of December was delivery of

"the" desk. It is a beautiful piece

of furniture. When the Visitors

Center is completed, we plan to use

the desk in the new office there.

Because of a constant stream of requests for cabins from people who have never seen snow and wish to spend some time in our park during February, March, and April, we are
ppy that we soon will be able to accommodate them

Colonel Burke and Mr. Kellum have been calling by to see us lately. It's always a pleasure to see them and only wish it were possible for nore of the nice people in General ( ffice to visit with us more often.

We sincerely hope that Christmas was as much fun for everyone who reads "Park Views" as it was for Mrs. Christian and me. It is our hope, too, that 1966 will be one of the best years our Georgia State Parks System has ever enjoyed.
Come on up to see us! There just might be some snow around these mountains
*******

CLOUDLAND CANYON STATE PARK
Rising Fawn J. M. Crawford, Supt.
As I look back over 1965, I recall some very pleasant memories. It was a very progressive year; our
-- attendance went over 100,000 for
the first time to about 106,000.
Much progress has been made here in developing new areas. Nearing completion is a very attractive concession building, five beautiful cabins and #2 comfort station in the new camping area. Construction of this new campground is well underway
Around the top of the bluff, a safety barrier is being built rock columns with poles between.
Not much activity this time of year in picnicking and camping.
*** ***

CROOKED RIVER STATE PARK

Kingsland

Julian Price, Supt.

Well, here we are into a new year.

The new cabins are finished, fur-
nished, and ready to rent. Have already rented two of them to some
-- very nice people one to Mr . and
Mrs. Hank Struble, and the other to Miss Robin Jackson and her girl friend.

The comfort station for the new tent camping area is just about
(continued next page)

CROOKED RIVE* STATE PARK (cont'd)

STEPHEN C. FOSTER STATE PARK

completed and we hope to have the tent pads finished before many months pass. The water in the park
-- is fine now that the aerator has
been installed no sulfur odor at
alii
Summer may be just around the corner before we realize it and we are now
zing to get everything ready for the coming season. Right now we are cleaning up the debris from the be^ch so visitors can enjoy their strolls along it and the children will have another nice place to play
It appears that we may get the roads within the park paved this year. The State Highway Department has already surveyed and staked them out. I know that paving these roads
-- will be one of the best things that
could happen in this park a great many of our visitors have told us
so!
*******

Fargo

Mike Chapman, Supt.

The New York Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (7 men and 7 women) recently used this park as their base station and, for three days, went all over the swamp in their canoes. When they left, they were on their way to the Gulf. I have already received a nice note from them that they would be coming
back

Mr. Robert Coram (of the Atlanta
-- Journal) and Mr. Bill Young ( asso-
ciated with Channel 11 T.V. in Atlanta) and their wives visited here December 31 and January 1. Upon their return to Atlanta, both the park and the swamp received some very
good publicity.

There is an inside chance that I
-- may be getting some new cabins on
the park and even a place for me to live. (Of course, m I T not exactly
out in the cold now I)

G01DONIA ALATAMAHA STATE PARK

Reidsville

C. P. Flowers, Supt

Happy to report that the road construction at Gordonia has been completed. Eighteen of our twentyfive new tent pads are ready and we hepe to complete the remainder in a few days. Work is also progressing on the installation of water lines
to the new comfort station.

My laborer and I transplanted
-- 500 pieces of shrubbery and, thus
far, have had favorable weather plenty of rain and no extremely cold weather

Carolyn and I attended the funeral of our good friend, Clay Morgan, on Christmas Eve. He will certainly be missed in the Parks System.

* * * -* * * *

I wish everyone could see the deer here. We did some filling in and, to stop the rain from washing the area out again, we planted rye grass seed. It was just like ringing a dinner bell.1 Since the grass has come up I can look there almost any time now and see at least three or four deer just milling around like grazing cows
Did you see the pictures of some of the bucks in the January 5th edition of the Atlanta Journal?
*** * * **
(Ed. Note: On the following page is Clay Morgan's last report to Park Views. We knew you would want to
-- read it just as we know he would
have wanted it included. Insofar as Park Views was concerned, he was always "fustest with the mostest".)

/LAURA S. WALKER STATE PARK

Waycross

Clay Morgan, Supt

We had some lovely people from Holland this week in the tent and trailer camp. Having always been a walking advertiser for that particular country, I complimented them on how beautiful their highways were and so clean compared to ours. Guess times have changed, though, for the old gentleman winked at his wife and
said, "You should see them now
they are far worse than yours."

Jo and I took off for a small amount of annual leave in November This was to visit our granddaughter in Marietta (one month old) . We "bivouacked" with the Clarks at Red Top Mountain. They more than rolled
out the red carpet. So please accept this as assurance, Wyatt, that we did enjoy all the time we were with you.

-- not to spoil her but she is beauti
full
I need about four days to recuperate now that I'm back at my own park. We stayed home on Thanksgiving Day and let the other two men off. We will get it all back Chr istmas
Our tent a nd trailer campers have been unu sually nice ones this month and we have had a fair share I think. We also had a nice crowd of local and South Georgia people on Thanksgivi ng Day. Our report will show thi s in concession sales, Jo helped me that day and I really needed her
I forgot to say we enjoyed visiting the office personnel in
-- Atlanta all of you dome down and
see us.
*******

We also visited Tom Winkler's place and, believe me, Tom is in the mountains. I found a contour map and the 4200 feet above sea level mark ran right over the top of Tom's park. That's too much for a South Georgia Cracker. (I knew I tvas way up in the mountains because I saw a 1960 model Buick with a 1965 Safety Sticker and a 1964 license plate.) Tom is going to have a beautiful park equal to any of our best. "Keep 'em dropping" old paratrooper!

PERSONNEL NOTES
Neal Weldon is back home in Clarkston after a stay at Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta.
Bud Nauglich is also home again
-- Route 4, Cleveland after an ex-
tended hospital confinement.
Mrs. Anne Hawkins is the new and very attractive secretary in the Planning Division.

We just dropped on down a couple of thousand feet and visited with "Walkie Talkie" Charlie Collins. As usual, he and Mrs. Collins were in fine fettle. Charlie showed us a few new buildings and, believe me, that is another park that will be well attended.
We saw Georgia Tech and Virginia play ball, viewed the large Veteran's Day parade, and heard Herman Talmadge make his speech at Post No. 1 of the American Legion. We had a wonderful time.' We spent many happy hours with our son, his wife and the new baby. We did our best

Hank Struble has returned from Iowa after attending the funeral of his mother
Mrs. Peggy Newton has retired to await the arrival of her little tax deduction.
Robert (Bobby) Jones is the new employee in the Accounting Division.
Young Clay Morgan has been appointed superintendent at L. S. Walker Park.
Avant Strickland has been promoted to the position of assistant superintendent at L. S. Walker State Park

--
NEW COLOR FILM AVAILABLE
An 18-minute color film which features Georgia's waters, state parks and forests soon will be available to schools, civic clubs and other organized groups through the Georgia State Parks Department .
Production of the film was a cooperative project between the State Forestry Commission and the State Parks Department.
The film educates the viewer through the medium of pleasant entertainment as it unfolds the scenic beauty of Georgia and points to the recreational opportunities as well as beauty to be found in all areas of the state.
Georgians are shown at play family groups who have found that living and playing together in the out-of-doors is fun and tension-free. Indirectly, the
-- importance of conservation is
learned conservation of our people as well as of our natural resources.
Georgians want to know more about their state and this film will fulfill a long-felt need by this department.
*****-**
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Next summer, before you swat that bug, bee or fly that is annoying you, just remember that it,
-- too, has a well -developed nervous
system including a brain!
If these scientists don't stop telling us such things, we'll soon be a nation of neurotics. Aren't you always going to wonder now if that pesky insect suffered much before you finished it off with a second swat? And did that final stroke make you guilty of murder?
To save your sanity, just recognize the fact that one of you has got to go.

)
CALL OF THE WILD
Otlld h, cooking over a |i
(Ed. Note: Any resemblance between this family and those who occupy our family campgrounds is purely coincidental I
P.S. In order to insure domestic tranquility, we highly recom-
mend our cabins and mobile homes to any family like that pictured above,
*-*** * * *
WHAT IS SMOKE? To most of us who have sat
around a campfire, it is the stuff that blows in our faces no matter which side we move to.
Technically, smoke is the result of imperfect burning. Most substances from which we get much smoke, if properly burned, would form nothing but gases.
Before you tell your camping partner what a lousy campfire maker he is, we would like to point out that man has not yet invented a method or furnace that will burn a fuel completely, without any smoke, although some factories have installed devices that almost do the trick.
Why does smoke irritate our eyes? Small unburned specks of fuel are the culprits.

f IF YOU YOU

THINK

THE

WORLD'S

AGAINST

We all have days when it just sn't pay to get out of bed, so we can sympathize feelingly with our superintendent at Black Rock Mountain State Park.
During a recent week, Mr. Christian had the following events happen to him: his brother passed away; one of his favorite doctors also died; the motor on his furnace burned out at midnight; then along came five inches of snow.
-- So just a word of caution
don't try to tell him about your troubles, At least, not for a while yet.
*******

IILW SUPERINTENDENTS
Clay L. Morgan (not Jr. - his father was Clay H.)
Laura S. Walker State Park Waycross, Ga.
C harles W. Cobb Tugaloo State Park Franklin County, Ga.
Mr, Cobb is residing temporarily at the following address:
Route 2, Canon, Ga.
*******

HEALTH HINT - Frequent naps will keep you from getting too old.

P.S.

Especially if taken while driving.1
* ***** *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY.1 " to:

3J PdiiDna 045SM 1S5M n,:rr M,, ' ,,M,, TM'ii'
BIRTHDAYS (continued)

Margaret Oliver John W. Stokes Judy Phillips C. C. Powell

January 21 January 28 January 29 January 31

Mike Chapman Elizabeth Gunn L. L. Palmer Clara Cameron Jeff B. Naugle

February 1 February 3 February 9 February 11 February 28

*******

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
-- A new program is now being brought
to our state parks an interpretive program which is designed to awaken interest in the many natural features therein. Identification of plants and trees is the principal feature of the program.
Several nature trails have been completed and more will be developed to serve as outdoor classrooms for self -guided nature study.
Dr. Robert Piatt, Professor of Ecology, Emory University, designated the location of the nature trail at Fort Mountain, and Dr. Gaythcr L. Plummer, University of Georgia, the trail at Indian Springs State Park.
Naturalist Eric Welsch has supervised construction of the nature trails as outlined by the ecologists. He is also laying out and supervising construction of many hiking trails on our parks.
*******

In the event that Management (Hi,
Mr. Caldwellj) does not agree with Labor (the editor) on any foregoing item or viewpoint

Mcnroe B. Andrews

- January 4

James H. Glenn

-

January 5

George M. Normandy

-

January 5

J. F. Fortson

-

January 9

Laura Lee Crawford

-

January 14



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(cont'd)

'M ALREADY THERE]

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