The Voice of Vogel, 2003

2003 Issue

Volunteer w-ork day spruces up Vogel State Park

A bright and beautiful day dawned on April 12, 2003, making it unusual in the annals of Vogel Volunteer Day history.
Usually the weather on this particular workday is windy, rainy or even snowy . This good weather was one reason we had 85 indi viduals cople out to perform a myriad of projects.
The phrase , many hands make light work is certainly true . But we can add many hands make light work "fun " . It is interesting to see people who are getting dirty, sweating, sneezing and getting splinters and blisters to be laughing and smiling. This was the case with the many volunteers who showed up to get the park spruced up fo r another season . The various proj ects included ;
Sp r eadin g ton s of woo d mulch throughout the day-use picnic area to help restore the groundcover and prevent ero-

sion .

ment on the CCC Museum .

0 Raking the

0 And installing the tloor , wall s

beach of winter

and seve ral roo f trusses on the CCC Mu-

storm debris .

seum .

0 Picking up

We re it not fo r the generosity of

litter throughout the

all these vo lunteers, these projects would

park.

have gone undone . The contributed hours

0 The planting

on thi s one day exceeded 600 hours. This

of 65 trees and

was a wonderfull y success ful event.

shrubs to include :

Eve ryo ne is e nco uraged to do a

maples , birch , wil -

littl e bit of volunteering, whether it is at

lows ,

c h e rr y,

Vogel or some other park . With increas-

crabapple, redbud ,

ing budget cuts and staff cut backs, park s

and rhododendron .

nationwide are rely ing on the services o r

0 Performing
orefptahiersBetoar aHapiorrGtioapn

Thi.s 1.940s era linen p. ost ca rd shows the log beach house a nd swi111111ers
en; oytng Vogel. Tod ays g uest enjoy the p ark in 11111ch th e sa111e way.

vo lunteers more and more. Co nsider volunteering a fe w hours
at a park near you . You can make a dif-

Trail, installing water bars, water diver- in front of the beach .

fe re nce.

sion and steps to control erosion.

0 Building a retaining wall around

Sign up today for an in vitation to at-

0 Installing bricks in the Memory the CCC Muse um

tend next year 's work day on April I0,

Walkway located on the promenade path

O Staining o f pine siding fo r place- 2004 . It is a day no one shoul d miss.

The goods have been returned

There was a time when the rental log cabins at Vogel were in less than des irable shape . It may be hard to believe now , but back in the 1960' s the cabins were almost torn down because they had deteriorated so severely .
The roofs were leaking, the floors were rotten the bottom sill logs were decayed . They were in pretty sad shape .
During this time a young -~ couple with a growing family spent their vacations at Vogel. They would drive from Florida and spend a week or more at a rental price of $30 per week .
This made for an inexpensive vacation and it provided plenty of activities for the children.
Of course there was the beach with lifeguards, fi shing and boats , horseback riding and the juke box music in the trading post.
In 1967 the cabin this family stayed in was not the exception but the rule when it came to structural integrity. It was in bad shape . The rock in the fireplace was falling out from years of fires . One feature of the fireplaces was an iron crane mounted in the wall of the farebox designed to hold pots for cooking over the fire .
This hand-forged crane made by a CCC Boy swung back and forth on bolts mounted in the rock.
Upon arrival at the cabin the famil y discovered the heavy crane had broken loose from its mountings and was lying on the hearth . The ever frugal husband and dad that he was , decided

to do the honest thing and ask the park manager how much he would take for this chunk of iron. The manager said he was not in a position to sell State property but that he could have it. This sounded pretty good. So , as the family fini shed their vacation and headed home to Florida . They were a few extra pounds heavier from steel acquired
in the North Georgia Mountains. This crane eventually ended up in
the family's fireplace at home and stood there for 35 years.
On a recent visit to Vogel this couple now retired and enjoying grandchildren told the story to Park Manager, David Foot.
David the ever vigilant law officer he is made them feel guilty following their confession and asked if they would be interested in donating the crane back to the park to be used in the new CCC Museum.
David had determined there was a statute of limitations on this type of "acquisition" so he had to be easy on this couple and work on their consciences . It apparently worked because on their next trip to Vogel they delivered the goods.
This hand forged steel crane can be seen in the fireplace in the new CCC Museum .
The couple has asked that their name be withheld from public identity and want to be cons idered anonymous donors .
Now you know the rest of the story . -

Why we became campground hosts at Vogel

This was an interesting question that Park Manager Dav id Foot

has posed to us. We first came to Vogel 3~ years ago staying in

c_abins . We began to ~ctive)y camp in 1_995 camping at many loca-

tions . We made our first tnp to Vogel m 1996 in a pop-up camper

returning several times a year since.

On these Vogel trips we observed others perfo rming duties as

host and inquired about their responsibilities . On the surface it ap-

peared interesting . We requested an opportunity to host and have

been rewarded with an opportunity to participate .

There is something indescribable as you turn into the park and

see the lake in the mountain cove . Sitting on a bench on the dam

looking across the lake lo Blood Mountain is called stress therapy.

We answer many questions about hosting . Some people ask

what the monetary compensation is? Others are interested in your

daily activities . As for rewards of camp hosting, we have found five

general areas . The first reward is meeting people who remember their

days of camping as children and others who have a connection to the

Civilian Conservation Corps. The second reward is watching the young

parents bringing their children camping for the first time to relive

their adventures of camping as children.

,

.

The third reward is watching the children who display

enthusiasm and wonder of the experience. The fourth reward is the

staff From the Park Manager, his assistant, the office personnel, main-

tenance and housekeeping. They make you immediately feel part of

the team; gracious in prov iding anything you need ; and are genu-

inely thankful for what part you play in maintaining the park. They

enjoy humor and playing jokes and look fo r an opportunity to mix

the two. The fifth reward is the campers themselves who stop and say

how much they appreciate what part you play in preserving Vogel

for them and for future generations .

If you are looking for monetary reward, this job is not for you.

However, if you are looking for an experience that money can't buy,

consider making ~ inquiry into how to be a host. We consider being

campgrou~d hostmg as one more adventure in our life, hoping to

return agam.

Mel & Edith Redmond, Warner Robins, GA

Page2

W'HAT'S NEW'

Voice of Vogel

New CCC Museum

The big project for the year has been the construction of the new Civilian Conservation Corps Museum .
The old mu seum located in what once was a snack bar across from the beach had served its purpose.
However, the snack bar was cold, damp and .drafty making it a mi serab le place trying to preserve artifacts of cloth, paper and metal.
The new 1200 square foot faci lity wi ll be cli mate cont rolled making fo r an exJ1ib it fr iendly environment. Staff and vo lunteers have perfo rmed the construction, thus the reason it has taken longer to complete .
Th e buildin g is be in g pa id fo r through donations as well and fund raising of the Vogel Volunteers, Inc.
One unique feature of this new museum is some o f the wood used on the porch and for the siding was cut off the

pa rk fr o m sa lvaged pine beetle in fes ted pine trees.
Th is wood wou ld have been destro yed othe rwise. The CCC planted these trees in t he 1930's making it . the ul timate in recy clin g wi th its use going to build a CCC Museum.
John B. Derden CCC Museum At the annu al CC C reunion held in May, the museum was dedicated to John Derden of Stone Mountain. John, a CCC boy and park volunteer, has contributed thousands of hours with his wife Virginia to the development of the museum and the saving of this history.

The museum will house a series of exhibits that will tell the story of the Great Depression and the Civilian Conservation Corps. This museum will be unique to Georgia and with only a handful across the country recognizing the efforts of the CCC.
The museum has become a regional attraction with many students coming through who are doing research projects

for school. The subject of the Depression and
the CCC are excellent topics for students do reports on . The Park staff will be glad to give any interested student some assistance with their project. We hope you enjoy the museum. It is a monument to the "boys" who helped revitalize the depleted natural resources of the 1930' s.

Group shelter receives facelift -New trash

New Entrance Bridge
Some things just have to wai t till winter to be worked on. That was the case with replacing the entrance bridge cross ing Wolf Creek . Beca use the road was closed down, traffi c had to ente r off of Highway 180 pas t cabin 35 . It wou ld have been ve ry diffic ult to re-direct traffic any other time of year due to high volume .
Repl acement co nsisted of remov ing the old deck ing , rails and steel I-beams. All new I-beams were hoisted in and a new roadway install ed. Thi s is just one more improvement th at was necessary bu t would probab ly ncvc r bad been not iced.
VOICE OF VOGEL
Publi shed by Vogel State Park 7485 Vogel State Park Road
Blairsvi lle, GA 305 12
Operated by the Geo rgia Department of Natural Resources
Park Manager Dav id Foot
Assistant Manager Randy Gambrell
Layout and design Norman Cooper
Printed by Blairsv ille Printing Company

The group shelter has received a major overhaul. This was a welcomed project funded through a Statewide $9 .2 million bond referendum for State Park maintenance projects. The shelter has a long history going back to its original construction by the CCC. It was never in the plans to tear the fac ility dow n as she was sound and had a hidden beauty. The build ing had a lot of fa ults that we wanted to shake out. These incl uded , being cold in the winter and hot in the summer. The low ceiling made for extremely poor acoustics.
The kitchen was of a poor design. The restrooms were antique and were not handicapped access ible . Improvements included: installing central heat and air ; remov ing the old ceiling to expose beautiful rafters ; insulating the roof and installing a new metal roof; creating a new kitchen ; re-

wiring the entire facility; install ing new lighting throughout ; completely renovating the restrooms;
and bu ilding a covered patio to accommodate overflow groups. Come take a look at the new old group shelter. It is a wonder to behold.

The porch rockers

Every evening during the summer the tradition at Vogel has been to buy an ice cream at the visitor's center and sit on the fro nt po rch. his has been an ideal time to soc ialize and watch the world go by .
This tradi tion was put to an abrupt bait this year when the rockers were stolen in October.
Due to budget cuts the park was not able to replace them. This created quite a stir with in the park community much to the surprise of the park staff.
We had no idea the re had grow n such an a ffection to thi s little corner of Vogel.
When word spread that the roc ke rs wo uld not be re pl aced anytime soon, campers during the week of Jul y Fourth dec id ed to take upon themselves to raise tbe money and purchase fo ur replacement rockers.
Within a day 's time enough money was raised to make the buy and the tradition was kept ali ve .

,.
The top photo shows some of the contributors to this rocker fund raising campaign. The rockers can be seen to the right.
We hope the individual who dec ided to abscond with this tradition learns to play better with o th e rs.
The guest of Vogel knows what a good time is and how to share the fu n.
Consider making this a tradition of yours as well.

disposal units
An ongoing project over the past few years has been to convert all the park' s trash disposal to bear proof containe rs . This is an extremely expensive process, thus the reason it is taking years to complete . Thi s year Greg Brock , Senior Ranger designed a trailer that has been placed at comfort stations 3 and 4.
Each of these enclosed trailers handles the trash collection in the vicinity of each comfort station. This has allowed us to do way with individual trashcans located along the roadways.
Besides prov iding bear proof d isposal , the trailers have saved the staff time in collecting and has improved the appearance of the campground. Please be patient with us as we make this transformation over the next year .
This will make for a safer environment for bears and humans alike.
Log cabins get
new floors
F ive log cabins received new floor covering . This wasn ' t supposed to be a big deal.
It is amazing how things can change. As the work began , it was discovered the floors had been covered with particleboard back in the 1960' s.
The installation of this high tech building material turned out to be a big mistake.
The floor had turned to " mush" from the particleboard getting wet over the years from plumbing leaks and ground mo isture .
Needless to say the underlayment on the fl oors all had to be replaced.
Despite this minor setback , the log cabins have taken on a new luster.

Voice of Vogel

HJ:STORY

Page 3

The Civilian Conservation Corps

The New Deal

In the early 1930 's the United States was financially and morally bankrupt and the spirit of the people was at an all time low . It has been estimated that more than two million youths were aimlessly wandering the cities and country in search of jobs and a future.
On March 4, 1933 Franklin D . Roosevelt became president of the United States . In the first 100 days in office he initiated numerous programs to get the country back on its feet again.
The most widely acclaimed and accepted program by nearly all of the people at the time was the Civilian Conservation Corps. The plan was to recruit young men into a peace time army . An army that would reclaim the land , waters and forests that had been so abused in the preceding years; as well as build parks such as Vogel while at the same time aftempt to save the youths themselves .
The Department of Labor recruited the youths from the relief roles. Clothing was provided by the Army which aJso managed the camps. Control of the work accomplished by the CCC was under the direction of the US Forest Service, Soil Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Vogel State Park was under the di-

rection of the National Park Service . Life in the 3 C's appealed to the
American frontier spirit. The 3 ,240 ,3 99 young men worked for a dollar a day plus room and board . (This was referred to three hots and a flop) . Besides restoring the depleted natural resources of this country the other primary purpose of the CCC was to provide financial support for the families at home. Many of the men who were in Roosevelt's Tree Army said it was the best years of their lives . The Civilian Conservation Corps was the only government conservation organization that worked to save our country's environment on a national scale. It still holds that title. While many youth work programs have been initiated, none have come close to the accomplishments of the CCC.
With the buildup of the war effort in 1942 the various CCC projects were completed and the organization was shut down. Many of the CCC Boys enlisted in the various branches of the military .
These boys were unique as they were already disciplined, having worked under military commanders in the CCC camps; They were in excellent physical and mental shape having worked at hard labor and been given an education, good food and medical care. Because of their training, the boys spent little time in boot camp, but went straight to the war front.

October 1929 saw the beginning of the Great Depression. This economic disaster was to last more than a decade culminating with World War II. Life was good in the Roaring 20 's with free spending, real estate booms and a rising stock market. All that ended with collapsing credit, natural disasters and the crash of the stock market.
Franklin Roosevelt was running for the Presidency with a promise he had a New Deal. An idea that would help the United States out of the greatest economic disaster the world had ever seen. The idea was to put Americans to work under government run programs. The programs were referred to as tlie Alphabet Soup Administration because of all the new acronyms that were being used for the government run programs. Names such as the WPA - Works Progress Administration (built roads, government build-

ings and schools); TVA - Tennessee Valley Authority (built dams and hydo-electric projects to develop the south and to control flooding); REA - Rural Electrification Administration (ran power to the rural areas where it was too expensive for private companies to serve); and the CCC - Civilian Conservation Corps (This was President Roosevelt's pet project. He came up with the original name of CCRYRM or the Civilian Conservation Reforestation Youth Rehabilitation Movement. For obvious reasons, he was encouraged that the name be shortened.)
Some agencies of the New Deal were more successful than others but it was the intent of eacli of these programs to help bring the nation back to its feet. Each program contributed to this effort, but it is the unfortunate reality that it took a war to revitalize the American economy with the tremendous war machine buildup.

Life of a boy raised in the depression

A recent interview with one of our long time guests was a history lesson for David Foot, Park Manager . Take a trip back in time when life was simpler and the park was in its infancy.
Joseph Broadhurst lived in Mt. Olive, NC during the Great Depression. Joseph was one of nine children. Joseph's

dad sold Model T Fords in order to support his large family . Life was pretty good during the l 920's with plenty of credit available . This was called the roaring 20's because life was good. Several things stand out in Joseph's mind about his dad. He remembers riding in dad's lap while
See Depression, page <ti

Interview with someone who grew up on a small family farm

Clay Berrong

This was one

grew up on a small

way he got a little

family farm in

spending money. The

Hiawassee, Georgia

Titus General Store

during the 1920's.

also served as the post

Life was difficult for

office and grocery

the Berrong fhmily

store. Of course the

with five children .

grocery store con-

They all had chores to

' sisted mainly of

do around the farm-

' staples such as sugar,

stead .

' salt, flour and the ba-

With Clay being

sic necessities .

the middle child he

Nothing was

seemed to get the most

wasted back in the

work, at least that is what it felt 1920's and 30's . There was a use

like. Most farmers in the moun- for most every part of the animal

tains of North Georgia raised including the hog's bladder. The

cattle and hogs but they did not bladder could be blown up into a

pen them up, rather they ran free balloon and used as a toy . Clay

to eat nuts and roots in the moun- and his sister had an accident

tains.

when they rode their truck wagon

In order to keep track of down a hill into a fence . Clay

whose livestock was who's they made the mistake of putting axle

had to be identified in some man- grease on the wheels to make his

ner. The Berrongs used an identi- homemade wagon go faster down

fier of a "crop of the right and a the hill.

split of the left." This meant that

It worked ... too well.

the right ear was cropped off on When they returned home mom

the top and the left ear was split knew they must have had a good

with a knife. The area farmers time for they had scratches and

were pretty honest and would re- bruises from head to toe . Other

turn a stray hog, but occasionally forms of entertainment included

one of the Berrong's hogs would . making whistles out of river cane

end up in the wrong farmers pen twigs and placing a lard lid on a

that knew better.

stick to make a rolling toy . Life

There were no deer in the was a whole simpler. If the chil-

area as they had been hunted out dren were deprived they didn't

over the years. However, Clay know it, because everyone in the

would shoot squirrel and trap rab- mountains was in the same boat.

bits in a box. He would shoot They didn't know any different.

possum for their hides and sell _ The older children would

them to the owner of the Titus hold dances in neighbor's homes .

General Store for 10 - 15 cents They would move all the furni-

per skin.

ture out of the house and square

dance up a storm. This was always could avoid it. You might be risk-

a special event.

ing your life. Clay had a tooth-

Local folks would bring ache one time, he ended up go-

their banjos, guitars and maybe a ing to a neighbor woman who had

washboard to provide the music. a tooth extractor. This was a very

There were no jobs ,so, the painful event and one that must

residents of the mountains had to have left an lasting impression be-

make do the best way they could. cause after 80 years, Clay still has

Clay remembers collecting chest- his original teeth. He learned to

nuts by the bushel to sell. When take care of his teeth .

Clay was older he would run up

Part of life in the mountains

and down the roads in a 38 Chevy included death . Many people

at night carrying bottles of white would prepare their funerals ahead

lightening to sell for the of time . They would set a new set

moonshiners . He knew this was of clothes aside to be buried in

illegal, but it was a source of in- and many people would make

come. He was always on the look- their own coffin and store it in a

out for Randy Southers, the Fed- barn until it was needed . The fam-

eral Revenue Agent. He was ily and friends would then sit up

known to be very good at his job with the deceased all night long.

sending quite a few of the moun- This was referred to as "Setting

tain men up to Federal prison for up with the dead" .

making illegal liquor .

Clay's mother and sisters

Electricity came to Clay's kept a clean house . Every spring

area in I947. The first appliance they would take lye soap and wash

his parents purchased was a the house from floor to ceiling .

Frigidaire refrigerator. Up until This was the annual spring ritual.

this point they were using a spring Some families were not so tidy .

to keep food cold.

One of Clay's sisters stayed over-

This was a very effective night with a friend.

method of refrigeration although

The next day when she re-

not very convenient. The next turned home, she complained to

purchase was an electric churn mom that she was itching all over.

used to make butter and butter- . Mom immediately stripped her

milk. This saved Mrs. Berrong down and burned her clothes . She

hours from using the hand butter was suffering from bed bugs.

churn.

The mattress she was sleep-

There were few doctors in ing on was filled with down over

the mountains so families had to a pad of straw ticking . This was a

do their own doctoring. Roots popular sleeping arrangement at

would be dug for medicines and the time . During the Depression

poltices. You might gargle with one of FDR's New Deal Agencies

turpentine to correct a sore throat. had a program that provided mat-

You didn't want to get sick if you tresses . You could go to the mat-

tress factory , be given instruction on what to do and make your own mattress. These mattresses were more comfortable and above all cleaner than the old straw ticks.
In 1937 Clay joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. $25 of his dollar a day was sent home to Lhe family. This was a big help to an impoverished family . Clay was an unusual situation as he was sent all the way to Phillipsburg, PA for his first camp assignment. He then
went to Penbrook, VA and ended up in Suches, Georgia in 1939 . He enjoyed the hard work. He fought forest fires, built roads and planted trees. He was kept busy allowing him no time to get home-
sick. He realized what he was doing was keeping his family going . Following the CCC stint, Clay joined the Army. He spent 5 years serving his country . After his return to the mountains ,
he found there still were no jobs to be had .
This was discouraging so he packed up and moved to Ohio where he worked in the steel mills for twenty years . This was a common practice for the young people of the mountains during the 40's, SO's and 60's. The automobile factories in Michigan and the cotton mills in Atlanta were also a popular destination for job seek-
ers as well. Whole communities in these cities housed workers from the Appalachian Region.
Clay said be has had a good life having been married to the most beautiful girl around for 59
years.

Page '4

EARLY MEMORJ:ES

Voice of Vogel

Convoluted road to Vogel
For me, the road to Voge l was long and co nvo lu ted: My Dad left home and joined the Marine Corps in 1920. He was never able to serve "at home ' unti l his 29th year o f service when his mother was ill and he requested a humanitarian transfer to Atlanta. His request was granted and he became a Marine rec ruiter in Atlanta during the Korean War--Dad was the Marine Corps representative on the Draft Board!!!
We lived in his Mother's home that year and I graduated from Sylvan Hills Hi gh School (my thirteenth school in twelve years). I had a job lined up with a large paint company and was to start the day after I graduated. I went to work as the mail clerk and was very proud of myself. The regional Pres ident had made it a point to greet me and let me know that his first job with the company was as the mail clerk (a real inspiration!!!), and, a rapid pay raise of $10.00 per week, inspired me to trade my 1937 Chevrolet for a 1947 Chevy.
After working about six weeks I ran in to a high school buddy who invited me to spend a week with his family in Rabun Gap. I told him that I couldn't be spared for a week but thal a weekend would probably be O.K.. The plans were set for my first visit to the North Georgia Mountains .
To reduce the length of a very long story, it is sufficient to say that we had such a nice time in the Georgia and Carolina mountains that I did not return home Sunday evening , or Monday, or Tuesday ,and, when I got home Thursday I found a "final" chel:k in an envelope from the paint company . That final l:heck opened a whole new vista for me as we soon moved to the old home plal:e outside of Marietta where I found another job and later joined the Marine Corps. I was off on a new adventure but the North Georgia Mountains were always on my mind .
Janette and I had friends that frequently camped in the mountains and we decided to try it in the early eighties. We stayed at Unirni on a regular basis but could no t find Rabun Gap. After a few years of tent and pop -up l:amping we bou ght .a Fifth-wheel and applied to be a l:amp host in North Georgia. There were no open ings in North Georgia and we were ready to al:l:ept an ass ignment in central Georgia when we received a phone call advising us there was a sudden opening at Vogel State Park and that we could have it. We accepted , and have had a long pleasant relationship with Vogel, Blairsville (where we have built a new home), and North Georgia, and although we have fo und Rabun Gap , we find that since we moved in to our new house here, th at there really is "no place like home"!
Henry Watson
If you would like 10 hme _1our "Vogel S!O ry" published in 11 ex1 year's .. Voice of Vogel" please send ii 10 Th e Park so111e1i111e before Janu ary. 2004.

The early park lifeguards

Memory Walkway

The five Stanley brothers were li feg uards at Voge l State Park from th e mid 1940' s to 1958 . Bobby , Jimm y, Tommy, Johnny and Jackie were from Copperhill, Tennessee and looked forward to their summ ers in the woods each year. Matte r of fact

. I ~

The Vogel Volunteers are sponsoring the development of a Memory Walkway by selling engraved bricks. The walkway is located on the pathway in front of the beach. The goal is to have the entire length of the pathway paved with the

th ey have said th ose were some

bricks. This is an ambitious ""

wo nd erful summ ers. Perhaps the

goal, but one that is quite obtainable with the response we have

biggest drawing ca rd of the job was

received so far. The money raised from this project will be used by

all the lush green trees . You see

the Vogel Volunteers to work on special park projects or to pur-

Cop perhill at the time was void of

chase equipment for the park staff that could not have been pur-

any trees because they had all died from the poiso nous fumes emitted from the co pper smelting operations. It was a different world at the park.
The boys worked for a time fo r Bonnell Akins. Bonnell leased the park form the state and operated it as a co ncess ion . Mr. Akins was a State Representative and owner of the Milton Inn Motel in Blairsville. The boys were paid $65.00 per week, working seven days a week. The guards were housed in the bottom of the log beach house located over the lake . A few summers saw the boys never go ing home to Copperhill between Memorial Day and Labor Day . The literally spent the entire summer at the park. Just like today, they could set their calendars by who would show up . The same families came back yea r a tier year. A few of the years the boys remember work-

cooking prepared by Gordon Wallace the owner.
A hard days work of guarding the beach, a good evening meal under their belts, the day was not over. Returning to the park, the boys would call square dances at the recreation hall , today 's group shelter or at Walasi-Yi at Neel Gap. The boys remember local people coming to the park to square dance carrying mason jars with some sort of clear liquid . They would stash the jars behind trees or behind a counter and between dances run to. them and take a swig . By the end of the evening these people had become quite tipsy from the moonshine they were drinking.

chased otherwise. The bricks are $30.00 each. They can be en-

graved with up to three lines with 14 characters per line. Ordering

a brick is easy. Just fill in the application below and submit a check

for $30.00 per brick. Make checks payable to: The Vogel Volun-

teers, Inc. Mail orders to: Vogel State Park, Memory Walkway

Project, 7485 Vogel State Park Road, Blairsville, GA 30512. Any

questions can be directed to the park staff at 706-745-2628.

r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 I
I

Vogel State Park Memory Walkway Order form Name Addre_s_s_-__- -_-_-__--_-_-_-__--_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

I I

I City __________State _ Zip___ I

I Phone_ _ _ _ _E-mail ~ - - - - - - - - - I

Number of bricks:

x $30

I I have enclosed a check or money order in the amount of I

I

$ .oo

I

I Mail to: Vogel State Park Memory Walkway Fund,

I

I

c/oVogel State Park, 7485 Vogel State Park Rd.

Blairsville, GA 30512

-

I

, , I _ _ _B_rick_shou_ld b_e en_ grave_d as_foll_ ows _ _ _I

ing for Frank Alli son who was the Park Superintendent. This was when the park was taken back by the state

As the summer would wind down and Labor Day came and went, the boys would gather their belong-

I .-------------1
L-=--=----= =----=- =--=-=--= .=-- -=. =---=-=--= ........:.J

and run as a State Park. After a days work on the
beach the boys would shower under the cold spring fed water of the parks

ings and hitchhike back to Copperhill and dream about the next year of fun in the green mountains.
[This interview was done on

Early Memories
Bill Taylor from Seneca, SC stopped by one day to share some

plumbing system. They would have June 11, 2002 . Jimmy Stanley lives photos with us. He was relating his work experience at Vogel as a

to rinse off in the lake just to get in Inverness, FL and Jackie Stanley lifeguard from 1961 - 1963.

warm.

lives in St. Augustine, FL.] The boys

At the time,he lived in McCaysville, Georgia. He said it was a

After they cleaned up they would walk down to Camp Enotah (Present day Goose Creek, 1/2 mile north of the park .) and have supper for .75. This was always good home

talked about the dirt roads and worked at Lake Winfield Scott for a summer as well . They remember working with James England from 1955 - 1958 .

lot of fun spending the entire summer living and working on the park.
Bill and his family had been visiting the park since 1948. That was when they stayed in cottage #12-8. You see they seemed to be a little moresuperstitious back in those days and would not use the

Dear David,

.

Jjust had to share this picture with you , the

staff and volunteers. This is my granddaughter,

Breanna Coleman. For a little history , my parents,

number 13 on a rental. We hope you have memories like these fifty years from now.
Vogel is a great place toget started.
Depression-----

Orton and Faye Barnhart (first generation) camped at Vogel in June of 1972 for the fir st time. They came home and told us about thi s great place. My husband and I (second) started camping at Vogel in August of the same year ( 1972). Our daughter , Samantha (third) , was onl y six months old when she ex perienced Vogel for the first time . The roads

F,om page 3
driving the Model T's around the lot. He also remembers dad babysitting the little ones at work, placing them in a stack of tires so they couldn't run around. He is not so sure mom would

that day was unusual. What was even more unusual was two of his sisters went to college during the Depression . An uncle paid for their tuition.
Joseph didn' t know what the word depression meant. He didn 't

:.Veren't paved then and she traveled the park 111

have approved of this .

know there were people with more

style in a lime gree n wagon with sides or ma backpack. Odur sr , Dewayne, came along in t 980 and _was only three mo_nths ol. on. 1s fir st trip . We continued the wagon and backpack trad1t10n with hun . Durin their childhood , we missed very few yea rs at Vogel. _T_hey
rew tp with wonderful childhood memories of campmg, hi~mg.' ~a mpfires . paddleboats, music on the lake and muc~ more. Breanna (fourth) was born in September 2000. Her mother , S_amant~a, ~Jntfd the tradition to continue. When Breanna was onl y six wee so : s 1e

Dad had a side job of delivering mail as well. He probably got the letters in the boxes before anyone else, because he delivered mail in a race car.
Joseph' s dad died of a heart attack the day after Christmas in 1928. Of course this was quite a shock to

money than his family had until he saw children in school who were better dressed than he was . Mom made clothes from feed sacks, shirts for the boys, dresses for the girls. He knew there were people out of work and strangers would come to the back door

visited Voge l fo r a day trip for the first 11me (we were on the way to

his wife who was also left with such a of the house looking for a handout

North Carolina). In June 2001 she spent her fir st full week at Vogeld

large family to raise by herself. Jo- because they were hungry.

A cabin took the place of the camper and the wagon 1s now a re

Radio Fl er ATW (A ll Terrain Wagon) but the fun 1s still the same.

We urcl;ased two bricks thi s last summer-one for the family and

one for Breanna . Hers says , "Wher: mem~;ies begin 4th g: n, Br:anna

?000 " Aga in on a day trip , she posed for _the enclosed picture.

She i~ now two years old and the fam il y is looking forward to return-

ino agai n this summ er. Thank you to the staff_an~ volunteers that

'.\ Vogel State Park such a wonderfu l place tor tam11Ies.

ma e

Sincerely, Linda Kaye Coleman

seph doesn' t ever remember being deprived. Matter of fact, he said he had a pretty good life. Mom never worked at a paying job, but Joseph remembers her being a great cook. She had to be, to feed all those mouths . Joseph's oldest brothe r had a job w ith the railroad.
With this steady job he was able

Mom never turned them away. She would cook things that could be kept in the kitchen safe that required no refri geration . Joseph thinks these " hobos" marked the house in some way so others coming behind them knew they could get some free food. A favorite snack of Joseph's was a

to support the fami ly. All the children cold sweet potato . It couldn't get any

graduated from high school, which in better than that.

Voice of Vogel

OUTDOORS

Page 5

Summer programing...
Watch the park bulletin boards for schedule of summer programs. Damon Eggert will return again this year as Seasonal Naturalist. Damon is a senior at Clemson University majoring in Recreation and Resource Management. Damon did an outstanding job during the 2002 season relating well with children and adults alike.
Damon's repertoire of programs includes : Native American ski lls in fire bui lding , survival skills, buck skinning; snakes; and nature hikes . Damon is very knowledgeable in these skills. He promises to bring more elements to his programs this season.

Yes! Vogel's lake has fish
This largemouth bass was caught out of Lake Trahlyta in October. The fish was 23 inches long and weighed 8 pounds . This size fish is unusual , but they do exist in out little lake.

Granny, can you help me?
This young man has asked for the help of granny to remove a fishhook from the trout he caught at the June Fishing Rodeo.
The second Saturday of June is the Annual Fishing Rodeo for children 12 and under.
The stream is stocked with hundreds of trout guaranteeing at least one catch for every child. Volunteers are available to assist the less experienced.
There is no competition involved with this program. Rather we emphasis the fun of fishing . Every child however does receive a prize.

Bear signs
This tree took a scratching from a black bear. If you look closely you can see claw marks where the bear raked the bark. The bear may have been scared off before he finished his task however. What he may have been doing was marking his territory . The bear will scrape the tree as a sign and then rub against it to leave his scent We didn't find any hair so we believe he may have left before he completed the itch .

Junior
Ranger
Program
Youngsters are encouraged to participate in the Department of Natural Resources Junior Ranger Program. Each park and Historic Site in Georgia has the booklets to begin the adventure. There are three level of participation for ages 6 - 12. Level I is for ages 6 & 7; level II is for ages 8 - 10; and level III is for ages 11 & 12.
Each level has a few more challenges and incremental degrees of difficulty .
Subject matter includes study of the natural resources found in Georgia, fis hing , wildlife, fruits and flowers, history, animals and more . This should be fun for the entire family.
The books can be picked up at any park or historic site office. If you have questions , feel free to talk with a park ranger.
Join in on the fun . The staff of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites is waiting to show you the fun and excitement that can be found in the outdoors .

It does snow at Vogel
These pictures taken during January of2003 show some of the snow we received . It is rare to receive more than a few inches of snow at one time, but when we do, the sleds and saucers come out and entire families have fun . Consider a winter vacation, you may be lucky enough to see a snow fall and enjoy the quiet woods of Vogel.
Leannah and Luke, children ofVogel's Assistant Randy Gambrell are enjoying a fresh snow

Volunteers maintain 17 miles of trails

The thousands of hikers that tread heavily on the trails at Vogel State Park take a tremendous toll one boot step at a time . This high impact combined with heavy rains, freezing and thawing, and high winds creating blow downs have all made it necessary for the park staff to find help to maintain the trails.
The park's 17 miles of trails are literally loved to death. The individual who enjoys hiking does not mind manual labor, and wants to contribute something back to the environment is the person we are looking for. Teamswork is essential in doing quality maintenance on a trail system.
Other people make the work more en-

joyable as well . What are the benefits of being a trail volunteer? You can readily see what has been accomplished; you get training in the trail maintenance so you know you are doing the job right the first time; you get to work outdoors with people who have similar interests and goals , you have an excuse to go camping and hiking more often; and you are making a tangible contribution to the improvement of the environment.
Work can be fun when you can see the results . Come and join forces with other hikers to help maintain the Coosa Backcountry and Bear Hair Gap Trails. You will be glad you did. Contact David Foot, Park Manager for details.

YES! It does snow at Vogel
Have you ever woke up to three inches of snow on the ground and an air temperature of 2 degrees? That was the case on January 18 , 2003. This group of Boy Scouts from Troop 576 in Lawrenceville, Georgia can say they have. Despite cold toes and noses, the group made the best of the wintery situation by hiking , huddling around the campfire , and
drinking hot chocolate.

Ex-streamly fun: These three boys were fo und playing in the stream in the camping area one hot summer day. They had the right idea to stay cool.

Outdoor Classroom
Spring at Vogel sees scores of school children coming to Vogel for educational field trips . Programs g iven by the park rangers are a continuation of the classroom studies the students have had over the previous year.
Program subjects may include: All about the Black Bear in North Georg ia ; Lost Prevention or how not to get lost in the woods; Trout Stream Habitat; The Civilian Conservation Corps; as well as other resource related topics .
Learning has never been so much fun.

Page 6

OUTDOOR SAFETY

Voice of Vogel

Ice Rescue

Search and rescue teani

As this article is written, the outside air temperature is 2 degrees with a substantial wind chill of well below zero . The lake at Vogel State Park like many small ponds in the area has frozen over. This poses an attractive hazard to the guest who may think it would be fun to walk on water. Every time the lake freezes over, the rangers are asking people to get off the ice. This sometimes requires a vehicle 's PA to get their attention to ask them to return to shore.
Fortunately, no one has ever fallen through to our knowledge . However, there is a very strong possibility that one day we will be dealing with an ice rescue. Ice rescues are very dangerous for the rescuer if they are not prepared. Vogel, with the help of the Vogel Volunteers have purchased an ice rescue suiL The staff has also constructed an ice rescue sled. The purpose of the suit is to keep the rescuer warm if they snould fall in the water.
It does a very good job of this. Matter of fact, with any physical exertion on the part of the rescuer he will be sweating in the coldest weather.
The rescue sled acts to disperse the

T h e

Georgia De-

partment of

Natural Re-

sources Moun-

tain Search and

Rescue Team is

available to

save a life . The

team is com-

prised of vol-

unteers from

rescuers weight as he walks out on the ice Parks & His-

to the victim. Should he fall through the toric Sites,

ice, the suit provides buoyancy and the

Wildlife

sled will float as well .

Resources, and

A rope is secured to a D ring on the Environmental

rescuer's suit. A separate rope is secured Protection. The

to the sled . Normal rappelling rope does team's purpose fine but they generally are not long enough. is to perform

We have two 1200 foot ropes (high search and resstrength 3/8") that can be used to pull the cue on DNR

sled in with the victim and rescuer or just properties as well as assist on m1ss1ons

the . rescuer if he should fall through the through the Georgia Emergency Manage-

ice.

ment Agency.

It would only take minutes for a vie- .

The team is trained in survival, tech-

tim to succumb to hypothermia. We do not nical rock rappelling, Incident Command,

have time for a rescue squad to respond ground searching and first aid.

from Blairsville. Through practice and pre-

Hopefully you will never have a need

planning the staff of Vogel is prepared for for the services of this team.

what may be the inevitable.

But you can rest easy knowing there

are trained rangers ready to come to the aid of a guest in distress.
David Foot, Park Manager, Randy Gambrell, Assistant Manager and Greg Brock, Senior Ranger are Vogel's representatives on the team.
Greg Brock is shown rappelling during team training.

I
WHAT IS HYPOTHERMIA?
Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can be produced . The body 's core temperature drops . The most important prevention of hypothermia is to recognize its symptoms.
To help do this , think COLD.
C = Change in mental status: As
the body ' s temperature drops from the normal 98 .6 degree F the brain begins to cool. The results are, the brain is not thinking as quickly and efficiently. This creates an apathetic attitude that contributes to loss of judgement.
0 = Onset of shivering: As the
body 's temperature drops below 96 degrees F the brain tells the body to start shivering to help balance the body's temperature needs. Shivering produces heat. The shivering will increase until the body's temperature reaches 92 degrees F when the shivering will cease.
L = Loss of coordination: Coordi-
nation begins to fail when the body temperature drops from 96 - 94 degrees . Fine motor coordination becomes impaired, affecting the use of fingers. Speech becomes thick and slurred. Between 95 - 92 degrees gross motor coordination is affected. The victim will begin tripping, stumbling and falling. There is muscular rigidity . The body is freezing!
D = Doomed: Below 92 degrees the
pupils are dilated and the victim is slipping into unconsciousness. Death is not too far off

Hypothermia
TREATMENT OF HYPOTHERMIA
Hypothermia is a true emergency and immediate action needs to be to remember how to treat hypothermia is to think R-E-W-A-R-M.
R = Recognize: what hypothermia
is . E Environment: It is importa!lt
that shelter is found for the victim. It must be away from the wind, it must be dry , and it must be warm.
W = Wet : All hypothermia victims
are wet. The moisture may be trom sweat or it could be from a fall in a stream. Get the victim stripped of all wet clothes. Get the victim dry and keep them dry.
A = Apply insulation: Insulate the
victim from wind and make every eftort to maintain any heat that may be recovered. Keep the victim of( the ground. Insulate the head and feet as 80% of all heat exits the extremities .
R = Refuel the body if the victim is
conscious . It is important that the victim drink sweet liquid to help improve energy reserves that have been depleted by shivering.
M = Monitor the airway and vital
signs. Keep a close eye on the victim and get to a hospital as soon as possible.
REMEMBER, WHEN YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TOOL (the brain) FAILS YOU, THE BODY IS IN TROUBLE.

HYPOTHERMIA PREVENTION
An ounce of prevention is worth your life. Remember W-A-R-M-T-H.
W = When wet, get dry and stay
dry. A wet body and clothes will act as an air conditioner. So stay out of the wind as well.
A = Attire - Wear clothes that
minimize heat loss, even when wet. Wool and polypropylene stay warin when wet.
R = Raingear - Always be pre-
pared in the event of rain. It can occur without warning.
M = Munch - Snack often on
carbohydrates. The body needs fuel to burn and maintain heat.
T = Thermoregulation - Dress
in layers that can be shed or added as activity increases or outside temperatures begin to drop. Stay warm, do not overheat or sweat.
H = H20 - Drink plenty of flu-
ids. Water and fruit juices are best. Avoid alcohol as it will make an individual do stupid things as well as dilate the blood vessels to cool the body more rapidly. Alcohol will also give a false sense of warmth. The old tale of the Saint Bernard carrying the cask of brandy was the wrong thing to tell people.

Dehydration

The warmth of summer brings out
all .sorts of people to hike and play hard. People who exercise hard, and even those that don't, need to be aware of the synipt6ms of dehydration.
Dehydration is the lack of water
in the body. 'This can be a life threatening condition if not corrected. Dehydration can be caused by illne.ss where the individual is vomiting and or has diarrhea; the individual is exercising heavily but is not replenishing lost- fluids by .drinking liquids; or from prolonged ex-
po~1;1re to ,the sun. , _. :.. Symptoms of dehydration include
thirst, pasty tongue, sunken eyes, slow .rebound of .pinched skin, slow rebound
of pincheq fingernail whert! the white
does _p.ot disappear. immediately, confusion', '_concentrated urine '(dark yellow with odor), ,and fow urine Output. ... , .-. _'/Avoi~.<getting AC?hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Normal activi~, req1,1ires-atJ~,;lSt 2 qu~~ 9f water
to per day. When exercising'if is neces-'
sary to driri,k 4 - ,6.'.qu~rts 'o,f 'YatC?r ' -rinepplaecrsep'. iI;oasttiio: f';liu.i~.Asl{:paenrdso.enlecct~roleyvteesn\'ldoes~t
.hydrafe;: ,m f, :\V1J1te.1,\.when tQe):,:;may , not -show signs' of extensiv'e . sweating\ but
of they are not drinlgng Jluids when exer-
cising;\ To ) ;ounteract -the sy.qiptoms ,
dehydrati~n;,,.one, needs -to di:;ink plenty
wlien of .fluids' at 'a' steady.. r~te. ~l~-- &~ "',. ,c'i-';,; ,,
'... .. Don''i'""wa1N o":'.mililc fluids

yo~ .f~el thi!~ty; 'r?u.n.1aY h;we ~ai~ed t_oo late; A:y<;>Jd ,qrinki1_1g too _many ,sport

dfinks V.:id),~added electfdlyi:es:'/ },).'. ,..

are too '.,_... ' . 1,,~.r,r,Jt
difoiect

s1_so!rteh,caotniul:ipee'nbd.oeddyJ;thsta'ftahehreh.s1.e,s,itbrye

'scales ' nottipped

o ~-

posJ,~t;directjon .

Voice of Vogel

FACES

Page 7

Interview with campground hosts

Int e r -

view with

Betty & Randy

Rob erso n

Vogel Camp-

ground Hosts

2002 (April ,

May , June)

Rome, GA

Every

CCC Boy

needs a new

unifo rm to

work in , and

David Foot,

Park Manager

was no excep-

tion. David

had been look-

, ,

ing for someone to make a uni-

form so he could use it during

programs but wasn't having a

whole lot of luck. Then some-

one came along that could meet

David's demands .

During the spring of 2002

Randy and Betty Roberson came

to Vogel as campground hosts .

It just so happened Betty was a

seamstress with the skills to

make a uniform that would

match any CCC issued duds . Betty, age 73 was taught
sewing from her mother , so she has had plenty of experience under her belt. She has made all of her husband 's blue jeans and
shirts fo r the past 56 years . What is interest ing about the uniform that Bet t y created fo r David is th at , Betty
a I s o $ WO Ve
the material that was used . Betty worked for years at the looms of a cotton mill making denim material. When David asked Betty if she could make a uniform, she indicated she just might be able to scratch something up . After returning from a trip back home for a few days , Betty produces the denim material she had made and had stored at the house.
After a few weeks of sew-

ing and working with other volunteers, Betty had a new uni fo rm that any CCC Boy would be proud of. David is certainly pleased with the outcome . Many thanks to Betty fo r recreating a piece of history.
Randy and Betty are an interesting coup le. They love hunting and fishing. They were hosts at a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campground in Wyoming where they did trail work, cut logs, made corrals for horses, picked up trash, performed water sampling and maintained remote outhouses. If you see Randy you would not be able to guess his correct age , as he looks younger than he actually is. At 75, Randy looks and acts about 10 years younger .
Perhaps the reason for this is because .when he rides his bicycle he does so at 30 miles a clip . When he runs or walks he does it at three to five miles a clip . This might be the reason Betty has had to change her patterns for Randy's denim pants. You see, when they married 56 years ago , his waist size was 32 . Now it is 29. There is hope for the rest of us if we just work at it.

Coming Home .

By : Dock Green, Silverhawk

countless adventures in the forest.

About 30 years ago I was

In October of 1993 I had life-

looking fo r a place to take my

, saving open-heart surgery and a near

family camping the mountains that

death experience . Three months later

was not too fa r fro m home. This

the Lord led me to the Native Ameri-

particular year I had used most of

can fl ute and eventually to a ministry

my vacation painting my house .

in the Tampa General Hospital as a

J ~- and had only a few days left.

. )l,,,"' . .,_x .

Look in g on my map , I . ~ ,'

Chaplain. Tampa General is the same hospital where the Lord spared my li fe

fo und Vogel State Park. At that ~ _.,..-~~'

so he could now use me. I use the medi-

time I lived in Tampa, Florida. ~ -

J cine of the flute and power of prayer

This seemed to be an easy drive. '

4 to help those waiting on heart trans-

Having young children, I

plants and open-heart surgery .

drove at night so they could sleep. As we pulled

I also work with patients in the ICU Burn unit

into Vogel the sun was coming up . Pulling up to and anywhere else I am called . A few years ago I

the trading post, I looked around . I couldn ' t be- called David Foot and asked if I could play my

lieve what I saw .

flutes one night for the campers while on va(tation.

It was beautifu l. The feeling I had, will never Thus began a new chapter in my life at Vogel, that

be forgotte n. It was like I had just come home . I continues to grow, becoming a tradition .

was hooked and so began a lifetime relationship

My wife Cindy and I live in Pl ant City, Florida

with Vogel and the North Georgia Mountains.

where we breed and raise Appaloosa horses besides

Over the years this relationship continued to working regular fu ll-time jobs. We also travel a lot

grow as I made lifeti me friends and explored the as I perfo rm and Cindy sell s her art work . But,

beautifu l surrounding forest.

Vogel is still my favorite place to perform.

I work at Verizon and every summer we took

There is a magic at Vogel that I find no place

our yearly trek to Vogel. All four of my children else. After all these years, when Cindy and I arrive

were raised camping at Vogel and now my fi ve at Vogel I still get out of my jeep and take a deep

grandchildren are growing up camping there as well. breath, slowly letting it out as I drink in the sur-

Vogel is a very special place to me having had so rounding beauty . Th_ere is a magic in these moun-

many wonderful times with fa mily , friends and tains. I'm home.

DO YOU KNOW THIS GIRL?
This photo was taken about 12 years ago on the lakeshore . Do you know who this child is? We would like to take another shot o f her fishing to show that once you get Vogel in your blood you can never get it out.

2003 RAFFLE WINNERS
Every year, the Vogel Volunteers sell raffle tickets throughout the year to raise funds for various projects. The winning names were drawn at the Mountain Music Festival in September.
By taking a chance on a prize, you are a winner anyway yo look at it. Win or lose the money donated goes into educationa prog rams and spec ial projects supported by the Vogel Volunteers .

Rosemary Green of Suches, Georgia, won the wildlife print of the infant wood ducks painted by Lynn Gambrell.

Winner of the dulcimer made by 84 year old John Derden was Bill Mullins of Fortson, Georgia.

CHRISTMAS AT

VOGEL
Every Christmas for t
the past 20 years the Kuhns ~,=--

of Jacksonville , Flori~a tl~ , .

spend up log cabin

to two weeks m 33 . This tradition

If -;-- 1\ ~,~:'

~ :-,_
..

has evolved to the point

where the entire cabin is ~-:

decorated with exterior

lights, evergreen boughs .

on the fireplace mantle, and

a Christmas tree replete with presents. Christmas 2002 was unique

from others with snow covering the ground. Th is was the first white

Christmas Vogel has seen in many years. Winter is the ideal time to

stay at Vogel. The trail s are quiet except fo r the sound of a lone

squirrel o f the ruffling o f a wild turkey. Consider a trip to Vogel in

the winter , it will be a new experience.

THE GUHLS SPEND
A G O O LISH
WEEKEND
The Guhl s and th e Rankins have been coming to Vogel since the 1960 's. They have always enjoyed th e re lax in g atmos ph e re. There was a time they remember when the park furnished the firewood fo r the cabins as the only source of heat. Someone had to keep the fi repl ace stoked in order to stay somewhat warm.

Tyler Moore age 2 is seen surveying the park with his Granddad Mike Smith of Kingston, Georgia. Mike has been camping at Vogel since Tyler 's mom was his age. These tw o fa rm boys were camping ov er Labor Day weekend 2002 .
I

Page 8

RESOURCES

Voice of Vogel

Bea

by Greg Brock, Ranger I begin -my workday by driving through the park to check on any maintenance needs that may have cropped up during the night. As I cross the bridge into the camping area the smell hits me like a brick wall. The odor is unmistakable. This smell reminds me of what the black bear must be thinking. You see the smell is of bacon cooking on an open fire from a nearby campsite. This fragrance is a temptation to man and beast and the black bear must be licking his chops on the edge of the woods. The black bear seems almost human at times, partly because of their high intelligence and partly because they can stand and sit like humans. Their diet is also somewhat like ours, so fruit and nut shortages are problems for them as they were for primitive people. In years of crop failure (berries, acorns, etc.) black bears are almost as quick as chipmunks to overcome their fear of people and seek out food. They are extremely adept at getting it. They have color vision, acute hearing, and a keen sense of smell. They learn quickly and can remember feeding locations for years. They climb trees, swim and run at speeds up to 30 mph. They adapt their lifestyles to the availability of food. Even before I became a park ranger, the beauty of the black bear fascinated me . Suddenly my thoughts are interrupted. A guest is flagging me down to report a black bear woke her during the night trying to disable one of the bear proof trash cans. After reassuring her that I would keep an eye out, I proceeded further into the campground. I start to notice evidence of the bear's presence. Trashcan lids had been removed from the non-bear proof cans, many cans had been turned over and trash scattered everywhere. It seemed quite evident that the night visitor, the black bear, had enjoyed taking his finds into the woods and through the stream. I knew immediately that I would be picking up trash for the next half hour. As I was beginning to have unpleasant thoughts about this black bear another guest stops me to share their nighttime bear story. As the guest is relating their experience I begin to realize how special these creatures really are. Bears show a tremendous amount of restraint with people who venture out and get too close or try to get pictures. I always advise the guest to use

Releasing a bear back into the woods

extreme caution when bears are present in the park.
I remind our guest that bears are wild animals that may react unpredictably and can be very dangerous. Bears have keen noses and will investigate any and all sources of food. Bears are naturally attracted to smells associated with cooking and garbage disposal. During late spring and early summer, this may be the most readily available food source . Bears are opportunists and are quick to take advantage of the food supply. Once bears associate food with humans they quickly lose their fear of people. If a bear feels threatened, it often will give warning signs that you are too close. These signs are blowing, laid back ears, snapping jaws, woofing, slapping the ground, or bluff
charging. Black bears may react to people as they do to other bears with bad manner, by nipping or cuffing with little warning. Fortunately, black bears usually use at least as much restraint with people as they do with each other .
As I leave the campground, I think about our goals as Department of Natural Resources Rangers and of the programs we conduct on the park. Our objective for the black bear program is to provide an environment where black bears can live with minimal interference from humans and to teach people how to behave properly in the event of an encounter with a black bear.
Like the black bear I am always thinking of my next meal.
Unfortunately the cooking bacon set off my olfactory senses and all I can think about is lunch , a long 3 1/2 hours away. Oh well, I may have to raid my lunch box a little early .

How to increase Safety in
Bear Country
Reduce or eliminate odors that attract bears. Keep pets leashed. Avoid walking at night. Always keep children nearby
and in sight. Heed posted warning signs of
bear activity. Hike in-groups. Make noise when hiking. Stay clear of dead animals. Camp in designated areas. In areas without designated
campsites, avoid cascading water, game trails or potential feeding areas. Always pack out what you pack in .
--If you see a bear:
Stay as far away as possible. If the bear is approaching you,
talk softly to the bear as he is trying to identify you. If it is snapping its jaws, lowering its head, flattening its ears or growling then do not run, unless you are near a secure place. Move slowly away, keeping the bear in sight, but avoiding eye contact. DO NOT RUN! If the bear continues to follow, Shout and make noise . Move your arms to scare the bear away. If with a friend , stand together to appear larger. Do not feed or toss food to it. Do not surround or corner it. In the extreme case that a bear attacks you , try to fight back using any object available. Act aggressively and intimidate the bear by yelling and waving your arms.

Over the past few years, Vogel has Jost a tremendous number of trees. The reasons for the tree loss are numerous but include: Storm damage, Pine Beetle attack, old age, stress from drought, dogwood anthracnose disease, damage from humans (chopping, initial carving, vehicle scraping, ground compaction of roots, lantern heat.), and construction.
The rangers ask that the park guest to respect our trees and not do any cutting or defacing of trees. Greg Brock, Senior Ranger is shown up a tree preparing it for removal.
This white pine was removed as it was threatening a park structure. A large poplar uprooted during a storm and fell on the Manager's residence doing major roof damage.

Vogel's Mica Mine

There was once a mica mine located on Vogel way before

Vogel was a park. Mica is a mineral that is commonly found in the

area. It is found in layered sheets that can be peeled apart. The thin

transparent layers are like paper. Mica was mined for its insulating

properties. Large sheets would be used as windows in fireplaces

and wood stoves. Before electronic transistors and silicon chips,

vacuum tubes were what ran the first radios. Mica was used in

these tubes as an insulator. Mica is still mined today throughout

the world. Mica is used in appliances ; semi-conductors; guided

missiles; televisions; toasters; high speed aircraft canopies; win-

dows for kerosene heaters, furnaces and diver helmets; goggles ;

paint, adhesives, cement and gypsum board. The mine on the park

was an open bank face located in the backside of the park. A dyna-

mite shed stood nearby for years.

.

VOLUNTEER WORKDAY
APRIL 10, 2004
1111. SIGN UP NOW FOR A SPRING CLEANING

MUSIC IN THE PARK

EVERY SATURDAY ....... 8PM

1111.

LAKESIDE PAVILION

May-October

MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

SEPT. 13, 2003 MUSIC, DANCE, FOOD, CRAFTS,
DEMONSTRATIONS

HALLOWEEN HOEDDOWN

OCT. 25, 2003

1111.

SQUARE DANCING,

STORYTELLING BY THE CAMPFIRE

HAYRIDE