Well, since our last entry on the subject of water, the river dropped but now it’s back up again. For about two weeks now we have had minor flooding  at the park. Last week there was about a foot of water over the road just before you reach the day use area and the water level reached to a point near the top of the boat ramp at the heritage center.  I think the offical water level was 18 ft.  Today, 2/4/10  the water level reached 19.2 ft. and we have minor flooding at the parking lot at the Heritage Center. This is supposed to be the crest but, who knows?

Heritage Center Activities and Events

1/2 – DNR Hunter Safety Course

1/28 – Jeff Davis Board of Education Training Meeting

1/30 – Dinner and a Movie

RV Park Summary

During the month of January 2010 we had a total of 218 site rentals.

The Altamaha River has been out of its banks since early December and has finally receeded from the day use area. The day use area starts to flood at approximately 17 ft and at 18 ft water starts running over Uvalda landing Road.  The 17 ft. level was reached about December 10, 2009 and has not returned to that level until yesterday 1/5/2010.  The maximum water level was approximately 19.6 ft. This flooded the day use area and Uvalda Landing Road all the way from the river almost to the entrance to the primitive camp ground. The parking lot and the road at the entrance of the parking lot at the Heritage Center was also flooded. The RV park, Heritage Center, and Riverwood Trail were not affected. It has been a long time since the Altamaha River has risen and stayed at such hight levels for an extended period of time such as this. The river reached 23 ft. back in April 2009 but it did not stay at that level for more that a week.

Heritage Center Activities and Events

12/1 – Lions Club Dinner

12/6 – Jeff Davis Schools Special Education Field Trip

12 /10 – University of Georgia Geological Field Trip

12/18 – Kids Polar Express Movie and activity

12/19 – DNR Hunter Safety Course

RV Park Summary

During the month of December 2009 we had a total of 150 site rentals. This is compared with the month of December 2008 in which we had a total of 6 site rentals for the month.

Pretrip Lecture

A field trip held by Dr. David S. Leigh, Dept. of Geography, University of Georgia came to Towns Bluff Park Saturday 12/5/09. The field trip started at the the Towns Bluff Park Heritage Center and began with a pretrip introduction and lecture held in our conference room.

Approximately 50 and 60 participants attended the field trip from Florida, Georgia. South Carolina, North Carolina , and Virgina.

RV Park Photo 11/26/09

The RV park at Towns Bluff Park reached a new high in occupancy the week of Thanksgiving. During that week occupancy ranged from 50 to 96 percent with only one site left available for rental.

The primitive campground ranged from 25 percent to 75 percent occupancy during this week which was also a new high in utilization.

Primitive Campground Photo 11/26/09

Since the opening of the Heritage Center in 2006 and the RV park in 2007 we have experienced a steady growth in campers, visitors, and facility rentals. From all indications we can expect this growth to continue even in the present recessive economic times.

11/5 – Southeastern Health Unit District Meeting

11/9 – Lights on the River with the Jeff Davis Middle School Choir

11/14 – Divers Club Dinner and Meeting

10/9 – Hodgman Wedding Rehearsal Dinner

10 /10 – Hodgman Wedding

10/24 – Dinner and a Movie

10/29 – Jeff Davis Board of Education Training Retreat

10/30,31 and 11/1 – Safe and Sober Trail Ride

9/8 – Altamaha Historical Society Dinner and Meeting

9/10 – Jeff Davis Retired Educators Meeting

9/12 – DNR Hunter Safety Course

9/19 – Indian Lore Children’s Activity

9/24 -Trails Grant Meeting

9/25 – Hazlehurst – Baxley Fall Canoe Run Fish Fry

Altamaha Historical Society Meeting

The annual meeting of the Altamaha Historical Society was held at the Towns Bluff Park Heritage Center on September 8, 2009.

Joye Cauthen

Following the meal, a dramatic presentation on the life of the renowned author Caroline Miller will be presented by Ms. Joye Cauthen. Ms. Cauthen, an accomplished storyteller, is the great-niece of Caroline Miller. Mrs. Miller’s novel “Lamb in His Bosom” won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1934. This was the first Pulitzer Prize won in the state of Georgia. Ms. Cauthen shared passages from the novel which reflect the dignity and beauty Miller recognized in the lives of the early south Georgia settlers during the Civil War. If you would like to purchase a copy of Caroline Miller’s “Lamb In His Bosom” the Altamaha Heritage Center will have some available or call Fred Brogdon at 912-526-6061.

Additional photos of this meeting can be viewed at this link: Altamaha Historical Society Meeting Photos

Altamaha Heritage Center
P. O. Box 1085
LYONS, GA 30436