Magnolia Springs State Park
Encyclopedia
Magnolia Springs State Park is a 1,071 acre (4.33 km²) Georgia
state park
located between Perkins
and Millen
. The park itself is well known for its crystal clear springs that are estimated to flow 9 million USgals (34,068.7 m³) per day. The park has a unique history, as it was used during the American Civil War
as a prison, during which time the area was called Camp Lawton. The park still houses remnants of the 10,000-prisoner camp and two huge timber
s of the prison recovered from a nearby stream. The park also offers unique wildlife near the springs, including alligator
s and a freshwater
aquarium
.
to house Union
prisoners of war at Magnolia Springs in order to take advantage of the abundant water supply. Built by slave labor of pine timber harvested on site, the walls measured 12 to 15 feet (4.6 m) high. The stockade began receiving the first of at least 10,299 prisoners in early October. The post was abandoned by the end of November when threatened by Sherman’s drive on Savannah. Ground penetrating radar
(GPR) conducted in December 2009 by the Lamar Institute revealed a possible location for the southwest corner of the prison stockade. Georgia Southern University
has begun archaeological investigations to “ground truth” the results of the GPR survey.
Georgia Southern University
announced on August 18, 2010 that several archaeology students uncovered the stockade and around 200 Civil War artifacts at the site. The students used watercolors by an imprisoned private to locate the site.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located between Perkins
Perkins, Georgia
Perkins is an unincorporated community in Jenkins County, Georgia, United States. It lies a short distance east of U.S. Route 25 to the north of the city of Millen, the county seat of Jenkins County. Its elevation is 239 feet . Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the...
and Millen
Millen, Georgia
Millen is a city in Jenkins County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,492 at the 2000 census, a decline of 8.3% since 1990, during a decade in which the state's population grew by 26.4%.The city, centered near the intersection of U.S...
. The park itself is well known for its crystal clear springs that are estimated to flow 9 million USgals (34,068.7 m³) per day. The park has a unique history, as it was used during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
as a prison, during which time the area was called Camp Lawton. The park still houses remnants of the 10,000-prisoner camp and two huge timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
s of the prison recovered from a nearby stream. The park also offers unique wildlife near the springs, including alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s and a freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.
Facilities
|
|
Annual events
- Arts & crafts festival (April)
- Federal Encampment and Spring Run (also April)
- Children's Fishing Rodeo (June)
- 8 km Crosscountry Run (November)
- Clogging and Square Dancing Weekend (also November)
Camp Lawton
Camp Lawton was established during the Civil War in the fall of 1864 by the Confederate ArmyConfederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
to house Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
prisoners of war at Magnolia Springs in order to take advantage of the abundant water supply. Built by slave labor of pine timber harvested on site, the walls measured 12 to 15 feet (4.6 m) high. The stockade began receiving the first of at least 10,299 prisoners in early October. The post was abandoned by the end of November when threatened by Sherman’s drive on Savannah. Ground penetrating radar
Ground-penetrating radar
Ground-penetrating radar is a geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. This nondestructive method uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band of the radio spectrum, and detects the reflected signals from subsurface structures...
(GPR) conducted in December 2009 by the Lamar Institute revealed a possible location for the southwest corner of the prison stockade. Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
has begun archaeological investigations to “ground truth” the results of the GPR survey.
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
announced on August 18, 2010 that several archaeology students uncovered the stockade and around 200 Civil War artifacts at the site. The students used watercolors by an imprisoned private to locate the site.