Robert G. Hunter Memorial Park
One of the oldest and most recognized parks in all of Douglas County is that of Robert G. Hunter Memorial Park. Established over fifty years ago, the park has been the host of many events from horse back riding classes for local Girl Scouts in the sixties to the Sandy Koufax World Series in current times.
However the history of the park is as vast as the park itself. The early years of City Park were full of expansion and creation – a lake, community pool and center, mini-train – attracting families to have fun and cookout on the weekend. Eventually local politics would dispute the purpose of the park and its corresponding name.
That all changed in the summer of 1966 when Douglas County received word that they had claimed their first casualty of war from the growing conflict in Vietnam. All disputes over the park were set aside, claiming recognition and honor swiftly with the park being renamed after 1st Lt. Robert Gerald Hunter, who died in Laos after ejecting from his F-105D.
Part of Saving Hunter is to illustrate the in-depth history of Hunter Memorial Park that has yet to be told. Below is a detailed timeline that follows the history of the park. The information was collaborated from microfilm copies of the Douglas County Sentinel and other sources.
1956
By mid-June, the City of Douglasville had plans to create a large city park after the creation of a recreation mission. The five member commission was responsible for creating and later maintaining the park, including the supervision of activities, acting as the authoritative body. Members of the commission were the following;
- Floyd Morgan – five year term
- R.S. Alexander – four year term
- Earl Hampton – three year term
- Robert Coyle – two year term, chairman
- W.C. Atkinson – one year term, secretary-treasurer
Land for the park, a 25 acre plot on Highway 78, had been purchased in April from O.B. Farrell at the cost of $4,900. The city of Douglasville contracted out the engineering of the park to the Charles Graves Organization, based in Atlanta, for a $400 fee.
In the June 22, 1956 edition of the Douglas County Sentinel, features of the park would have included “a botanical garden area, picnic areas, play fields, swimming pool, community center, tennis courts, volley ball courts, horseshoe courts and numerous playground equipment.”
The first event to occur at City Park was the Fourth of July celebration with a fish fry hosted by the Douglasville Masonic Building Association. A Little League baseball game and fish rodeo for children were some of the festivities on hand.
In August the newly created Parks Commission proposed that a barbecue be hosted during Labor Day festivities to raise money for the new City Park. Recently elected Chairman Ike S. Owings pushed for local organizations to participate and sell tickets to the event. A plethora of food would be available with choice meats and cooking from Monk Redding of the Rock Inn Café, Fred Starr’s infamous Brunswick stew and cakes galore.
Over $800 was raised from the barbecue, contributing to the first funds toward advancing the creation of the City Park. Strong emphasis was put upon residents that the City Park was meant for all residents of Douglas County.
1957
With the evolution of the large city park coming along, amenities were slowly being added when funding came available. February broke ground on the two new roads that led to City Park, one off of Rose Avenue (Pinecrest Drive) and another from Highway 78 (Gurley Road). Money was being donated to the Park Commission for playground equipment, swimming pool and ball fields.
Plans included the construction of two ball fields, an asphalt tennis court, volley ball court, concrete benches, barbecue pits, shelters. Organizations like the Kiwanis Club, American Legion, and the Business and Professionals Woman’s Club donated money.
Requests for a swimming pool at the park were coming into the Park Commission in March. Proposed was a pool that could accommodate 192 swimmers with amenities like a wading pool, bath house and concession stand. A town meeting was conducted at the Douglasville Elementary School to see if the public would indeed support the pool by paying for a bond issue. There was even an advertisement in the Douglas County Sentinel urging people to vote on the new pool.
By a favorable vote in mid-April, the recreation bond issue of $55,000 was indeed passed with 262 votes in favor and 108 not in favor. Bids were sent out and the Krueger Construction Company, in Atlanta, came in with the lowest bid. Planners wanted the pool to be done by July so residents could enjoy the summer with a splash.
Part of the design was based on a similar pool in Trussville, Alabama. Plans for the pool were designed by Charles M. Graves Organization, Park and Recreation Engineers of Atlanta, who also devised the master plan for the park.
Amidst the yearning for a new pool, baseball season was in full hype. Little League and softball leagues were ready to play the park as the field neared completion. Games were expected be played at night with the installation of lights.
Construction was plentiful in June as the foundation of the pool and bath house had already been laid. Barbecue pits were scattered throughout the park in picnic areas, while picnic tables were built by members of the Future Farmers of America at Douglas County High School. Lights had finally been installed at the softball field, but the baseball field needed more funding.
Again a Fourth of July celebration was held at the park, but was the beginning of an annual ritual. Starting in downtown Douglasville, the parade marched down Broad Street to Rose Avenue where it would turn onto Pinecrest Drive into City Park. An all-day barbecue was hosted by various organizations while activities like horse-shoe contests, dunking pool, and baseball games filled into the evening.
About 1,300 people attended the celebration with the Recreation Commission raising about $700 towards improving the park. The event was deemed a success.
The Recreation Commission intended to always keep the public informed with the development of Douglasville City Park. In late November the commission reported to the City Council about the activities of funding and future development. Over $8,000 had been consumed in costs, with the two baseball fields taking a brunt of the money, but excluding the funds for the swimming pool.
The City Council was proud of the Recreation Commission’s work and passed a resolution to honor them for their community service and gratitude.
1958
As the seasons changed, City Park opened back up in the spring while the warm weather rolled in. Money was still a concern for the Recreation Commission since there were many projects yet to be completed. At the end of May, the commission hosted a ‘chickenque’ during lunch and dinner hours at a cost of 1.25 per plate.
Then in the summer the commission got down and dirty with ‘Work Day’ – people from around the county pitched in to clean up and beautify the park with tools in hand. Part of the day was associated with the preparation for new tennis courts that were going to be built by the Douglas County Jaycees.
Future projects like the community house and lake were still years away.
1959
The reopening of City Park in May was a celebration in itself. The Douglasville Dodgers were up to play Villa Rica on the baseball diamond, a parade through Douglasville, Miss Douglas County of 1958 and the opening of the swimming pool. There was even a go-cart race at the park.
As summer drifted into town, a conjunction with the park and the Greater Atlanta Girl Scout Council helped develop a summer day camp for all girls 7 to 17, no matter if they were in the scouts or not. The camp was held at the end of June and the beginning of July leading up to Independence Day.
About 90 girls attended the summer day camp that enlisted the activities of cooking, crafts, games, group singing, folk dancing, overnight camping, hiking and swimming. Girls were broken down into three age groups with a set of instructors for guidance.
Once again Fourth of July was celebrated at City Park with festivities galore. Besides the normal affair of a parade, the Douglas County Jaycees gave out door prizes every 10 minutes, the Jaycettes hosted the Arts, Crafts and Industry Exhibit, the Chamber of Commerce gave away a pony and the West Georgia Umpires Association became victims of the dunking pool. It was the most active Fourth of July yet to be at the park.
While a year before the clearing out of debris for tennis courts began with help from the community. The Douglas County Jaycees raised money to construct a set of asphalt tennis courts at a cost of $2,000. The original public bid for the project was $6,500.
1960
Like clockwork the City Park reopened in May with less fan fare, but the attraction was the swimming pool. Plans were being developed by the Recreation Commission to develop a program for night activities at the popular pool.
Independence Day started off with the parade armada arriving at the park with the American Legion presenting a flag ceremony. The Kiwanis Club held an auction, there was the usual barbecue and the Douglas County Jaycettes sponsored a beauty contest.
The last quarter of the year was focused on the preparation and construction of the five acre lake at City Park. A vast number of trees were cut down and stumps were removed by explosive demolition. Parts of the mini-train railroad track were removed because of the lake’s construction. Plans called for the lake to be filled by spring.
1961
Worked continued on with the five-acre lake in January as engineers prepared for the implementation of the dam. Delays would inevitably slow down the project, but by April the lake was taking on water. Paul Umphrey and Don Brantley both supervised the completion of the lake, displaying jubilation with a boat ride.
Funding for the lake was provided by Douglas County, the City of Douglasville and the Parks Commission. Director Ike Owings planned on stocking the lake with fish by winter, which would allow for fishing and boating, but swimming was off limits.
The mini-train railroad track was routed around the lake with tracks being laid on the dam. Also the basement portion of the Community House (recreation center) had been completed by the end of April. Its design was part of three stages. The 50’x60’ basement was installed with a “large double oven stove with grill, refrigerator, snack bar, hot and cold water,” tables and chairs for 100 occupants and two restrooms. An additional $10,000 was needed to complete the second section.
As improvements to the park were being made, over 600 Girl Scouts and Brownies were flocking to Douglasville in May for a rally of the Beech District Girl Scout Council. Activities included “songs, games and folk dancing.” Lunch bags hung from clothes lines, ribbons were handed out and everyone had a good time.
The Beulah Ruritan Club took pride in constructing a picnic shelter for the park, on the east side of the lake. Helping out with supplies were the Elk Roofing Company, Cracker Asphalt Company and the city of Douglasville. It took a few Saturdays in June to accomplish the task.
After the dam for the lake had been completed, it was then a matter of relocating the mini-train because the tracks were originally in the path of the lake’s construction. New tracks were laid around the lake’s perimeter, including over the dam.
The highlight of summer would be the annual fifth Fourth of July celebration at the park. The usual festivities included a parade, barbeque, and baseball and softball games; however activities like an auction by the Jaycees, beauty contest, “Little Miss Douglas County,” and a baby crawling contest filled the air for a fun-filled time. Hundreds of people came to the park, making it the largest and most successful Independence Day celebration to date.
The end of July was marked by the summer day camp for girls that was becoming an annual event.
1962
In May the Chamber of Commerce came forth in hosting a benefit steak dinner to help fund the Douglasville City Park in constructing the rest of the recreation center/community house. Tickets sold for $25 with all proceeds going toward the park. The guest speaker was Frank B. Hitt, an agent of the F.B.I.
By August improvements had been committed to the park. Fencing around the ball fields was updated and new concrete stands were built to replace rotten wooden stands.
1963
In December of 1963 there were two significant events that would ultimately change the dynamics of the City Park. The recreation center had been completed with much success, being referred to as the Community House and the Douglasville Center. Ike S. Owings, the chairman of the Parks Commission, was becoming frustrated with the City Council over matters that would affect the integrity of the park.
Since the mid-1950s Owings had poured his heart and soul into the City Park, shaping into a persona that was fit for the community. But a dispute over a pipe line crossing through the park forced Owings to refrain from continuing on as chairman, relieving his position at the end of the year.
In the wake of the decision, the City Council honored Owings dedicated service to establishing such a park of its stature by renaming the recreation center after him. The honor came on December 16 when the City Council unanimously passed the resolution for naming of the Ike Owings Recreation Center.
1965
Park Chairman Toombs Webb was under duress as conflicts about City Park with Douglasville and the County was brewing. Finances to cover park costs were mounting and it was becoming evident that more than city residents were flocking to the park for recreation. Even the name of the park had become a problem.
Both governments came to a conclusion to submit $500 each per month to account for a working budget of $12,000 per year starting on 1 July. There were suggestions to hold a contest in the summer to rename the park. Eventually the park was given the accepted name of the Douglasville-Douglas County Recreation Park.
Chairman Webb declared that a parks director be appointed to further ensure funding be sound and that more recreation programs could be developed. At the time only Little League games and swimming were the mainstay activities.
1966
The year would become a defining one as a casualty of war would unite a community and disputes over the park nullified. The death of 1st Lt. Robert Gerald Hunter came to a surprise for Douglasville in May, but it would be July before times of change would occur. The day after the U.S. Air Force released the body of Lt. Hunter on July 18th, the Chamber of Commerce moved swiftly in recommending the Douglasville-Douglas County Recreation Park be renamed after the pilot.
The suggestion was by Richard Wagoner, a member of the Chamber, which was approved. Chamber president Kent Dickinson heeded the call of the recommendation by presenting the decision over to the Douglasville Parks Commission. A couple weeks would pass before action was taken.
By August 1st the Douglasville City Council passed a resolution to rename the City Park after Lt. Hunter and then on 3rd the Chamber of Commerce and the Douglas County Jaycees adopted a resolution to rename the city park with the acceptance of the Parks Commission. Later the Board of Commissioners followed suit in recognizing the renaming of the park by unanimously passing a resolution.
1967
A year later, the honor of Robert G. Hunter Memorial Park was put on grand display on the 4th of July. The annual parade wound through Douglasville concluding at the park. There a ceremony was held to honor the life of Lt. Hunter, past servicemen and the unveiling of a new memorial. The local National Guard Unit presented colors as residents encircled the memorial.
Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. spoke to the crowd and the Hunter family about flying with Lt Hunter when he was a boy. Reverend Richard Wagoner knew the importance of the life that was lost upon the community and took it upon himself to erect a fitting memorial. Carved out of a native stone, etched upon its face was homage to Lt. Hunter and fallen servicemen with a flag pole in the center.
In attendance at the ceremony was Zelma Hunter (mother), Robert Ray “Buzz” Hunter (father), Laura Ann Milby Hunter (widow), Alpha A. Fowler, Rev. Richard Waggoner, R.L. Smith - chairman Douglas County Commissioners, Kent Dickinson - Douglas County Representative, and James Haddle - Douglasville Mayor.
