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Hanging Rock State Park

Hanging Rock State Park is a 9011 acre North Carolina state park in Stokes County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is 30 mi north of Winston-Salem and is located approximately 2 mi from Danbury in Stokes County.

History
On April 20, 1936, the Winston-Salem Foundation and the Stokes County Committee for Hanging Rock donated 3096 acre to North Carolina for establishing a state park. Prior to this, the land had been owned by developers intent on creating a mountain resort on its highest summit. The plans fell through when the developers went bankrupt during the initial construction. After the state acquired the property, the Civilian Conservation Corps built the original facilities between 1935 and 1942, including the construction of a 12 acre lake and bathhouse that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Additional land acquisitions in the 1970s added to the park the Lower Cascades, a spectacular 40 ft waterfall, and the Tory's Den, a rock outcropping rumored to have served as a hideout for British Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War. Another large land purchase in 2000 added Flat Shoals Mountain, a smaller summit visible from the top of Hanging Rock, to the park.

Location
Hanging Rock State Park is located in the Sauratown Mountain Range, one of the most easterly mountain ranges in the state. Often called "the mountains away from the mountains," the Sauratown range is made up of monadnocks that are separated from the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. The Sauratown Mountains lie completely within the borders of Stokes and Surry counties. Prominent peaks in the Sauratown range rise from 1700 ft to more than 2500 ft in elevation and stand in bold contrast to the surrounding countryside, which averages only 800 ft in elevation. The most well known peak in the range is Pilot Mountain in nearby Pilot Mountain State Park. The highest point in the park – and the highest point in the Sauratown Mountain range – is Moore's Knob. It rises to 2,579 feet (786 m) above sea level.

Named for the Saura Native Americans who were early inhabitants of the region, the rocky tops of the Sauratown Mountains are the remnants of a once-broad layer of rock that covered the region. Over many years, wind, water and other forces eroded the surrounding blanket of rock. What remains of these ancient mountains is the erosion-resistant quartzite, which now supports scenic ridges and knobs, including Moore's Knob, Moore's Wall, Cook's Wall, Devil's Chimney, Wolf Rock and Hanging Rock.

Ecology
Due to its unique location, the park is home to a number of species of flora that are more commonly found in the westernmost part of the state. Carolina and Canadian hemlock grow alongside each other, and in the spring visitors can view the colorful displays of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pinxter azalea, and a number of other wildflowers. Much of the park is an oak-hickory forest, with chestnut oak the dominant hardwood.

The park is also home to the rare Wehrle's salamander, and peregrine falcons have been known to nest in the crags on the park's high peaks. Ravens and vultures may be seen calling and circling overhead. Visitors might see white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and rarely American Black Bears while walking the park trails.

Two venomous snakes, the copperhead and timber rattlesnake, live in the park, but they do not bother unless provoked. All wildlife is protected at Hanging Rock just as in all other North Carolina State Parks.

Activities
Hanging Rock State Park offers over 48 mi of trails where visitors can hike to its numerous peaks and waterfalls. The park has a 73-site tent and trailer campground (minus R/V hookups) and 10 vacation cabins for overnight accommodations. The lake and bathhouse, open from Memorial Day – Labor Day, offers swimming and boat rentals. Rock climbing is permitted at Moore's Wall and Cook's Wall but is not allowed at the Hanging Rock summit. The visitor's center and museum room is open daily. There is no admission fee to the park.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail pass through the park and joins with the Sauratown Trail.

Waterfalls
The park is the home to at least 5 significant waterfalls (listed in order of height):

 * Tory's Falls
 * Upper Cascades
 * Lower Cascades
 * Window Falls
 * Hidden Falls

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Hanging Rock State Park:
 * Haw River State Park
 * Mayo River State Park
 * Pilot Mountain State Park

title: Hanging Rock State Park


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Jones Lake State Park

Jones Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States near Elizabethtown. It covers 2,208 acre, including the Carolina bay lakes of Jones Lake and Salters Lake. Jones Lake State Park is north of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway 242 in North Carolina's Coastal Plain region. The park offers year-round recreation, including fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, picnicking and environmental and historical education programs.

Geology
Jones Lake is one of a series of Carolina Bay lakes that stretch from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier. Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages. Jones Lake is not fed by any stream but relies entirely upon rain. The land beneath and surrounding the lake is mica-rich sandy clay and sand that is from the Upper Cretaceous era with a thin layer of Pleistocene deposits covering it. This land is lower than the surrounding land and drains very poorly, creating Jones Lake.

Human History
The area surrounding Jones and Salters Lakes at Jones Lake State Park was settled by migrants for Europe in the late 1720s and early 1730s. Jones Lake was originally known as Woodward Lake a local justice of the peace. It was renamed Jones Lake for Isaac Jones a local land owner who donated the land on which Elizabethtown was built in 1773. Salters Lake is named for an American Revolutionary War heroine, Sallie Salter. Salter spied on Tories that were camped near Elizabethtown on the Cape Fear River.

The government of the state of North Carolina began to take an interest in Jones and Salters Lakes and other Carolina Bays in the 19th century. The North Carolina General Assembly blocked all further private claims on lakes. Soon after, the state assembly pass legislation that granted ownership of all lakes greater than 500 acres (2.02 km2) in Cumberland, Columbus and Bladen Counties to the state. The formation of Jones Lake, Lake Waccamaw and Singletary Lake State Parks can be traced back to this piece of legislation.

The growth of the cotton, turpentine and lumber industries in the area of Jones Lake State Park eventually was greater than what the soil could support. The fertility of the farmland was depleted and most of the standing timber had been clear cut from Bladen County. The land could no longer support the demands of the people living on the land. Farmers were no longer able to produce sustainable crops and many were forced to leave their farms.

The National Park Service began purchasing the land surrounding Jones and Salters Lakes in 1936 for a recreational demonstration project. Out of work young men were employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was established by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 during the Great Depression many of the facilities of Jones Lake State Park. The land was managed by the Resettlement Administration until 1939.

Jones Lake State Park was opened in 1939 during the segregation era as a state park for the use of African Americans. The black communities of southeastern North Carolina used Jones Lake State Park for family reunions, baptisms, and church picnics. A result of racial segregation of the state park systems was that the parks for blacks were left largely underfunded and thereby undeveloped. The area in and surrounded Jones Lake remains largely wild and undeveloped offering visitors a chance to see two Carolina Bays in a nearly natural state.

Jones Lake State Park, like Singletary Lake State Park just 13 mi to the southeast, was used by soldiers training for World War II at nearby Camp Davis for special anti-craft training. The state park also received national attention in 1980 when astronomers gathered at the park to view a solar eclipse.

Ecology
Jones Lake is surrounded by a bay forest. This forest consists primarily of bay trees such as the loblolly, red bay, pond pine and Atlantic white cedar. The understory consists of huckleberry, leucothoe, gallberry and pepperbush. turkey oak, blueberry, holly and longleaf pine can be found at the higher elevations away from the shoreline.

The forests of Jones Lake State Park provide a habitat for a variety of animals that are fairly common to an eastern woodland habitat. Wild turkey, white-tailed deer and rabbits can be spotted on from time to time. Wood ducks live on the lake. Red-cockaded woodpeckers can be seen in the forest as can red-tailed hawks, yellow-throated warbler, white-eyed vireo and pileated woodpeckers. Jones Lake State Park is also home to box turtles, fence lizards, pine barrens tree frog, southern toads, bullfrogs and carpenter frogs.

This park is also the place where the type specimen of Phyllophaga nebulosa, a species of June beetle, was found and is currently the only known location for this species.

Recreation
Jones Lake State Park is open for year-round recreation, including camping, fishing, boating, hiking and environmental and historical education. Visitors to the park will find 20 campsites that are open for family camping. The sites are equipped with a picnic table and charcoal grill. Hot water showers are available at the park bath house. All campsites are available on a first come first served basis. The campground is closed November through February. Jones Lake is open to recreational fishing and boating. All boats must be under 10 hp. Canoes and paddleboats are available to rent at the boathouse Memorial Day through Labor Day. The waters of the lake have a high acidity level due to the amount of vegetation that is decomposing and the buildup peat on the lake bottom. The acid levels have limited the numbers of fish that inhabit Jones Lake and recreation fishing is in turn limited. Yellow perch, chain pickerel, and catfish can be caught from the shore, pier and boats.

Bay Lake Trail is a five-mile (8.05 km) hiking trail around Jones Lake. It passes through the forests that surround the lake. Side trails lead to the lake where visitors can observe pond cypress trees that are covered in Spanish moss. Bay Lake Trail begins at the picnic area and ends at the campground. A one-mile (0.6 km) nature trail, the Cedar Loop Trail, passes through the bay forest and over a sand ridge.

Swimming and picnicking are the two most popular recreational activities at Jones Lake State Park. The large picnic area is near the swimming beach. There are 50 picnic tables, eight grills and a large pavilion. The beach is open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Jones Lake State Park:
 * Lumber River State Park (Robeson County)
 * Singletary Lake State Park (Bladen County)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Jones Lake State Park


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Jordan Lake State Recreation Area

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park spanning Chatham County, and Wake County, North Carolina. It comprises 4,558 acre of woodlands along the shores of 13940 acre Jordan Lake.

History
The New Hope River Valley, now home to the corporate world of Research Triangle Park, has been the site of a broad range of cultures for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists have explored the remains of 450 prehistoric and historic sites in the area and have uncovered many Native American artifacts. The land was settled by Scottish Highlanders in the 1740s, and it saw action in both the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

Following a disastrous hurricane, which struck the Cape Fear River Basin in 1945, Congress directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake a comprehensive study of water resource needs in the area. The project, then known as New Hope Lake, was authorized in 1963 and construction began in 1967. In 1973, the name of the project was changed to B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake in honor of the former senator from North Carolina.

Jordan Lake Park's 46768 acre are not only a popular source of recreation, they also provide the water supply for surrounding cities, flood and water quality control, and fish and wildlife conservation.

Recreational use
The Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is divided into several smaller areas: Farrington Point, Crosswinds, White Oak, Poplar Point, Ebenezer Church, New Hope Overlook and Poes ridge along the eastern shoreline and Robeson Creek, Vista Point, Seaforth, Parkers Creek, and the Jordan Lake Educational State Forest along the western shore. Swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, hunting, birdwatching and picnicking are popular activities making up 3 Boat ramps, 1 canoe launch, 2 swim beaches, 2 play grounds, 3 fishing piers (including an ADA accessible one), a marina, and 5 campgrounds. Facilities are managed by North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, US Army Corps of Engineers, Wake County Parks and Recreation, and a privately managed marina.

Events held at the park include monthly skywatching sessions offered by park rangers, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in nearby Chapel Hill, and volunteer amateur astronomers from the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observing Society at the Ebenezer Church Recreation Area in the park.

title: Jordan Lake State Recreation Area


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Kerr Lake State Recreation Area

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Vance and Warren counties, North Carolina, in the United States. Located north of Henderson near the North Carolina-Virginia border, it includes 3376 acre of woodlands along the shores of the 50000 acre man-made Kerr Lake. The lake, and thus the park, are named for Congressman John H. Kerr, who supported the original lake project.

title: Kerr Lake State Recreation Area


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Lake James State Park

Lake James State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke and McDowell counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Nebo, North Carolina, it covers 3743 acre and borders 6510 acre Lake James.

History
Started in 1987, Lake James State Park had 471,566 visitors in 2014. The park added 2,915 acres purchased from Crescent Resources, which once managed Duke Energy real estate, in the Long Arm Peninsula and Paddy's Creek areas in 2005. On January 11, 2016, Governor Pat McCrory announced the addition of 129 acres with 8900 feet of shoreline. The land was purchased for $1.74 million through the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. Crescent Communities (formerly Crescent Resources) had kept the land in 2005 but sold it after The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina arranged the deal.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks and state forests are within 30 mi of Lake James State Park:
 * Chimney Rock State Park
 * Grandfather Mountain State Park
 * Mount Mitchell State Park
 * Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee
 * South Mountains State Park
 * Tuttle Educational State Forest

title: Lake James State Park


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Lake Norman State Park

Lake Norman State Park, formerly Duke Power State Park, is a 1942 acre North Carolina state park near Troutman, Iredell County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is on the northern shore of Lake Norman at the mouth of Hicks Creek. The park is open for year-round recreation including, boating, fishing, water skiing, swimming and camping. Lake Norman State Park is on Inland Sea Road in Troutman just off U.S. Route 70 between Interstates 40 and 77.

Lake Norman
Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Power, is the largest manmade body of fresh water in North Carolina. It is fed by the Catawba River. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke. Lake Norman is sometimes referred to as the "inland sea"; it offers 520 mi of shoreline and a surface area of more than 50 sqmi.

Lake Norman is a warm water fishery. The common game fish are yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, and striped, largemouth and white bass. Access to Lake Norman is available at the boat ramp within Lake Norman State Park. Use of the docks is free. All visitors to the park are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission. Rowboat and canoe rentals are available at the marina. A 125 yd long beach is open for swimming, daily, April 1 - October 31, 10:00 a.m. until 6:00pm. A five dollar fee for adults and four dollar fee for children is charged for swimmers only when a lifeguard is present.

Recreation
Lake Norman State Park is open to recreational opportunities other than boating, swimming and fishing at Lake Norman. Several varieties of campsites are open at the park. Many miles of trails are open to hiking and mountain biking. And an extensive picnic area is open for year-round gatherings.

Camping
Lake Norman State Park features 33 campsites with tent pads, picnic tables and grills. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis for a fee. The gates of the park are locked nightly. Campers may not leave the park after closing or before the 8:00 a.m. opening except for emergencies. The closing hours change throughout the year. Lake Norman State Park closes at 6:00pm November–February, 8:00 p.m. in March, April, September and October, and 9:00 p.m. May–August.

There is group camping available to organizations. All organizations must reserve the group camping facilities in advance. No groups larger than 35 persons may camp at Lake Norman State Park. Restrooms are available in the park.

Trails
Alder Trail is a 0.8 mi loop trail that begins at Park Lake near the main entrance of Lake Norman State Park. This trail passes through the picnic area and circles the peninsula between Norwood and Hicks Creeks near Park Lake.

Lake Shore Trail is a 5 mi trail on the shore of Lake Norman.

Itusi Trail is a 30.5 mi mountain biking trail system designed, built and maintained by the Tar Heel Trailblazers, a Charlotte based mountain biking club.

Wildlife
Most of the wildlife at Lake Norman State Park is rarely seen by the casual visitor. This does not mean that wildlife is scarce at the park, in fact a wide variety of eastern woodland creatures call Lake Norman State Park home. The more common mammals of the park are opossum, white-tailed deer, red and gray foxes, rabbits, muskrats, raccoons, and gray squirrels. Amphibians and reptiles can be found on the shores of Lake Norman and in the woods of Lake Norman State Park. The most common amphibians are a variety of frogs. A variety of snakes and turtles can also be seen at the park. Birds commonly seen at the park include, Carolina chickadees, pine warblers, red-tailed hawks, wild turkey, osprey, mallards, Canada geese, and herons.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks and state forests are within 30 mi of Lake Norman State Park:
 * Mountain Island Educational State Forest

title: Lake Norman State Park


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Lake Waccamaw State Park

Lake Waccamaw State Park is a North Carolina state park in Columbus County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near the town of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, it covers 2398 acre, along the shores of Lake Waccamaw, a Carolina bay. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier. Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages.

Lake Waccamaw State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain.

title: Lake Waccamaw State Park


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Lumber River State Park

Lumber River State Park is a North Carolina state park along the Lumber River in Scotland, Hoke, Robeson and Columbus counties. It covers 13659 acre along a 115-mile (185-km) stretch of the Lumber River. Lumber River State Park is located in North Carolina's Coastal Plain. It was established in 1989 as both a state park and designated as a "Natural and Scenic River" by the North Carolina General Assembly. In addition, it is the only blackwater river in North Carolina to be designated as a National Wild and Scenic River by the Department of the Interior.

Lumber River State Park encompasses parts of four counties along the Lumber River. The headwaters of the river are in Scotland County. The Lumber River bisects Robeson County. The recreational facilities are at the Princess Ann Landing in southeastern Robeson County near the towns of Orrum and Fair Bluff. The river ends in South Carolina, where it joins the Little Pee Dee River about 8 mi south of the state line.

History
The Lumber River is the only blackwater river in North Carolina to be designated as a National Wild and Scenic River by the United States (US) Department of the Interior. The river is 115 mi long from its headwaters at the confluence of Drowning Creek and Buffalo Creek near Wagram in Scotland County. The river flows freely along its entire course, making it one of the longest unobstructed rivers in North Carolina.

The upper section of the river was designated as a State Recreational Water Trail in 1978. The river was established as a National Canoe Trail in 1981. The lower Lumber River was designated as a State Canoe Trail in 1984. The General Assembly established the Lumber River as a Natural and Scenic River and also as a state park in 1989.

The first European settlements were made by Scots-Irish who migrated to the area in the late 18th century. They chartered Princess Ann in 1796. The town was the second to be established in Robeson County, and the first settled by people ascending the river from South Carolina. Princess Ann has since been abandoned. The name survives in local folklore and as the name of the road that leads to the park.

The recreational facilities for Lumber River State Park are in a section of Robeson County known as Princess Ann.

Recreation
The Lumber River has 24 boat launches that serve as access points to Lumber River State Park. The entire length of the river is open to fishing. The common game fish are black crappie, largemouth bass, catfish and redbreast sunfish. All anglers must have a valid fishing license and follow the regulations of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Nine primitive camping sites are located at the Princess Ann section of the park. These campsites are meant to be used by no more than six people at a time. Each camp site features a picnic table and grill, lantern holder, trash can, and fire ring. Princess Ann has several hiking trails and picnic areas, and many municipal and county parks are located on the Lumber River as well.

Plants and wildlife
Lumber River State Park provides a habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals. Wildflowers that can be seen at the park include wisteria, sarvis holly, Carolina bogmint, mountain laurel, wild azalea, spider lily and swamp mallow. Trees found in the swamps along the river include bald cypress, water elm, river birch and tulip poplar. Animals and birds in the area include the American alligator, white-tailed deer, American black bear, beavers, and northern river otters; and barred owls, great blue heron, wild turkey, sandpipers and prothonotary warblers.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Lumber River State Park:
 * Jones Lake State Park (Bladen County)
 * Lake Waccamaw State Park (Columbus County)
 * Little Pee Dee State Park (South Carolina)

title: Lumber River State Park


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Medoc Mountain State Park

Medoc Mountain State Park is a 3,893 acre North Carolina state park in Halifax County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Hollister, North Carolina in eastern North Carolina and includes the 325 foot (99 m) peak Medoc Mountain.

History
Medoc Mountain is not really a mountain at all; its highest point reaches an elevation of only 325 ft above sea level. It is, rather, the core of what was once a mighty range of mountains — Medoc Mountain is what remains after millions of years of erosion. The eroded peaks were formed by volcanic action during the Paleozoic Age, about 350 million years ago. An elongated structure of biotite granite, Medoc Mountain has effectively routed the streams of the area around itself and has resisted the erosion typical of the surrounding lowlands. The park sits near the fall line, an area where the hard, resistant rocks of the foothills give way to the softer rocks and sediments of the coastal plain. The northern and western faces of Medoc Mountain have very steep slopes, dropping 160 feet over a distance of less than a quarter mile.

The mountain and surrounding land have long been used for agriculture. Once the property of Sidney Weller, a farmer and educator, the area was used for the cultivation of grapes in the 19th century. Weller produced a highly acclaimed wine known as Weller's Halifax and is credited with developing the American system of grape culture and winemaking. It was Weller who named the mountain "Medoc," after a province in the Bordeaux region of France famous for its vineyards. Weller organized and operated an academy for area children and assisted with the development of the first North Carolina state fair in 1853.

Following Weller's death in 1854, his land was sold. The vineyards continued to produce into the early 20th century, but the land was later subdivided, sold and used for the production of other crops. The vineyards disappeared, and little trace of them remains. The high ridge and the slopes of Little Fishing and Bear Swamp creeks are the only places in the area that have not been extensively cultivated. A grist mill operated in the area until the late 19th century.

In the 1920s, a Boy Scout camp was built on the summit of the mountain and, a few years later, lumbermen cut the mountain forest for timber. In the early 1930s, a deposit of molybdenum was discovered near the summit. Exploration of the site occurred then and again in the late 1960s, scarring the land though no significant mining operations took place. For many years, local residents used the area for hunting, horseback riding and hiking.

In 1970, citizens proposed the creation of a state park in the area. In 1972, the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation surveyed a five-county area for a suitable site and recommended Medoc Mountain and the surrounding land. The Halifax Development Commission obtained a one-year option to purchase timber on the mountain from Union Camp, allowing the state time to acquire 2300 acre of land to establish the park.

Events
Medoc Mountain State Park is host to the Medoc Trail Marathon annually. The trail races consist of a 10-mile race and a full trail marathon. The inaugural event was held October 4, 2008.

title: Medoc Mountain State Park


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Merchants Millpond State Park

Merchants Millpond State Park is a North Carolina state park in Gates County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located near Gatesville, in North Carolina's coastal plain, it covers 3520 acre around a 200-year-old, 700 acre millpond and Lassiter Swamp. Canoeing is one of the park's major attractions. Alligators live in its large cypress swamps.

History
Settlement in the Gates County area began in 1660. Residents of early rural communities made a living by farming and lumbering. In the early 18th century, Hunters Millpond was built at the head of Bennetts Creek to provide a means of processing and marketing regional produce. Highway construction destroyed this millpond in 1922. But further downstream, Norfleets Millpond, which was built in 1811, thrived. Gristmills, a sawmill, a farm supply store and other enterprises made the area the center of trade in Gates County. Thus, the pond became known as Merchants Millpond.

Shortly before World War II operations around the millpond came to a halt and millers sold the land to developers. In the 1960s, A.B. Coleman from Moyock, North Carolina purchased the property and later donated 919 acre, including the millpond, to the state. His generous donation led to the establishment of Merchants Millpond State Park in 1973. In the same year, the Nature Conservancy contributed an additional 925 acre of woodlands to the park that now encompasses more than 3250 acre.

title: Merchants Millpond State Park


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Morrow Mountain State Park

Morrow Mountain State Park is a state park in Stanly County, North Carolina, U.S. Located near Albemarle, the park includes 5881 acre within the Uwharrie Mountains.

Geography
Morrow Mountain is one of the highest peaks in the Uwharrie Mountains of central North Carolina. When first formed, these mountains rose to nearly 20000 ft above sea level, but erosion has gradually worn them down to little more than high hills that average less than 1000 ft in elevation. These pinnacles are the remains of one of the oldest mountain ranges in the eastern United States. The park contains several peaks, of which Morrow Mountain is a high point at 936 ft.

The mountain rises some 400 ft above the surrounding lower terrain, and on a clear day offers superb views of the surrounding countryside. In addition to the mountains, the park also contains the Yadkin-Pee Dee River, one of central North Carolina's largest river systems. The river can be seen from the overlook atop Morrow Mountain.

History
The discovery of artifacts in the area attests to the presence of Native Americans at least 12,000 years before European settlement. Morrow Mountain was the site of one of the largest quarries in the Piedmont of today's North and South Carolina. Just a little east of the small town of Badin, in northeastern Stanly County, is an archeological dig location known as the Hardaway Site; and it has been a treasure trove for scholars and enthusiasts for decades. Stone tools and weapon points by the thousands have been excavated, and represent one of the most extensive bodies of Native American stone work in existence. The Hardaway Site has been referred to as "The Remington Arms Factory of 10,000 BC", but the raw material for those weapon points and tools came primarily from one location: the top of Morrow Mountain, about 5 miles away. Tools made from this stone, rhyolite—or more accurately for this specific stone, rhyodacite— were traded among native peoples and have been found from Maine to Florida.

European colonization began along the banks of the Pee Dee River in the 1700s. In 1780, John Kirk, a Scotch-Irish settler, established a public ferry linking the area to a major roadway, the Salisbury-Fayetteville Rd. Local legends recount the passage of noted people, including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Jefferson Davis.

Development of the park began in the 1930s through the efforts of a local committee interested in establishing a state park in the area. By 1937, more than 3000 acre of land had been acquired, much of it donated by the citizens of Stanly County. Morrow Mountain is named for one such citizen of Scotch-Irish descent, James McKnight Morrow, who donated more than 1000 acres to the State on June 29, 1920. The park was opened to the public in the summer of 1939.

Early development of park property was a cooperative effort between state and federal governments. Work crews of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Projects Administration constructed many of the facilities from 1937 to 1942. Additional facilities were added with state funds in the 1950s and 1960s.

Attractions
A scenic overlook at the top of Morrow Mountain provides a panoramic view of the area. There is a large parking area along with picnic areas, grills, and a shelter. Boating and fishing are available on Lake Tillery, and an Olympic size swimming pool is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Due to varying currents and underwater hazards, swimming is not allowed from the shore of the lake.

Lake Tillery
Part of the Uwharrie River and Pee Dee River system, Lake Tillery was formed when the Tillery Dam was built in 1928. Morrow Mountain State Park has a boat launch as well as a waterfront picnic area and a fishing pier. A boardwalk connects the parking area to the boat launch area. Canoes may be rented from The Boathouse daily during the summer. Spring and Fall rentals are available on weekends from April through October. The Boathouse sells soft drinks and snacks along with ice and bait.

Kron House
A reconstruction of the historic Kron House is on the site at the foot of Fall Mountain. The house was built by a Scottish preacher, William McGregor, who sold it to Dr. Francis Kron on November 2, 1839. Dr. Kron and his family lived here for the remainder of their lives, building their small farm into a sizable tract at one time containing well over 6000 acre. Dr. Kron was born in Prussia and immigrated to America in 1823. He was one of the Southern Piedmont's most famous doctors. Kron was known for traveling for days at a time, making house calls to those bitterly sick. Dr. Kron practiced medicine until after the age of 80. A noted horticulturist, he was also actively involved in education. A Japanese Chestnut tree (Castanea crenata) planted by Kron still thrives and is listed in North Carolina's Champion Big Tree Database. His home, doctor's office and infirmary, and greenhouse appear today much as they did in 1870. Morrow Mountain State Park reconstructed his house in the 1960s and now offers tours. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Kron conducted many horticultural experiments and was an active public figure in the county until his death in 1883. Since his wife had died in 1873, ownership of the family holdings passed to his two daughters, Elizabeth and Adele. The sisters began selling their property in 1850 and continued to do so for the remainder of their lives. Elizabeth died in 1896 and Adele in 1910, and both were buried in the family graveyard behind the home.

Camping
Morrow Mountain has four camping areas.

The Family Camping area has three loops where tents, RVs and trailers can be taken. Sites are available with or without electrical hookups, and the park has 6 electric sites that are handicap accessible.

The 6 Group Campsites are on the east side of the park, up a hill near the Tillery shoreline. Up to 35 campers are allowed on each site.

Remote primitive campsites are accessible through the Backpack Trail and have one latrine with no running water. The hike in is approximately two miles. This is a low impact area. Everything, including trash, must be packed in and packed out. Fire rings were recently installed to allow camp fires in this area.

Six cabins are near the park office. One cabin, cabin #6, is handicap accessible. The cabins have modern conveniences such as stoves, drip coffee makers, microwaves, refrigerators, pots and pans and flatware along with outdoor pedestal grills. All have fireplaces and screened back porches furnished with rocking chairs. Guests need to bring their own bedding, towels and coffee filters. Each Cabin has two bedrooms, each with two twin sized beds. The living room couch is a futon that folds out to make a 5th double sized bed.

Museum
A small museum commemorating the history of the Uwharries is on the far end of the Camp Office parking lot. Exhibits include information about Native Americans, area plant and animal communities, early explorers, and rocks and minerals. It is open daily from 10 to 5. It is a self-guided tour.

Trails
With 32 mi of trail in the park, Morrow Mountain is one of the most hiked state parks in North Carolina. All hiking trails are blazed. Switchbacks or sharp changes in trail direction are denoted by double-blazing.

Backpack Trail: A 2 mi trail, this white circle blazed trail takes backpackers to Primitive campsites 1, 2 and 3. It splits from the Morrow Mountain/Sugarloaf Mountain Trail and ends in Campsite 3 by the latrine. At the end of the Backpack Trail, one can bushwhack due South to reach the Bridle Trail, which one can then take to the Morrow Mountain Trail. Difficulty = Easy

Bridle Trail: Morrow Mountain State Park has 16 mi of horse trails, which may also be used for hiking. In 2005, the Bridle Trail was split into 3 different trails. In 2006, the State Park renamed spurs of the trail, which now includes a quick 0.35 mi section known as Duck Blind Cove Spur Trail. The Short Loop (white horse circle blazes ) includes a 3.9 mi hike or ride to and around Morrow Mountain. The Middle Loop is a 5.5 mi trail, marked with blue circle blazes, and it is a longer trail that includes portions of the Short Loop trail. The Long Loop is a 9.3 mi trail; it circles the Morrow Mountain vicinity as well as the northern section of the park.

Campground and Pool Trail: This 0.8 mi trail is blazed with white triangles. This trail starts across from the Morrow Mountain pool and runs through the woods, connecting the pool, the camp office, and the three family campground loops. The trail is mostly in woods, but runs through some undergrowth. The Morrow Mountain amphitheater is also near the end of the trail. The trail ends at campground Loop B, near the Rocks Trail.

Hattaway Mountain Trail: This 2 mi loop is classified as strenuous. Starting at the Morrow Mountain pool, this trail goes about two tenths of a mile before hikers may choose one of two directions on this loop trail. Turning left leads to an immediate climb up Hattaway, a half-mile trek straight uphill. After reaching the top of the mountain, the hiker will begin to descend the mountain, sharply at first and then slowly. Upon reaching a ridge, the trail rolls up and down the Uwharrie hills for nearly a mile. Along the trail some of the best autumn views can be seen, as hikers can see deep woods. Hattaway offers glimpses of one of the parks many quartz veins.

Fall Mountain Trail: A 4.1 mi trail blazed with orange triangles, encompasses Fall Mountain in the park's North Eastern region. It is a moderate climb up and then a steep descent down to Lake Tillery. From there, hikers walk the rest of the way along the shoreline. This trail once led to Fall's Dam, but the trail's path is constantly shifting due to erosion.

Laurel Trail: 0.6 mi, blazed with red hexagons. This short loop trail goes around the Morrow Mountain camping area in deep forest and tall undergrowth. The trail starts at the far end of the camp office parking lot and loops before returning to the start. Turning right at the start of the loop will take you through a deep thicket of undergrowth before finally emerging in deep woods. The trail crosses over many creeks and is the main way to connect to the Morrow Mountain trail. This short loop is the most popular trail in the park for children.

Morrow Mountain Trail:  A 2.6 mi (one way) trail that starts at the camp office and ends at the Mountain Loop Trail at the Overlook, the Morrow Mountain Trail is the most hiked trail in the park. Going up Morrow Mountain (or going down) is a decent climb and for the rest of the trail (blue triangle blazes) the trail rolls up and down hills. The trail is the only way to get to the Backpack trail and also joins the Sugarloaf Mountain trail for a mile. The trail takes hikers through deep flora, and one stretch, called "The Jungle", takes hikers though tall stands of Mountain Laurel.

Mountain Loop Trail: A 0.8 mi trail, blazed with red squares, that circles the top of Morrow Mountain, this loop trail provides some of the best views in the park. You can look down from the trail into the depths of the park, seeing for nearly a mile. The Mountain Loop also includes the aforementioned Overlook Picnic Area.

Quarry Trail: A 0.6 mi trail, blazed with blue hexagons, takes hikers around the edge of the Morrow Mountain picnic area and into the former quarry. For much of the early 20th century, the area was mined for rocks. Hikers may enjoy the evenly cut paths and the washhouses. Near the end of the trail, there is a spur trail to the quarry, where hikers can inspect the quarry handiwork.

Rocks Trail: Some consider the Rocks Trail to be the most scenic trail in the park. A 1.3 mi (one way) trail blazed with blue squares, the Rocks trail slopes through the rolling hills of the Uwharrie woods. At the end, the Rocks trail goes into a massive rock outcropping at the lakeshore. The rocks are stable, but a large "Warning" sign reminds hikers to watch their footing. The view of Tillery Lake from the Rocks Trail is one of the Uwharrie region's most famous views.

Sugarloaf Mountain Trail: The most strenuous trail in the park, Sugarloaf is a tough haul. Most of the trail is winding hills. This is a 2.8 mi loop blazed with orange diamonds, starting at the Bridle Trail parking lot. Upon reaching the top, the trail drops about 500 ft in a quarter of a mile. After going down, the trail joins the Morrow Mountain Trail before bending off back to the Bridle Trail parking lot. The view from the top of Sugarloaf is often clouded, but on a clear day, Sugarloaf's summit is one of the most scenic viewpoints in the park.

Three Rivers Trail: Officially considered the nature trail of the park, this 0.8 mi trail, blazed with blue hexagons, has seen better days. Many of the piers that once dotted the Tillery shoreline have fallen in, but the trail is still commonly hiked. The trail, starting in the Tillery/Boathouse parking lot, goes through marshes and woods, connecting all of the park's ecosystems along one short trail. After passing through marshland and coastline, the trail ascends a small hill, where hikers can find deep woods and wildflowers. The trail then slowly descends the mountain.

Expansion
The park added 45 acre in 2018 and 25 acre in 2019 along Mountain Creek in Stony Hill Church Hardwoods, considered a natural heritage area by the N.C. Natural Heritage Program. The area includes mature hardwood forest and endangered mussels such as Carolina creekshell, as well as the timber rattlesnake.

Weather
The remnants of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 caused enough damage to close the park for two weeks.

The remnants of Hurricane Fran in September 1996 closed the park as fallen trees and other damage had to be cleaned up. Parts of the park reopened January 25, 1997.

The January 2000 North American blizzard closed the park for three months.

The North Carolina ice storm of 2002 closed parts of the park in December 2002.

A line of severe thunderstorms associated with a derecho struck Morrow Mountain State Park and the surrounding area on June 13, 2013. A microburst did severe damage to the park, which was closed for two months. According to a statement from park superintendent Greg Schneider on June 17, "Morrow Mountain took a really big hit from the storm and I suspect that the facilities will be closed for several weeks. We have had lots of damage to park buildings, privately owned automobiles, and of course there are down and leaning trees everywhere." The park office had been damaged by a fallen tree, and one campground cabin had been crushed. Hundreds of trees were down in the park, and Local Fire and Rescue Squad officials had to cut their way up the road to the summit, and Campground to account for any stranded visitors. The campground was also hard hit, with reports of damaged or destroyed RV's and campers. There were no known injuries or fatalities. Parts of the park reopened August 5.

title: Morrow Mountain State Park


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Mount Jefferson State Natural Area

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is a 1188 acre North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Jefferson, named for Thomas Jefferson and his father Peter, who owned land nearby and surveyed the North Carolina-Virginia border in 1749. In 1974, Mount Jefferson State Natural Area was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

History
In 1939 the Works Progress Administration created a road enabling widespread access to Mount Jefferson, which at the time had no official name and was primarily referenced to as Panther Mountain, likely due to a local legend of a panther once eating a child there. Local citizens donated land and money in efforts to attain state park status for the local park, which required the park to have a minimum of 400 acre. By 1956, their efforts yielded a 300 acre donation and raised enough funds to buy an additional 164 acre for the park. As a result, Mount Jefferson received its official name and became a state park in October 1956.

Tourist information
The park has one main road that leads to the peak of Mount Jefferson. On the way up are three overlooks; the Sunset Overlook, the Sunrise Overlook, and the Jefferson Overlook, as well as five hiking trails and a picnic shelter at the top. From the picnic shelter begins the Summit Trail, a 0.3 mi that leads to the 1.1 mi Rhodedendron Trail loop. At the end of the loop lies a short trail to the scenic Luther Rock, as well as the entrances to the 0.75 mi Lost Province Trail loop. The mountain itself rises to more than 1600 ft above the surrounding landscape and provides a bird's-eye view of both Jefferson and West Jefferson. Park hours are limited by inclement weather, but otherwise open every day until sunset during the year with the exception of Christmas Day. The 2 mi, one-way Mountain Ridge Trail, which ascends to the peak of the mountain and through each overlook, may be accessed at the first park gate across from the park office during inclement weather, though caution is advised.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Mount Jefferson State Natural Area:
 * Elk Knob State Park
 * Grandfather Mountain State Park
 * Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia
 * New River State Park
 * Rendezvous Mountain State Park
 * Stone Mountain State Park

title: Mount Jefferson State Natural Area


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Mount Mitchell State Park

Mount Mitchell State Park is a 4789 acre North Carolina state park in Yancey County, North Carolina in the United States. Established in 1915 by the state legislature, it became the first state park of North Carolina. By doing so, it also established the North Carolina State Parks System within the same bill.

Located at the end of NC 128 off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Burnsville, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. From the parking lot, a steep paved path leads visitors to the summit and a raised observation platform with 360 degree views. The grave of Elisha Mitchell, the professor who first noted the mountain's height, is located at the base of the observation platform. The old observation tower was torn down in early October 2006. The trail leading to the summit has been paved, and a new observation platform was constructed and opened to the public in January 2009.

An exhibit hall is open seasonally at the summit with information about the mountain's natural, cultural and historical heritage. The park operates a restaurant and a small tent camping sites seasonally. The buildings were built in the 1950s and renovation is planned. Most visitors come between May and November because the only access is the Blue Ridge Parkway but Kevin Bischof, who became superintendent late in 2018, hopes to change that. The park is staffed year-round but most people would not be able to reach the park during the worst weather conditions.

The park had 398,000 visitors in 2017.

In addition to Mount Mitchell itself, the park encompasses several other peaks which top out at over 6000 ft in elevation, including Mount Hallback, Mount Craig (just 52 ft shy of Mount Mitchell in elevation and the second highest peak east of the Mississippi River), Big Tom and Balsam Cone. Trails lead to all these summits save Mount Hallback, and their exploration takes visitors away from the crowds on Mount Mitchell but to places similarly spectacular. About 8 mi of trails exist within the park in all.

Another popular destination reachable by trail within the park is Camp Alice, at an elevation of 5800 ft (1767.84 m) south of the summit of Mount Mitchell. This historic site is the location of a logging and, later, Civilian Conservation Corps tourist camp at the terminus of the old Mount Mitchell toll road. Lower Creek flows across the main trail at this point and it is one of the highest elevation perennial streams in the Appalachians, flowing through the Spruce-Fir forest. Openings here in the forest surrounded by evergreens resemble such openings near treeline in higher mountain ranges.

The park also serves as the finish line for The Assault on Mount Mitchell and the midpoint for the Mount Mitchell Challenge ultramarathon.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks and state forests are within 30 mi of Mount Mitchell State Park:
 * Chimney Rock State Park
 * Grandfather Mountain State Park
 * Lake James State Park
 * Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park, Tennessee
 * Pisgah View State Park
 * Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee
 * South Mountains State Park

title: Mount Mitchell State Park


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New River State Park

New River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it covers 3323 acre in the protected New River watershed. The New River is one of the oldest rivers in the United States. It is considered by some geologists to be possibly one of the oldest rivers in the world, between 10 million and 360 million years old. New River State Park is open for year-round recreation, including canoeing, hiking, picnicking, fishing, camping and environmental education. The park is just off U.S. Route 221 in northwestern North Carolina.

History
The New River is one of the oldest rivers in the United States and possibly in the world, with only the Nile River being older. The exact age of the river is impossible to pinpoint, but some geologists believe that it is between 10 million and 360 million years old. The river flows in a generally south-to-north course, which is against the southwest-to-northeast topology of the Appalachian Mountains and the west-to-east flow of most other nearby major rivers. This peculiarity may mean that the New River's formation preceded much of the surrounding landscape.

The river was named in 1651 by Edward Bland a cartographer in England made a map describing the western reaches of colonial Carolina and Virginia. The New River had not been placed on any preceding maps of the area, so Bland named it the "New River". The river was known as Woods River from 1654 until about 1754 for Colonel Abraham Wood at noted pioneer who traded with the native tribes in the area. It was renamed the New River by Peter Jefferson, father of the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson when he led a surveying party through the mountains of western North Carolina. Apparently the river had again been left off a map so Jefferson named it the New River. The name Woods and New River were used interchangeably until about 1770, when the consensus name became what it is today, the New River.

Human activity along the New River at New River State Park has been traced back as far as 10,000 years ago. Archaeologists have found arrowheads, stone axes and pottery of the Kanawha, Cherokee, Shawnee and Creek tribes. The valley of the New River in what is now Ashe County was a hunting ground for all the tribes and was a major highway from north to south. The natives used both the river and various trails through the valley. Rock shelters along the river have been found, but there is little evidence pointing to any sort of permanent settlement by indigenous peoples.

Colonel Abraham Wood was the earliest European pioneer to reach what is now New River State Park. He arrived in 1654 and found a valley with virgin forests, open meadows and abundant wildlife including, black bear, bison, beaver, and elk. Permanent settlement did not take place until the 1770s when settlers began clearing the mountainous land for farming.

The area in and surrounding New River State Park was largely free of development until 1965 when the Appalachian Power Company applied for a license to build a dam across the New River for hydro-electric power. Local opposition to the project led to the formation of New River State Park in 1975. The North Carolina General Assembly declared that the New River from the confluence of Dog Creek to the Virginia state line was a State Scenic River. The same section of the river was named a National Wild and Scenic River by the United States Department of the Interior in 1976. The legislation of the North Carolina house and the United States Congress have preserved the river a natural state with prohibitions on the building of dams and reservoirs.

Ecology
New River State Park is covered by a thriving second growth forest. The old growth forests were harvested for lumber and other wood products. The forests grow in fertile soil that supports a variety of hardwood trees, pine trees, shrubs and wildflowers. Hardwoods such as oak and hickory grow along the banks of the New River and on the lower slopes of the mountains. Carolina hemlock and various pines grow on the higher slopes. Shrubs found at New River State Park include dogwood, huckleberry, alders and sassafras.

New River State Park is home to fourteen threatened and endangered plants that grow in the valley along the New River. Carolina and Carey's saxifrage, rattlesnake root, spreading avens and purple sedge are protected and the picking of their flowers is prohibited.

Many animals that are commonly found in an eastern woodland environment can be found at New River State Park. White-tailed deer are a common sight. Black bear are seen less often. Mink, river otters, beavers, muskrats and raccoons inhabit the land along the banks of the New River.

Birds of many different species live at New River State Park. Osprey and red-tailed hawks are birds of prey that can be seen soaring above the park. Wild turkey live in the forested lowlands and ruffed grouse live on the mountain slopes. A wide variety of songbirds live throughout the forests. Wood ducks, spotted sandpipers and belted kingfishers live along the river banks.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of New River State Park:
 * Elk Knob State Park
 * Grandfather Mountain State Park
 * Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia
 * Hungry Mother State Park, Virginia
 * Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
 * New River Trail State Park, Virginia
 * Rendezvous Mountain State Park
 * Stone Mountain State Park

title: New River State Park


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Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area is a North Carolina state park in Orange County, North Carolina in the United States. Located adjacent to the town of Hillsborough, it covers 221 acre and includes Occoneechee Mountain, the highest point (867 ft) in Orange County and a settlement of the Occaneechi tribe.

History
Rising more than 350 ft from the Eno River, the Occoneechee Mountain summit is the highest point in Orange County.

Researchers believe that the area's habitat has remained relatively unchanged since the last ice age due to the presence of the brown elfin, a rare butterfly, and several unique plant species. The brown elfin is typically found in mountainous and northern areas, and the nearest brown elfin population to Occoneechee is more than 100 mi west. When the Piedmont's habitat underwent enormous transformations after the Ice Age, the area became unable to support the brown elfin and other species more accustomed to cooler environments. Brown elfins, believed to have once populated the Piedmont, were restricted to the state's mountains. However, the brown elfin butterflies at Occoneechee Mountain remained.

The land the state natural area now sits on was originally settled by the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, who traveled to the mountain from the west. In the colonial period, European immigrants settled the area. Until 1987, a mill village occupied a section of the natural area. The NC Division of Parks and Recreation first purchased land at Occoneechee Mountain in December 1997. Since then, the natural area has grown to 221 acre

Recreation
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area features over 3 miles of trails, as well as fishing and picnic areas. The park's trail network also connects to the paved Hillsborough Riverwalk trail, which extends east along the Eno River towards downtown Hillsborough.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area:
 * Eno River State Park
 * Falls Lake State Recreation Area
 * Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
 * William B. Umstead State Park

title: Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area


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Pettigrew State Park

Pettigrew State Park is a North Carolina State Park in Tyrrell and Washington Counties, North Carolina in the United States. It covers 5951 acre around the shore lines of Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River. The park's developed facilities are south of U.S. Route 64 near Roper and Creswell, North Carolina. Pettigrew State Park is open for year-round recreation, including hiking, camping, fishing, boating and picnicking.

Pettigrew State Park is named for Confederate General J. Johnston Pettigrew, who lived in a nearby home. It surrounds Somerset Place, a North Carolina state historic site that includes a restored 1830s plantation house and outbuildings that can be toured, including reconstructed slave quarters.

Pettigrew State Park was established during the Great Depression after the land was leased from the Farm Security Administration, a New Deal program of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Part of Pettigrew State Park surrounds Lake Phelps, one of the oldest lakes in the eastern United States and a former hunting and fishing ground for the Algonquian peoples. Archaeologists have found dugout canoes in the lake that are up to 4,400 years old, preserved by its unusually clean waters. Pettigrew is home to an abundance of wildlife: Lake Phelps is a primary wintering location for several types of waterfowl, including Canada geese and Tundra swans. The park is also home to the woodland creatures, such as raccoons and white-tailed deer, that are commonly found along the east coast of the United States. Lake Phelps contains several species of game fish including largemouth bass and catfish.

The park also manages the 16600 acre Lake Phelps, which is a North Carolina State Lake. All together, the park manages 22430 acre.

Geology
Pettigrew State Park surrounds Lake Phelps, North Carolina's second largest natural made lake. The lake, on a peninsula between Albemarle Sound and the Pamlico River, is one of a series of Carolina bay lakes that stretch from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier. Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages. Lake Phelps is not fed by any stream, but relies entirely upon rain and springs to maintain its water level. Since the lake is not fed by a stream that could carry pollutants from nearby farms and factories, the water is very clean. Lake Phelps is five miles (8 km) across, with an average depth of just 4.5 feet (1.5 m). The lake is thought to be more than 38,000 years old.

Early inhabitants
Lake Phelps is named for Josiah Phelps, the first white man to enter its waters. Phelps and another colonial explorer, Benjamin, were searching through what was then known as the Great Eastern Dismal or Great Alligator Dismal in 1755. Phelps and Tarkington were part of a group of hunters who entered the swamps in search of game and farmland. The group had become discouraged and were about to leave when Tarkington scaled one of the trees and spotted the lake a short distance away. Phelps went ahead and ran into the water. As the first in the water he was given the honor of naming the lake.

The history of human habitation in and around Pettigrew State Park stretches back as far as 8000 BC. Archaeologists have found thousands of relics at the park, including pottery, arrowheads, and sunken dugout canoes. Estimates place some of the dugouts as being at least 4,400 years old. They were preserved in the bottom of the lake by its unusually clean waters.

The dugouts were created by Algonquian peoples who were seasonal visitors to the area. They built them from the logs of cypress by slowly burning out the center of the log and scraping the burnt wood out, leaving only the outer shell. Historians believe that the Algonquian would sink their canoes to the bottom of the lake for safekeeping until they would return the following fishing and hunting season. Thirty of these ancient canoes have been found in Lake Phelps, with perhaps more yet to be discovered.

Plantation era
Josiah Collins was one of the first European-descended settlers to live and farm in the area of Pettigrew State Park, arriving in the 1780s. Collins and his partners used slave labor to drain the swamps surrounding Lake Phelps and establish an extensive plantation known as Somerset Place.

Collins and his partners brought in slaves from Africa to dig a canal from Lake Phelps to the Scuppernong River. The canal served two purposes: first, as a means of transporting goods and people to and from the plantation; and second, it served as a massive drainage ditch as the slaves of Somerset Place worked to drain the surrounding swamps. Later, the canal system was expanded to provide irrigation for the rice and corn fields of the plantation.

Pettigrew State Park is named for J. Johnston Pettigrew, a Confederate General who lies buried in the family cemetery in the park. Pettigrew was one of the commanding officers at the Battle of Gettysburg and led a division during Pickett's Charge. He sustained mortal wounds during General Robert E. Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. The general, who grew up on a farm that adjoined Somerset Place, is buried with his father and grandfather. Their final resting place is a popular stopping point for visitors to the park.

Somerset Place was a prosperous plantation until the American Civil War, when plantation life was forever altered by Abraham Lincoln and freeing of the plantation's slaves. The Collins family was unable to maintain the plantation without slave labor following the war and sold it off.

State park era
Somerset Place and the land that is now Pettigrew State Park passed through the hands of several owners until it was acquired by the Farm Security Administration in 1937 during the Great Depression. The state of North Carolina administers the land under the terms of a 99-year lease signed in 1939 with the United States Department of Agriculture. Pettigrew State Park has been expanded at various times since it opened in 1939. Two of the most recent land acquisitions included adding the entire shoreline of Lake Phelps, and the largest expansion, which took place along the Scuppernong River in 2004.

The Scuppernong had remained largely undeveloped throughout history. In 1793, the town of Columbia was built on its banks, as were several boat landings. The Scuppernong is a blackwater river: it water is colored like black tea or coffee. The Scuppernong served as a means of transportation for the early settlers in this region of North Carolina. Since 1989 the Nature Conservancy has sought to protect it in its most natural state. In 2002 the Nature Conservancy offered to donate four tracts of land that they owned along the Scuppernong if the state would purchase three more tracts that became available that same year. The state agreed and in 2004 the area along the river was officially added to the state park system.

Plant life
Pettigrew State Park is home to one of the last stands of old-growth forest in eastern North Carolina. A forest of bay trees, sweetgum, pawpaw, persimmon, bald cypress and poplar are found on the northern shore of Lake Phelps. The cypress have a trunk diameter of up to ten feet (3 m) and the poplar have a trunk diameter of six feet (2 m). There are vines that are as wide as an average man's leg and grow up the trees in excess of 130 feet (40 m). In the section of the park along the Scuppernong River, the Atlantic white cedar and other rare cedar trees have grown to rather large sizes. Several of the trees at Pettigrew State Park are listed on the North Carolina and National Registries of Big Trees.

Wildflowers are found throughout Pettigrew State Park. Atamasco lily, periwinkle, buttercup, Jack-in-the-pulpit, maypops, and jewelweed are sometimes found on the banks and in the shallows of Lake Phelps. The Scuppernong River provides a habitat for swamp dogwood, evening primrose, blue flag iris and cardinal flowers. The roughleaf dogwood is also found near the river. This particular dogwood is rare in North Carolina and the type along the Scuppernong is rarer still.

Animal life
Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River attract a wide variety of waterfowl. Lake Phelps is just one of several large, shallow freshwater lakes on the Pamlico-Albemarle Peninsula. These lakes are all winter grounds for ducks, geese and swans. The waterfowl at Lake Phelps use the area primarily for roosting purpose before flying off to nearby feeding sites. Tundra swans and Canada geese feed in nearby farm fields and the ducks feed in the wetlands. The waterfowl usually arrive in the area in October and overwinter until February or March. Commonly seen waterfowl are Canada geese, tundra swans, mallards, American black ducks and northern pintail.

Pettigrew State Park is home to several species of birds of prey. Ospreys build their nests in the tops of the tallest trees in the park and feed on the abundant fish of Lake Phelps. The population of bald eagles is increasing and they are occasionally seen over the park. At least three species of owl, the great horned owl, barred owl and eastern screech owl, make their home in the forests of the park, as do red tailed and red shouldered hawks. American kestrel and northern harriers also find suitable habitats at Pettigrew State Park.

Wading and woodland birds are year-round residents of Pettigrew State Park. The banks of Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River provide an abundance of cover and food for sandpipers, great blue herons, great egrets, and green herons. The woods are home to bobwhites, pileated woodpeckers, woodcocks, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and mourning doves. Songbirds found at the park include prairie and prothonotary warblers, common yellowthroats and northern parulas.

Pettigrew State Park also provides habitats for eastern woodland mammals. Black bear and white-tailed deer inhabit the woods, as do Virginia opossum, raccoon, American mink, muskrat, North American river otter, fox, and bobcats. The endangered red wolf has been reintroduced to eastern North Carolina, including Pettigrew State Park.

The most common species are game fish, found in Lake Phelps, are largemouth bass, chain pickerel, catfish, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. These fish are what brought the Algonquian to the area nearly 10,000 years ago.

Recreation
Pettigrew State Park is open for year-round recreation, including hiking, fishing, camping, boating and picnicking. Lake Phelps is open to canoes, kayaks, rowboats and engine-powered boats. Launch ramps are available at Cypress Point and behind the park offices on Lake Shore Drive. There is a canoe trail in the canals that were built by African slave labor during the plantation era. The Scuppernong River is also open to most types of watercraft.

The main campground is in a cypress and sweetgum forest, with 13 campsites that are open to tents or camping trailers. Each site comes equipped with a picnic table and charcoal grill. . A large group camping area is set in the forest. It has tent pads, grills and rustic toilet facilities. A centrally located bathhouse, open to all campers, includes flush toilets and showers.

Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River are both open for fishing. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has established fishing regulations, such as catch and length limits, that are meant to enhance sport fisheries in public waters such as Lake Phelps and the Scuppernong River. The NCWRC has had regulations in place at Pettigrew State Park since 2002. The regulations specify that anglers may keep largemouth bass that are greater than 20 inches (50.8 cm) or between 14 and 16 inches (35.6-40.6 cm). This rule was put in place to increase the number of trophy fish, fish over 20 inches (50.8 cm). Additionally the NCWRC stocks Lake Phelps with bluegill and they have begun a program to reintroduce alewife and blueback herring via fish ladder on Bee Tree Canal from the Scuppernong River.

Pettigrew State Park has one large picnic area available on a first come, first served basis. Three hiking trails pass the shore of Lake Phelps and wind through the woods.

title: Pettigrew State Park


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Pilot Mountain State Park

Pilot Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Surry and Yadkin Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Pinnacle, North Carolina on highway US 52, it covers 3872 acre and includes the distinctive 2,241 foot (683 m) peak of Pilot Mountain.

History
The Saura, a Native American tribe of the North Carolina Piedmont region, knew the mountain as Jomeokee meaning the Great Guide. It served as a guidepost also for the European settlers of the Carolina who similarly named it Pilot.

Due to the effects of European diseases and attacks by northern Indians, particularly the Seneca, the Saura Indians abandoned the area around 1700. The first European settlers in the area arrived in the late 1740s from Pennsylvania. Settlement in the area was slow due to its isolation. There are numerous accounts in the Records of the Moravians in North Carolina which related to groups of highwaymen, or bandits, who used the mountains as a refuge throughout the 1750s and 1760s.

After serving as a commercial tourist attraction, Pilot Mountain became a North Carolina state park in 1968. It was established as a state park in order to protect the mountain and surrounding lands from being overdeveloped. The Pilot Mountain Preservation and Park Committee purchased the land from Mrs. J. W. Beasley by raising funds and acquired a grant from the federal government. Additional lands along the Yadkin River were purchased in 1970. Further purchases have brought Pilot Mountain State Park to a total size of 3,703 acres (14.99 km2).

On November 8, 2012, a prescribed burn of 70 acres got out of control leading to a wildfire on the mountain's steep western slope.

In November 27, 2021, a massive wildfire broke out across Pilot Mountain State Park that has since grown to over 300 acres.

Recreation
Pilot Mountain State Park is for year-round recreation. Activities at the park include, camping, canoeing, fishing, rock climbing, picnicking, hiking, and environmental education.

The Yadkin River provides opportunities for visitors to the park to fish and canoe. The Yadkin River Canoe Trail is 165 mile (265 km) long and follows the course of the river to its confluence with the Uwharrie River at the Pee Dee River in south central North Carolina. Two miles (3.22 km) of the river pass through Pilot Mountain State Park. The river is broad and shallow at the park with two islands that can be reached by canoe or by wading when the water level is low. All anglers need to have a license from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission. The common game fish are sunfish, catfish and crappie.

A family camping area is on the lower slopes of Pilot Mountain. It has 49 campsites that are open to tents or trailers that are scattered in a forest of hickory and oak trees. Each campsite comes equipped with a charcoal grill, picnic table and tent pad. Modern restroom facilities with hot water and showers are located nearby. A large and rustic youth group camping area is located on the north side of the park's Yadkin River Section. Canoeists are not permitted to camp on the islands of the river. A designated canoe campsite on the bank is available by reservation by contacting the park office.

There are three picnic areas at Pilot Mountain State Park. One picnic area is near the summit parking lot and two are near the Yadkin River. The area has many picnic tables and grills. No drinking water is available in this area. Pit toilets are available.

Rock climbing is permitted in some designated sections of the park. All climbers must register with park staff. Climbing and rappelling are not permitted on the face of Pilot Mountain, Big Pinnacle. A list of rules and regulations can be obtained from the park offices. Many miles of trail at Pilot Mountain State Park are open to hiking and horse back riding. Rules and regulations can be obtained at the park offices.

Ecology
The ecology of Pilot Mountain State Park is similar to the ecology of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are west of Surry County. Big Pinnacle is ringed by Catawba rhododendron which has pink blossoms in the spring, making the mountain appear as if it is wearing a "pink crown". Mountain laurel can be found throughout the park as can wild blueberry, huckleberry and grapes. The forests are mainly chestnut oak, Table Mountain pine and pitch pine trees.

Wildlife consists of animals that are typical to an eastern woodland environment including the American toad, Carolina wren, white-tailed deer, opossums and raccoons. There are often vultures soaring on the updrafts from Pilot Knob, and may be joined by the occasional common raven which are not common east of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Pilot Mountain State Park:
 * Hanging Rock State Park
 * Mayo River State Park
 * Stone Mountain State Park

title: Pilot Mountain State Park


text:
Raven Rock State Park

Raven Rock State Park is a North Carolina state park in Harnett County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Lillington, North Carolina, it covers 4810 acre along the banks of the Cape Fear River. Raven Rock State Park is located on the eastern edge of the Piedmont.

History
Raven Rock State Park sits along the fall zone, an area where the hard, resistant rocks of the foothills give way to the softer rocks and sediments of the coastal plain. The underlying rocks of the area were formed more than 400 million years ago by intense heat and pressure.

Through the ages, flowing waters and swirling winds gradually eroded the land, carving and sculpting Raven Rock. This immense crystalline structure rises to 150 ft and stretches for more than a mile along the Cape Fear River. The rock was originally called Patterson's Rock for an early settler who found refuge there when his canoe capsized nearby. In 1854, its name was changed to Raven Rock, inspired by the sight of ravens that formerly roosted on rock ledges.

The Siouan and Tuscarora Indians hunted the area until European settlers arrived in the mid-18th century. The first settlers were primarily hunters and trappers who were searching for high country similar to their native country, Scotland. Later, stores, mills and quarries were built. Many of the woodlands were farmed, and as the forests returned, much of the land was harvested for timber.

A road that stretched from Raleigh to Fayetteville crossed the Cape Fear River via the Northington Ferry and served as the area's major transportation route. Locks and dams were built along the river to facilitate navigation by boat, and Raven Rock became an important landmark for river pilots. After a hurricane destroyed the locks and dams in 1859, the structures were not replaced; railroad transportation eliminated the need for river travel. As new roads were built, the ferry was closed and Raven Rock became a popular recreation spot. The remnants of the Northington lock and dam can still be seen in the park.

In 1965, interest grew in preserving the area as a state park, and local citizens organized support for the project. In 1969, a bill establishing the park was passed in the General Assembly. More than 220 acre of land were purchased and another 170 acre were donated by Burlington Industries. Additional tracts have since been purchased, bringing the park to its present size of 4667 acre.

Information
The park offers a picnic area, places for fishing and canoeing, and camp grounds. There are also several hiking trails, including the American Beech Trail (0.5 miles), Campbell Creek Loop (5.0 miles), Fish Traps Trail (0.6 miles), Lanier Falls Trail (0.2 miles), Little Creek Loop (1.5 miles), Northington Ferry Trail (0.9 miles), and the Raven Rock Loop (2.6 miles). There are also horseback riding trails on the north side of the Cape Fear River.

The Raven Rock Loop splits off in two directions. One leads to the Raven Rock, a 150 ft high and one mile (1.6 km) long rock formation along the river. The other leads to the Overlook, a small manmade stone structure high above the Cape Fear River, giving a clear view of both the river and the undeveloped woodlands.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Raven Rock State Park:
 * Carvers Creek State Park (Cumberland County)
 * Jordan Lake State Recreation Area (Chatham County)
 * William B. Umstead State Park (Wake County)

title: Raven Rock State Park


text:
Talk:Scum (film)

Woods
I heard that Woods' full name was Donald Woods. I think this may have been a reference to Donald Woods, the South African journalist who had risen to fame at the time of the film after he fled the Apartheid government, who had targeted him for reporting the truth of the death of activist Steve Biko. Woods may have been well known in England before that as well. Of course, it may just be a coincidence. Grieferhate (talk) 08:07, 4 July 2009 (UTC)

The plot is incomprehensible, who is Archer? you havent introduce him but CARLIN and suddenly Archer becomes important. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.105.84.89 (talk) 03:07, 11 December 2010 (UTC)

Scummy Reminiscence
Can't really justify putting this in the article but...

I was born in 1972, and this film took on a mythic status as many of us saw it at primary school age - under the age of ten. So, for a lot of us it was the most gruelling thing we'd ever seen. OK, we might have seen some Hammer Horror films, but this had violence in it we could actually relate to. We had socks. We had snooker balls. Don't get me wrong, I don't think any of us actually carried any of it out, but when we went on to secondary school there were a lot of people who knew exactly what "who's the daddy?" meant.

As for the rape - at that age I think we were all rather bemused by that ;o)

However, in my first job after leaving school - once I'd been there a year - I had to train a newly arrived colleague how to do the job. And he seemed completely obsessed by what he would only refer to as "the potting shed" in gleeful tones. I suppose that should have worried me, somewhat... but he seemed a nice enough chap. --bodnotbod 21:28, May 2, 2004 (UTC)

Does anyone have the name of the song played when that kid lends the other kid his radio and snitches on him, and when he returns to his room with banks, there is a song playing on the radio what is it? cheerrs guys

Teleplay and Movie Versions are Different
The teleplay and movie versions are quite different. Suggesting that the actor/character and plot synopsis sections deal with each in turn. Perhaps also add pictures for the alternative actors. Also, a discussion of any reasons for the differences would be good, particularly regarding the fact that the film is more graphic in its depiction of rape and violence.--ChrisJMoor 02:33, 13 December 2005 (UTC)

Homosexual Relationship?
I heard that in the play carlin had a homosexual relationship with another inmate. This left him somewhat vulnerable in a way that he couldn't afford. i don't know why it was cut from the film version. I haven't actually seen the play though so i won't add it to the article. Theresa Knott | Taste the Korn 14:41, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

According to Ray Winstone's commentary on the DVD of the TV version, it was primarily cut from the filmed version at his request.

I've just watched both the TV & Theatrical versions (Prism Leisure), with commentary, and didn't notice Winstone mentioning this. I shall have another gander though. Also, the Winstone commentary is on the Theatrical version - is there a Winstone/BBC version commentary out there?

In the Roy Minton interview on the DVD, he says that he felt the loss of the "missus" scene was the most significant change in the feature film version, and seems to suggest that this was one of the main reasons why he parted company with Clarke. Bristle-krs (talk) 12:37, 11 January 2008 (UTC)

Plot
There needs to be a Plot Section (use previous info, see ). Cbrown1023 20:19, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Important Characters
The information here reads like a summary and should be put into the plot section. Only some information from this section should be kept, don't be too descriptive, 1 or 2 paragraphs is enough. The rest should be moved into Plot (as stated above). Cbrown1023 20:34, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

 * All understood, but the film is so reliant on character that a plot *almost* doesn't exist. Aside from one or two events in isolation, it's as if Minton created scenarios befitting of the characters he'd developed, as opposed to writing a plot and then basing the characters around it. Bentley Banana 16:57, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

It seems to me that the emphasis of the page is all wrong, since it treats the film as the primary version of the story, when actually it should be the TV play. Ideally, there should be a run-down of the TV plot/characters and then a section that deals with film and how it differs. There is also no mention of Minton's novelisation of the story, which again differs from the TV original. To be honest, there is too much in the current character profiles that is supposition and interpretation, rather than pure observation of what actually happens.

That said, I'm not sure how this can be achieved, as effectively it would means rewriting the entire page. The fifth paragraph in the introduction, for example, begins with a "fact" that belongs to the TV version, but ends with a comment about the subsequent careers of the rest of the film cast, not all of whom were in the BBC play. I suspect the best approach will be to create a new and separate page for the TV play and see how that develops. Nick Cooper 11:46, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:ScumDVD.jpg
Image:ScumDVD.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 04:30, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Religious service
"The governor's faith means that he insists on every 'trainee' attending Sunday morning worship." I've changed this. A religious service on a Sunday was part of the regime and it was compulsory to attend unless you wanted to obstinately challenge "the system" as Archer did and declare yourself an atheist or a follower of a non-Christian faith. Every inmate was also given a bible on being released, presumably to help you stay away from resuming your life of crime. I think most of those bibles ended up in bins at railway stations. Grievous Angel 14:04, 22 July 2007 (UTC)

Formby/rape
"In the 1977 version, Formby is shown to be one of the rapists of Davis." This was at the end of the Formby section; I've removed it because I can't find any supporting evidence for it (for example in interviews/commentary/credits etc). I've also rewatched the scene and neither of the two boys raping Davis in the 1977 seem to me to be Formby, whom we know from the matron scene has a distinctive voice and has bright ginger hair. They appear to me to be the long haired boy who complains about the 'Atlantic fish' and the shortish, brown-haired boy sitting opposite him. Bristle-krs (talk) 12:48, 11 January 2008 (UTC)
 * I think you're confusing a couple of the characters too. The lad with the bright ginger hair isn't Formby, it's Jackson (forever combing his hair, and present in the bathroom discussion where he and his friend Rhodes challenge Richards' boasting). Formby had brown hair and large tortoiseshell-type rimmed specs. Rhodes, however, was called a 'poof' by Striper in that bathroom scene, has 'shortish brown hair' and, after the rape, where Davis is sitting at the dining hall table with Carlin, Rhodes is present too, sitting next to Carlin, and stares across at Davis after Betts explains the gardening duty tomorrow, and then gets up and leaves with Carlin. But I'm not sure if Rhodes was actually one of the rapists. The 'ringleader' of the rapists was indeed clearly featured in the 'crispy batter'/ 'Up Your Fuckin Borstal' scene. Dunno if this helps at all but the IMDb forum offers a lot of the plot/character details. Plutonium27 (talk) 22:53, 19 September 2008 (UTC)

New Cleanup and re-structure - Request to remove Requests for citations etc
Please provide feedback on my clenup of this page. ToonIsALoon (talk) 15:42, 7 August : Toon - Honestly? Not an improvement, sorry to say. Now formatted into a single long 'plot' section, the WP:OR and excessive detail not only remain but are exacerbated by a lack of editing and a writing style that appears laboured and clumsy. Indeed, the quality of the article has noticeably suffered because - despite the problems - it was reasonably well-written. Kudos for the effort, though. I don;t fancy having a go...Plutonium27 (talk) 17:02, 2 December 2010 (UTC)

Davis' suicide
Hello. This article states that Davis committed suicide by slashing his wrists. However, after watching the film, it looks like this is not exactly what happened. Upon closer inspection, it appears he is, in fact, mutilating his genitals. There are a number of reasons why I believe this to be true:

 * Just before he harms himself, he sits on a chair and appears to be staring at his genital area, disgusted and anguished.
 * After his experience, he (likely) would have been feeling very ashamed and resentful of his own sexual nature. Many victims of sexual abuse have such feelings.
 * While he is harming himself, he hides his body underneath a sheet. While lying in his bed, he moves his arms underneath the sheet and cuts himself. The resulting flow of blood appears to be coming from his genital area.

Had he been cutting his wrists, he would have done so on camera without hiding his arms (as did Toyne). The fact that the actual self-harm could not be displayed on camera strongly implies that something was happening which was too graphic to show onscreen.

Does anyone else agree? Would it be appropriate to change the article accordingly? Let me know what you think. Keshidragon (talk) 01:23, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

 * This is basically original research. Since no actual cutting is shown on screen, it is open to debate what he does. A likely interpretation of the scene is that he cuts his wrists, but there is a need for reliable sourcing.-- ♦Ian Ma c M♦  (talk to me) 07:41, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

 * Davis clearly cuts his wrists in the original TV play. Nick Cooper (talk) 14:35, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

title: Talk:Scum (film)


text:
Renate Holub

Renate Holub (born 6 October 1946) is a German political philosopher and critical social theorist living in California. She has published several books.

Life
Holub was born in Ludwigshafen am Rhein. After studying in Paris, Madrid, London and Rome she received advanced degrees at the University of Wisconsin–Madison(USA). Her dissertation focused on the Italian enlightenment philosopher Giambattista Vico. She has also published a study of the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, entitled Antonio Gramsci: Beyond Marxism and Postmodernism. (1992) Currently, she lives in the San Francisco area and is Professor and Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies department at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research has focused on "Intellectuals, Rights, and States" in a variety of global regions of both developed and developing economies.

title: Renate Holub


text:
Singletary Lake State Park

Singletary Lake State Park is a North Carolina state park in Bladen County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Elizabethtown, it covers 1,221 acre, including Singletary Lake, one of the largest Carolina bays. Singletary Lake State Park is southeast of Elizabethtown on North Carolina Highway 53 in North Carolina's Coastal Plain region. It serves primarily as a group camp but is open on a limited basis for year-round recreation, including hiking, fishing and observing nature.

Geology
Singletary Lake is one of a series of Carolina bay lakes that stretch from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays as relict thermokarst lakes that formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier. Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages. Singletary Lake is not fed by any stream but relies entirely upon rain. The land beneath and surrounding the lake is mica-rich sandy clay and sand that is from the Upper Cretaceous era with a thin layer of Pleistocene deposits covering it. This land is lower than the surrounding land and drains very poorly, creating Singletary Lake.

Human history
The Singletary Lake area was settled by colonists under the leadership of Richard Singletary who received a grant for land in Bladen County from the government of the Province of North Carolina in 1729. The early settlers quickly cleared the land for farming, ships masts, other wood products and naval stores. Singletary Lake, a Carolina Bay was not drained for farming as many of the bays in the surrounding area.

The government of the state of North Carolina began to take an interest in Singletary Lake and other Carolina Bays in the 19th century. The North Carolina General Assembly blocked all further private claims on lakes. Soon after, the state assembly pass legislation that granted ownership of all lakes greater than 500 acres (2.02 km2) in Cumberland, Columbus and Bladen Counties to the state. The formation of Jones Lake, Lake Waccamaw and Singletary Lake state parks can be traced back to this piece of legislation.

The growth of the cotton, turpentine and lumber industries in the area of Singletary Lake State Park eventually became greater than the soil could support. The fertility of the farmland was depleted and most of the standing timber had been clear cut from Bladen County. The land could no longer support the demands of the people living on the land. Farmers were no longer able to produce sustainable crops and many were forced to leave their farms.

The National Park Service began purchasing the land surrounding Singletary Lake in 1936 for a recreational demonstration project. Out of work young men were employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was established by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 during the Great Depression with many of the facilities of Singletary Lake State Park. The land was managed by the Resettlement Administration until 1939. From 1936 until 1939, youths working for the CCC built the Singletary Recreation Center. They constructed an office, maintenance buildings and recreation facilities on the shore of Singletary Lake. The CCC also built a ten cabin camp with a dining hall, workshop and recreation hall.

Singletary Lake State Park was established in 1939 when management of the park was transferred from the federal government to the state government. The cabins built by the CCC became Camp Ipecac which is still in use by large groups like the Boy Scouts of America and 4-H. The park became state property in 1954.

Singletary Lake State Park has provided more than recreation to the citizens of North Carolina. It was used by the American Red Cross during the 1945 floods of the Cape Fear River as a refugee center. Soldiers training for World War II at nearby Camp Davis used Singletary Lake State Park for special anti-aircraft training.

Ecology
Singletary Lake is surrounded by a bay forest. This forest consists primarily of bay trees such as the loblolly, red bay, pond pine and Atlantic white cedar. The understory consists of huckleberry, leucothoe, gallberry and pepperbush. turkey oak, blueberry, holly and longleaf pine can be found at the higher elevations away from the shoreline.

The forests of Singletary Lake State Park provide a habitat for a variety of animals that are fairly common to an eastern woodland habitat. Wild turkey, white-tailed deer and rabbits can be spotted from time to time. Wood ducks live on the lake. Red-cockaded woodpeckers can be seen in the forest as can red-tailed hawks and pileated woodpeckers. Singletary Lake State Park is also home to box turtles, fence lizards, southern toads, and carpenter frogs.

The Turkey Oak Natural Area is a 133 acre (0.54 km2) natural area that was set aside by the Society of American Foresters in the early 1960s. The aim of the natural area is to preserve the forest in a natural state for scientific study and educational opportunities. The Turkey Oak Natural Area is in the southeastern portion of Singletary Lake State Park in a bay bog and along a sand ridge.

Recreation
Singletary Lake State Park is unique among North Carolina state parks. It is used primarily by private groups that have made arrangements to camp at Camp Ipecac or Camp Loblolly Bay, the two group camping facilities at the park. Visitors to the park are permitted access when the camp facilities are not in use.

Camp Ipecac was built in 1939 by the Resettlement Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. It houses 92 campers in ten cabins. It is named for the Carolina ipecac, a herb that is used in traditional medicine. Camp Loblolly Bay was built in 1984 and houses 48 campers. It is more modern than Camp Ipecac and is open year round. Camp Ipecac opens in April and closes in October. Both camps include a mess hall and restrooms. Recreational facilities at the camps include outdoor basketball courts, a beach volleyball court and horseshoes. Charcoal grills are available in the picnic area with picnic tables.

The camps are open only to verifiable organizations of 20 persons or more. Reservations are required.

Local schools and civic organizations are invited to Singletary Lake State Park to take part in a variety of educational opportunities that are led by the park rangers. Classes for educators and middle school students introduce the learner to the ecology of the Carolina Bays.

The Civilian Conservation Corps-Carolina Bay Loop Trail is a one-mile (0.6 km) hiking trail that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. It passes by the shore of Singletary Lake and then winds through the forest of bay trees and shrubs and a second forest of longleaf pine and turkey oak.

Singletary Lake is open to recreational boating and fishing. The waters of the lake have a high acidity level due to the amount of vegetation that is decomposing and the buildup peat on the lake bottom. The acid levels have limited the numbers of fish that inhabit the lake and recreation fishing is in turn limited. Yellow perch is one species that thrives in the lake and the fishing of the perch is permitted by the general public when the group camp is not in use. Campers may bring their own boats to launch on the lake as may the general public. All boats are limited to 10 hp.

Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 mi of Singletary Lake State Park:
 * Jones Lake State Park (Bladen County)
 * Lake Waccamaw State Park (Columbus County)

title: Singletary Lake State Park