Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Chattahoochee State Park - Home to an Unsurpassed Fishing Record!

Chattahoochee State Park
One of the prettiest spots in the southeast corner of Alabama, Chattahoochee State Park is located just south of Gordon.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the days of the Great Depression, the historic park is now managed by Houston County. Amenities include fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, bird and wildlife watching and swimming.

The park is located along the banks of historic Irwin's Mill Creek. The CCC built a dam of native stone to create a beautiful small lake around which most of the park's facilities are located. This lake holds a unique place in Alabama history, because it was here that the largest shell cracker (redear sunfish) ever caught in the state was landed.  It weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces and was caught by Jeff Lashley on May 5, 1962. The record has yet to be surpasssed.

Chattahoochee State Park
There is, of course, much more history to be appreciated in this very southeast corner of Alabama. Irwin's Mill Creek was a major center for Indian life dating back far into the prehistoric era. In historic times the Chisca (Yuchi) and Red Ground Creeks called this vicinity home and in 1818 a significant battle was fought just south of the park. Preliminary movements passed likely passed through the park itself.

One of the earliest settlements in the region was established along Irwin's Mill Creek in 1819 and a mill was built just downstream from the park prior to the cession of Florida from Spain to the United States in 1821. The mill dam still stands and creates the second lake just below the park's dam.

To learn more about the history of the park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/chattahoocheesp.

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