Thursday, May 14, 2009

Lake Waukaway — Then and Now

Then:


Now


A History of Lake Waukaway

You won’t find it on a map or listed in any travel guides, but Lake Waukaway, Mississippi, located off Clarke County Road 391, a few miles east of Vossburg, is an amazing gem tucked away in the annals of east-central Mississippi history. The Choctaw people who once inhabited the area called the location, Waukaway, due to the coverging of three huge springs. The name translates into “cool and flowing waters”. Following the Choctaw Purchase concluded on September 27, 1830, one of the first European settlers to own the property was a fellow by the name of John Cooley. Some years prior to 1865, Cooley, and others unknown, constructed a combination cotton gin and a gristmill at the site of the abundant springs. Somewhat later, Andrew Jackson McDaniel, who was married to Nancy Ann Cooley, John Cooley’s daughter, acquired the mills from his father-in-law. The property later passed into the hands of a gentleman by the name of Perry.

Around 1929, the Laurel Mississippi Rotary Club purchased the property from Perry and developed it into a recreational site. They also hired Mr. Howard Allen to manage the facility. Six years later, Mr. Allen purchased the facility along with 120 acres of land. Howard Allen operated Lake Waukaway as a family business until 1978. His home was located at the site, upstairs from the offices and concession buildings, and the business was a full time venture for himself, his wife, and their three children. For some forty years, the people of the surrounding communities came to love their excursions to Lake Waukaway as well as their interactions with the Allen family. In the summer days before air conditioning, Waukaway remained open until 10:00 PM, thus allowing many patrons a place to cool down following a long and hot workday.

In addition to swimming, Howard Allen strove to add other Waukaway attractions. Through the years, there were alligators of all sizes on display, white tail deer in a pen, 7-pound striped bass, and a tame school of blue gill bream that would eat out of your hand. During the 1940’s, he sponsored group camps for churches, Boy Scouts, and underprivileged children. Through the 1950’s, a private two-week camp, with an Indian theme, was held. A Choctaw Indian named Cooley Jim was on resident making crafts as well as bows and arrows. The climax came in the form of kids donning Indian costumes and holding a “War Party”. During the 1960’s, participation in these camps came to an end as the various organizations established their own private facilities. In it’s place, a small RV park was added to the eastern area of the lake.

In 1978, Howard Allen passed away. Sadly, the Lake Waukaway that so many of us loved ended as well. The property was sold to Mr. Gene Garrick, who established the site as a christian retreat. Presently, the private facility remains in operation.

A terrific article w/photos about Lake Waukaway - from which the above was edited for length-DNJ

Thanks to Joe B. Stewart for identifying and suggesting this post.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice history sketch! I visited Waukaway thru the early part of 1950 and worked there as a summer lifeguard in 1953 and 1954. Knew Howard, Marge, and the three kids very well.
What wonderful memories! Slept in a little bunkhouse at the rear of the pavillion in the woods below the Home/Office.

Charles Story
Spring City, TN

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your post. I loved Waukaway as a teen and enjoyed seeing the pictures (also followed the links to more photos). As Charles said, I have wonderful memories of the place and wondrous (at the time) clear waters.

Ann Miller
Geo. S. Gardiner HS, Laurel
Northern California now

R SCARA said...

my mother, frances scara and delores shepard would take me and my sister there on sunday, the only day she did not work-I was fishing today,no shirt and red shorts and it occurred to me I looked like howard,who would be laying on the counter of the office/snak bar at the entrance-never saw him any where else-just there-always resented the fact you had to get out of the water for church service broadcast over the loudspeaker system-water was cold and clear-there was a lake behind the dam you could fish in

The Music Writer said...

I have at least two photos taken in 1953 in the water at Lake Waukaway. Enjoyed the post and actually drink bottled water from Vossburg under the Waukaway label every chance I get. See me on Facebook with the group The Day the 1950s Stood Still. https://www.facebook.com/groups/474910282698450/

Laura L. said...

I was born in Laurel in 1934 and graduated from high school in 1951. Lake Waukaway was a very important part of those growing-up years. The Lake belonged to the YWCA originally and I went to Y Camp when I was seven (1941), sleeping in Cabin 2. Howard managed the site first, then purchased the property shortly after that. In my adolescence we would always drive out at Christmas time to see the lighted Christmas tree Howard put on the raft in the middle of the lake! Another tradition in my growing-up years was hiking back to the canyon, a deep and ever-growing red clay gully reached via the back dirt road behind the lake. We would climb down, covered in red clay, and explore the changes made by more recent thunderstorms! Lake Waukaway was definitely a major feature of my childhood. My mother told me that Howard was a student at the junior college in Ellisville when he came to work there. This site evokes a horde of precious memories for me!

JudyAllenWilson said...

Hi Laura, This is Judy Allen, Howard Allen was my father. I'm doing some reminiscing today, and found this when I googled Lake Waukaway. I am always SO gratified when I read about how Waukaway impacted so many people when my family owned and ran it. And I clearly remember the Christmas tree on the raft, and the canyons on the property. One quick correction. Daddy did not go to junior college. He was in the Navy beginning in about 1926 for 7 years, then had a job in New York, then moved back home to his parents house about 2 miles on the road up from the lake, and soon moved there to manage it when the Rotary bought it. You went to camp there before I was born (1943)! I loved your post! One thing I think about these days is that my brothers and I (Curtis, older, and Mark, younger) have been the only three people in the world (after the Choctaw) that actually spend our infancy, childhood, and all school years, (primary through high school) living year round at Wauakway. It was a unique life there and one I love thinking of. Waukaway is always what I think of when I hear the word "home." Thanks for your post!

Anonymous said...

7/07/23 I just spoke with my aunt Nila Carolyn Measells who graduated from Laurel HS in 52 or 53 and she told me of winning a contest and getting to go there for three days just after WWII
My mom, Dorothy Jean Measells graduated Laurel HS in 1950. Wonder if you knew either of them.

Anonymous said...

Laura L. - i posted the above about my aunt and mother. Jeff Rosenthal JD956 at hotmail dot com