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State accepts McLeod Park
By MACK DRYDEN
SUN STAFF WRITER
KILN — Federal, state and local officials gathered beneath shady oak trees with area residents Friday to eat catfish and potato salad and celebrate the formal establishment of McLeod Memorial Park.
Hugh L. Watson, assistant regional director of the federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, announced that the Pearl River Basin Development District will be the recipient of a $75,000 grant for “phase one” development of the park.
Watson said the money will be used to build a lighted baseball field, picnic sites, comfort stations, water fountains, and boat launches and fishing piers on the Jourdan River.
Friday's official transfer of the 328-acre tract from the federal government to the State of Mississippi culminated a three-year effort by local and state officials to acquire the land for recreational use. The ceremony marked the transfer of the second largest tract of federal land ever transferred to Mississippi under the Legacy of Parks program.
Norton Haas Sr., who was instrumental in accomplishing the trans-ferral, said the "primary force behind the acquisition” was Jackson Balch, manager of the National Space Technologies Laboratory. The land was formerly a part of the buffer zone of NSTL, and was used for recreation by NASA employes.
Alton ''Dolph” Kellar, president of the Hancock County Board of Supervisors, joined others in expressing gratitude to Mississippi Sen. John C. Stennis (D-Miss.) and Rep. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) for their efforts in obtaining the land. Stennis' son, state Rep. John H. Stennis, spoke briefly at the ceremony.
Gov. Bill Waller was scheduled to accept the property but was unable to attend.
The property transferred Friday is named in honor of Virginia (Aunt Gin) and Albert J. McLeod, a pioneer timber family from South Carolina who settled on the property in the late 19th century.
In the early 1900’s a large sawmill, stave mill, planer mill, turpentine plant and general store were operated by McLeod, em-
ploying about 500 persons. After his death in 1931, the operation of the old store was continued on a limited basis by his wife “Aunt Gin,” until her death in 1973.
The total development cost of the facility over the next 10 years is expected to be more than $10 million.
DIGGIN’ IN — A part of the crowd of H00 that turned out for the dedication of