Very early this morning, John took Ruth back to the Atlanta airport. She is flying back to report for grandmother duty. She will be back Wednesday. No walking today.

 

When John got back to the Pines Campground in Tifton, we hooked up our RVs and headed to Laura S. Walker State Park near Waycross, Georgia. With the beautiful weather we are having, the park is almost full. There were 5 empty sites when we arrived. Now there are three, maybe less.

 

Upon arriving, the park rangers always give you a map of the park so you can get around and be informed of what the rules are. The first thing I noticed was "No Swimming - Alligators".

 

Yesterday, on the west side of Willahoochee, we passed by some old buildings. I thought at first it was an old CCC camp, I was wrong. It turned out to be the McCranie Brothers Naval Stores. It was a turpentine still and all that goes with it. The terminology dates back to the wooden sailing ship days. Ship builders used pine tar and pitch to caulk the seams of the ship. Also, turpentine was distilled and in the old days was used as a cure all.

 

The industry started in North Carolina, nicknamed "The Tarheel State" and gradually found its way to Georgia.

Workers would "chip" longleaf pines to start the gum flowing. It was gathers in wooden barrels and then taken to the still to be distilled.

 

The McCranie facility started in 1936 and ceased operations in 1942 due to WWII and a manpower shortage. It is the only original still in its original location in Georgia.