Ware County Georgia Obediah's Okefenok File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Bob Hurst lat@wayxcable.com Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/crawford.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ELLIS HARGROVE MAKES A WILLING CUSTOMER AT OBEDIAH'S OKEFENOK'S NEW GIFT CENTER Jennifer Corbett Helps Potential Buyer Make Choice In T-Shirts OBEDIAH'S OKEFENOK OWNER, BILLY BRANTLEY, TOURS THE NEW COVERED BRIDGE DISPLAY AT PARK This New Addition Centers On Remembrances Of Those Earlier Times When Wagons Traveled These Roads; This Area Also Serves As A Gallery For Photograph Collections By Robert Latimer Hurst As was said by Billy Brantley in 1990: "Realistic is the keyword. And a person can't just design and construct a Southeast Georgia pioneer homestead without research and equipment." With these words, the Ware County entrepreneur took a philosophy and made it tangible as he began a venture that would introduce many to a pioneer life only heard or read about in textbooks. He gave to this community a living museum, something visual to feel and touch. Brantley wanted, from the beginning of this project, for the public, especially schoolchildren, to know about their heritage in Southeast Georgia. That dream appeared in the form of Obediah's Okefenok. Now, in 2000, Obediah's Okefenok gives testimony to a locale where history, legend, education and entertainment merge to form that once-upon-a-time settler's home, with realism at the base of this endeavor. And it has taken much research and equipment as can be seen in the numerous exhibits and the layout of the area. And since 1991, when Obediah's Okefenok opened its gates, the visitor has been discovering something of his or her past, and whatever that ingredient is for that particular person, the traveler leaves with more knowledge about their forefathers than when they entered. And something else: to travel this memory lane makes that person proud. The story of Obediah Barber is legendary in this part of the state. Henry Obediah Barber, born in 1825 and died in 1909, lived a portion of his life on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp. A pioneer in a wilderness, Barber tamed uncharted territory with his bare --or some say "bear" --hands. He has become legendary because of his stand against the bear that was invading the farmers' hog pens. Today, Brantley has recaptured that era by leading the visitor by a snaking boardwalk into those yesteryears at Obediah's Okefenok. Of course, prior to that journey down the boardwalk over that burgundy colored water, the traveler into the past goes into the new gift shop, located at the head of the twisting walk. Here, beside the Walt Tatum Pavilion and close by the newly constructed Covered Bridge site, the adventurer finds all types of Obediah memorabilia, including the famed Obediah-designed t-shirts, carvings by Ellis Hargrove, Bobby Tatum and other craftspersons familiar with this section of the country. Managing this new part of Obediah's Okefenok are Jennifer Corbett and Cindy Henry. The Walt Tatum Pavilion is known as the "family gathering place" because it is constantly in demand for reunions, birthdays and various celebrations. It was named for Walt Tatum, one of the grandsons of Obediah. It was Walt and his family that kept this land in the Barber family, and now it still carries the name today as Obediah's Okefenok. This pavilion, which will be air-conditioned this spring, seats 200, has a kitchen, serving and dining area, handicap accessible restrooms, a cookout shed and other features that just call for family happenings here. Brantley urges anyone who is planning a get-together of any type to call 912-287- 0090 to book this building at the entrance to the park. Reminiscent of the late 1800 is the covered bridge, adjacent to the Walt Tatum Pavilion. It crosses a canal to the picnic area, which also includes the blacksmith's shop and a moonshine still from the late Donald Tatum's collection. The bridge conjures up tales of the times when the horse and buggy and the early automobiles crossed these structures not only to the sounds of the rumbling boards but also for the protection against inclement weather. Placed around the perimeter of the entrance to Obediah's is another section of the Donald Tatum Collection. Robbie Tatum and Bobby Tatum, also descendants of Obediah, have placed on display this assortment of farm equipment from Donald Tatum's farm in Glynn County. These items represent a progression of agriculture machinery from the older pull- type equipment of earlier times until today. More displays are being added throughout the homestead to handle showing these implements. Noticed also in this vicinity is a bell. This particular bell, reminding most of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, once served the old Ware County Courthouse. Fifteen hundred pounds of solid bronze bell, designed in 1903 by the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore and combined with the Clockworks of the Seth Thomas Clock Company in New York, hung ten stories above this courthouse. Destined to be destroyed with the old building, the clock and its works, along with the bell, were saved by John Reyma Highsmith, a sawmill operator. After Mr. Highsmith's death in 1993, these pieces were left to Obediah's Okefenok through the will of the 93-year-old local history collector. Mr. Highsmith was the grandfather of Tina Highsmith Rowell, the former manager of Obediah's Okefenok from its inception. This landmark would be gone by 1956, but the clock and its bell will remain to remind others of a time when the ringing of the courthouse bell signaled the town's citizens to look at the clock , which could be easily seen all around Waycross from its ten-story tower. The clock, says Brantley, is being planned to be shown at a later date in a larger visitors' center as a backdrop for pictures. He adds that the bell, along with one of the four six-and-a-half-foot- wide faces of the clock, will become a featured attraction here, since it will be activated to keep time as it did prior to 1956. An entrance island is being landscaped to feature a flowing fountain with soothing splashing water. Around this basin will be various plants indigenous to Southeast Georgia, especially the Okefenokee Swamp When one has visited all this area has to offer, that person has just "touched the icing" of this historical cake. Now, it's time to journey on that boardwalk into the wilderness. ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============