By Jack M. Willis
Journal Correspondent

Among the several historical sites to explore in and around Winn Parish, is the much-visited Gum Springs Recreational Area, located in the Winn Ranger District of Kisatchie National Forest, about six miles west of Winnfield on U.S. Highway 84.

According to Winn Ranger District's Resident Archaeologist Lee Stewart, "You would not believe the number of people who stop by the Winn Ranger District Offices of Kisatchie Forests to seek directions, or just to visit and tell us how far they traveled to renew memorable experiences of their childhood by visiting Gum Springs. Presently our Ranger Headquarters is located about 2.5 miles from the site, but some feel a compulsion to stop and visit anyway, and we're glad they do."

Construction is ongoing at present of a new Winn Ranger District Headquarters building located at the Gum Springs Recreational Area site. According to Stewart the new offices will reflect a 1930s architectural style, with the structure positioned in the shadow of the old fire Gum Springs fire tower beside Highway 874. The tower stands on its original placement, having been erected in the 1950s, and still in place when many of its kindred have been razed, after aerial flights took the place of the dedicated tower men. According to Stewart, the current Winn District Ranger Frank Yerby was instrumental in retaining the old Gum Springs tower on site as a treasured keepsake, when many of the venerable landmarks around the state were being torn down.

According to a Cultural Resources Management Summary compiled in February of 1991 by Archaeologist Alan Dorian, who also doubled as Heritage Resource Program Manager, the original construction on the Gum Springs Picnic Site, as the project was known, was begun in 1935. This was when the locality was known as Civilian Conservation Corps Camp F-6, with the number suffix designating it as only the sixth CCC Camp to be established in the State of Louisiana in the spring of 1934. The CCC Camp was located approximately a mile west of the current Picnic Site but no physical evidence of it exists today.

The original construction of structures and engineering features consisted of two picnic shelters (gazebos), natural stone retaining walls, concrete walkways, contour terraces for erosion control, and a concrete swimming pool. The Site contains five different representative types of classical CCC engineering construction.

About this time Archaeologist Stewart said, "Please wait just a minute," and left the conference room. He soon returned with an armload of what appeared to be sets of construction plans, which they were. He then said, "Several years ago one of the Rangers assigned to the District had initiated a house-cleaning and these original constructions plans and specifications were about to be thrown away when someone just happened to check the contents. What a find!" The master final blueprint detail dated April 19, 1938 contains such minute details as placement of picnic tables and fire rings and/or bar-be-cue pits.

Dorian's Summary recounts that the original location of the initial construction was on an eastern-facing natural ridge which contained three or more small natural freshwater springs. The uppermost elevation was at 315 feet above Mean Sea Level and sloping down to an MSL elevation of 250 feet.

The approximate elevation drop of around 65 feet created the appearance of a three-sided sinkhole. The site, even today is still covered in a mixture of vegetation consisting of pine and hardwoods and dogwoods. The whole recreation area covers approximately ten acres.

The picnic area and pool were operated by the U.S. Forest Service as a day-use area including swimming from 1937 until 1968. No renewed maintenance activity or modifications were conducted on the site proper until the later 50s and early 60s. Then the natural stone retaining wall of the swimming pool was reinforced with wooden pilings and electrical hook-ups around the parameter were installed. In the late 60s a primitive campground was constructed to replace an old Boy Scout camping site.

In 1968, the pool had been closed because decreased water quality no longer met Louisiana DEQ standards. The drain structure was dismantled, and the pool was allowed to drain. Vegetation was allowed to overtake the pool area, and as a result of the loss of the swimming pool facilities, public uses of the facilities have dramatically decreased.

But, according to Archaeologist Stewart, future plans include completely refurbishing the whole area, and since the Gum Springs Picnic Site is associated with events making significant contributions to American history and is considered a historic property of local and state significance, thus is therefore qualified for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. This was first acknowledged in 1991, and the Forest Service intends to fully implement this designation once they settle in their new headquarters building located on the original site of historic Gum Springs.

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