Dunwoody Nature Center is enjoyed by children and adults with the many programs it offers, but also as a peaceful refuge of nature. Stopping by there for a walk, picnic, or quiet reflection can lift your spirits.
The story of how the land became Dunwoody Nature Center begins around 1974, but before then the land had various owners. Dunwoody Nature Center has records documenting a sale in 1853 where Stephen Martin sold 202 1/2 acres to William Akins for $350. 202 1/2 acres was the number of acres acquired by white settlers in the land lottery following the removal of Native Americans from this area. Whether Stephen Martin acquired the land by land lottery or bought it from another individual, I do not know.
William Akins was minister of Providence Baptist Church and donated land for the church, located near today’s KinderCare and Coldwell Banker on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Providence Church appears on Civil War maps drawn by Union soldiers after passing through Dunwoody.
The Akins home sat where the DeKalb County Fire Station is today on Roberts Drive. Although we don’t know what their home looked like originally, the home which stood later and is remembered by some was a two-story, painted yellow home with stone chimneys at either end. (The Story of Dunwoody: 1821-2001, Elizabeth Davis and Ethel W. Spruill)
The creek on the property of Dunwoody Nature Center is known as Wildcat Creek and was once home to a grist mill. Akins may have been the owner and operator of the mill, but documentation has not been found to this date. The grist mill sat above where the dam of the creek is today.
When Akins died, his land was divided into two sections. The larger southern section of the land passed to his wife and then to the Swancy family. The next owners were Gribble, Juby, and Parks. Eleanor Parks sold her land to DeKalb County in January 1964.
The northern section of the land passed from Akins to J. P. Womack, his son-in-law. After a couple of brief ownerships, it was purchased by T. K. Peters in August of 1945. Peters deeded half of the land to his wife, Grace Peters.
The house that is part of the Dunwoody Nature Center today was built by T. K. Peters. Mr. and Mrs. Peters first lived in a smaller house behind there. The chimney that still stands was part of that house, and the rectangular floorplan of the small house extended from the chimney.
T. K. Peters worked in the early days of the film industry. He made travel films and became an expert in trick photography. He created special effects to create the parting of the Red Sea in the1923 movie The Ten Commandments.
Peters came to Atlanta around 1938 to work with Thornwell Jacobs of Oglethorpe University on the Crypt of Civilization, a time capsule sealed in 1940 and not to be opened until 8113. Peters microfilmed eight hundred text books and placed them in the Crypt. Also included were motion pictures of great men and women and examples of small machines of the time. The Crypt is located under one of the buildings of Oglethorpe University.
In 1961, Peters put his home and land up for sale. He wrote a description of the property, “six acres, fine rich soil, slopes down to a stream with a waterfall, magnificent beech trees. Main residence is constructed of concrete blocks…capable of sustaining six thousand pounds to the square inch.” He also describes a guest house which remained on the property, closer to Roberts Drive.
Marshall Ross Lane was happy to discover the Peters home and land. It was just what he was looking for. He had been in Atlanta nine years, but wanted a home to remind him of North Carolina, where he was born. Lane came to Atlanta when he was drafted August of 1952, during the Korean War. Mr. Lane, his wife Frances, and their two children moved to the home in 1962. In 1963, they had another child.
In 2019, Mr. Lane returned to Dunwoody Nature Center to share his memories, including the history which Peters told him back in 1962. Peters said the old millstone on the property originally fell off a wagon near the chimney. The unusual convex millstone was moved next to a large tree and remained there until recent years when it was moved to the side for display.
Marshall Lane and Michael Cowan (former DNC executive director) walk down to see the thinking rock along the creek.
Some of the older residents shared a Civil War story with Peters. They told of three gun emplacements on the land between the house and the creek. The story says that the guns were ready to fire on Union soldiers as they marched down what is now Roberts Drive on their way from Roswell to Atlanta and Decatur in July of 1864. Civil War historians say the story is not plausible due to the distance and downhill location relative to the road. It is true that the Lanes found a cannon ball on the property.
Walking around the property, Mr. Lane pointed out a rock on the creek which he called his “thinking rock.” He remembered the Swancy family lived across the road, the Walkers just north of his property and the Titus family in the old home that still stands on Glenrich Drive.
In 1974, DeKalb County was looking for parcels of land to buy for additional parks and use for bicentennial celebrations two years later. The Lanes were shocked when a representative of DeKalb County came to the door in 1974, announcing they were exercising eminent domain and would be buying the home and land from the Lanes. The Lane family sold their property to DeKalb County and moved to another home nearby. They were sad to leave their home, the creek, and the thinking rock.
The property was first known as Dunwoody Park and the Dunwoody Woman’s Club was planning a bicentennial celebration to be held there. The committee consisted of Gerry Spruill, Jim Cone, and Becky Kelly of DeKalb Parks and Recreation.
The Dunwoody Woman’s Club and Dunwoody Garden Club worked with DeKalb Parks and Recreation and the U. S. Forestry Service to build a trail system on the land. Trees and plants were identified, and willows were planted to protect the wetlands. The group raised money for a gazebo bulletin board, playground and picnic tables. Volunteers began to lead tours for groups.
North DeKalb Arts Center, which had been meeting in the basement of Dunwoody United Methodist Church, moved to the former Peters/Lane house in the park in 1978. Because there wasn’t constant oversight of the park, vandalism was a problem. In 1989, North DeKalb Arts Center left Dunwoody Park and moved into a portion of the old Dunwoody Elementary School.
When North DeKalb Arts Center moved, vandalism increased and the Dunwoody Woman’s Club knew more oversight was needed on the property. They selected Dunwoody Park as their CIP (Community Improvement Project).
The property was on the verge of being developed as county tennis courts and the remaining property would be sold off and developed with houses. Kathy Hanna and Pat Adams did a survey of the area and determined there was no need for additional tennis courts. The two women, along with Marilyn Dalrymple, Eleanor Lehner, Rita Langley and Carolyn Jones are the founders of Dunwoody Nature Center.
The Spalding and Dunwoody Garden Club’s provided their support. Eleanor Lehner knew Dunwoody resident and naturalist John Ripley Forbes. He had experience with over two hundred nature centers around the country, including the nearby Big Trees Forest Preserve and Chattahoochee Nature Center. Jean Williams, DeKalb County Commissioner, made a presentation to the DeKalb County Commission along with Gerry Spruill. Their proposal for the property and house to be used as a nature center was approved.
In 1990, fund-raising began with a request for $1000 donations in order to become part of the Trailblazers. John Ripley and Margaret Forbes hosted a party for the Trailblazers and the $10,000 raised became the first year’s budget.
Letters were sent to local organizations, such as garden clubs, PTAs, Scout leaders and homeowner’s associations, asking for their support. Dunwoody Nature Center incorporated in January 30, 1992. A director was hired to live on the property, although police monitoring was still necessary to keep out vandals.
Jerry Hightower, a naturalist/interpretive ranger from the National Park Service researched existing native plants, helping the park receive National Wildlife Habitat designation. One early project was the planting of a butterfly and bee garden. The first logo was an upright fern designed by Pat Adams.
Each year, the Dave Adams trophy award is given to a group or individual in the community that has made the greatest contribution to DNC. This award was established in 1999 by Marilyn and David Dalrymple and named in honor of Pat Adams husband, Dave Adams.
Kathy Hanna sums up the significance that her work at Dunwoody Nature Center has had for her, “I know at the end of my life one of the things I will be proud of after family and friendships will be my part in starting DNC.”
It is amazing how far Dunwoody Nature Center has come and how much they have to offer. Visit their website, dunwoodynature.org , to see all the camps, programs, and events that are offered. Or just drive over to 5343 Roberts Drive in Dunwoody to take a walk and check it out for yourself.