Right in Your Own Backyard

When people look into traveling to see great feats of nature and wonderful accomplishments of mankind it's often suggested to make sure you see what's in your own background before you embark to points elsewhere. Lately I've found that is sound advice and have recently made a discovery very near to where I live that truly amazed me.

I live outside of Thomaston, Ga in Upson county. Where Upson county borders Meriwether county there has for quite a long time resided Camp Thunder Boy Scout camp. I can remember my brother spending weeks at Camp Thunder when I was still too young for scouting. A week during the summer spent at Camp Thunder was a rite of passage for young boys in our area.

Over the decades the facilities at Camp Thunder deteriorated and the place was in a state of disrepair. Fortunately some men hold their years as Boy Scouts as a very formative time and even as adults are proud of their time as Boy Scouts. Obviously Gerald Lawhorn was one of those men. He made his fortune with a chain of gas stations called Petro South and the endowment he gave Camp Thunder has transformed the camp.

I had no clue that a majestic and beautiful oak timber frame structure stood 21 miles from my house. This structure and some other smaller oak timber frame pavilions were constructed as part of the camp upgrade funded by Gerald Lawhorn. The camp is now called the "Gerald Lawhorn Canoe Center at Camp Thunder Boy Scout Camp".

There is also an array of large scale rocking chairs that allow you to rest yourself and marvel at the construction of the structure as you rock.

The structure is decked with tongue and groove 2 x pine to which a slate roof is attached.

There is also a monument at this site that states the ideals of the Boy Scout organization complete with bronze eagle.

This is only a small portion of a most grand playground that is located at this site.

And when you've thoroughly explored the Timber Frame pavilion and the playground you can then take a hike along the Flint river that flows just about 50 yards behind the pavilion.

As you can see this is an almost magical place for kids. My grandchildren loved this place.

Camp Thunder is actually located in Molena, Ga. for those looking to find this location on Google maps or by GPS.

Ron

Some people regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot. Others look on it as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.

Winston Churchill