Callaway Gardens

When the Great Depression struck in 1929, much of Harris County land was former cotton fields that were "worn out", depleted of nutrients after nearly 100 years of cultivation. Former Callaway Mills Chairman Cason Callaway and his wife, Virginia, acquired vast tracts of property in stages, eventually reaching . Callaway originally conceived of developing the garden in 1930 after he discovered a rare azalea, Rhododendron prunifolium (plumleaf), growing in the area. To create the garden, streams were dammed creating 13 lakes; bulldozers filled in eroded gullies and drained bottom land clogged with silt; crops were planted that restored nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil. Virginia Callaway consulted with Gilmore David Clarke, a noted landscape architect, to plant more than 20,000 trees, shrubs and native flowers in the renovated landscape. Robin Lake Beach and the Overlook Azalea Garden opened the following year in 1953. In 1955, the gardens were renamed as Ida Cason Callaway Gardens. After serving in the Korean War, their son Bo Callaway returned to Harris County, Georgia to help his parents develop and run the gardens. On April 12, 1961, founder Cason J. Callaway died. He was succeeded as chairman of the board by his wife, co-founder Virginia (Hand) Callaway. The gardens have been expanded several times following Cason Callaway's death. The Cason J. Callaway Memorial Forest opened in 1972, and was designated a National Natural Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior. Drowning On July 4, 2009, two men went into the water to assist a small boy who was struggling in Robin Lake. One of them grabbed the boy and dragged him back to shallow water. The other man had disappeared and his body was recovered later. Rico Cruz, a 21-year-old from Eastpoint, Georgia drowned. Non-Callaway management Following Virginia Hand Callaway's death in 1995, George P. Fischer was named the third President & CEO of Callaway Gardens. Fischer resigned after 7 years and was replaced on November 25, 2003, by Edward Cason Callaway, Bo's son. Howard H. “Bo” Callaway, who served the Gardens since January 1953, was designated chairman emeritus. The Ida Cason Callaway Foundation applied for and was granted conservation easements on land in 2004 and 2007 by the Georgia Forestry Commission. The easements lower property taxes and restricts use of the land if sold. It can only be developed to include a lodge on . During the economic downturn in 2012, Callaway Gardens sold 7,000 of its 13,000 acres to remain solvent. Outside management William R. "Bill" Doyle, III was hired in June 2015 to replace Edward Callaway. Callaway had just turned 60 and wanted to find a leader with "expertise to take the gardens and resort to the next level with new programming and branding efforts". Doyle had 25 years of experience in the Hospitality industry, including Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris, Georgia, Wild Adventures in Valdosta, Georgia and Dollywood. Edward Callaway remained a trustee of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation. The gardens closed temporarily following Hurricane Irma in September 2017, as it downed hundreds of trees and left the area without power. Cleanup lasted more than a week. Cason’s Tap Room is Callaway Gardens’ newest eating and drinking establishment just outside the Lodge. It opened February 5, 2018, on the birthday of founder Cason J Callaway. In addition to the standard menu served at all restaurants in the Lodge complex, craft beers (including their own, Cason’s); "handcrafted" (specialty) cocktails; and an extensive wine menu, including their own Callaway Family Wines, are offered. Patrons can sit inside or outside on the patio, depending on the weather. During Doyle's tenure he closed two popular major attractions that had been open for 30+ years: Sibley Horticultural Center. This brought some criticism. Doyle resigned effective July 8, 2019, to return to a previous employer, Herschend Family Entertainment. He briefly remained a trustee of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation and assisted in the search for his replacement. Garland E. Horton, III was hired as President/CEO in 2019 and continues as of 2022. Lodge and Spa In a joint venture between Callaway Gardens and Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group, ground was broken on September 27, 2005, for Callaway's resort hotel, the Lodge & Spa. to operate the property, and Noble kept all the profits. However, at some point the left after the 2012 sales was reduced by , because current promotional media states that Callaway Gardens is a garden. a reference to the rare azalea that still grows at the garden. Nearly of pine trees were cut in early 2017 between Robin Lake and the Lodge. It created a clear line of sight between the hotel and the water plus a view of land in the F. D. Roosevelt State Park. Many of the trees were 60 years old, planted in the 1950s, but Cason Callaway did the same thing years prior for the Mountain View Inn. The open area will remain greenspace, have scattered fire pits and hammocks. Lodge at Blue Springs The Lodge at Blue Springs, constructed in the 1930s by Cason J. Callaway, was used by the Callaway family as a vacation home. Local quarried stone was used extensively including the property entrance & gatehouse, pathways, pool & koi pond, plus fireplaces. Built using the Adirondack style and designed by Ivey and Crook, it played host to three US Presidents, including FDR and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places before being left to the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation. Edward Callaway lived there until he moved out in 2015. It is located from Callaway Gardens and not involved with any Garden activity, so the decision was made to list it for sale Cason Callaway Woodland Estate Another parcel of land acquired by Cason J. Callaway and owned by his family was put on the market for the first time in May 2017. The Cason Callaway Woodland Estate is being sold for $42.5 million. ==Attractions==

Trails The garden has trails both for walking and biking. The Discovery Bike Trail, a paved trail that weaves through the wooded gardens, provides guests access to all attractions. In early 2017, Callaway upgraded miles of bicycle trails at a cost of $750,000. • Overlook (Azalea Garden) Trail • Whippoorwill Lake Trail • Mountain Creek Lake Trail • Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl Trail • Holly (Meadowlark Garden) Trail • Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Trail • Rhododendron Trail • Robin Lake Trail Butterfly Center The Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, named after the founder of Days Inns of America, Inc., opened on September 25, 1988. Mrs. Deen Day Sanders, Cecil Day's wife, provided the initial funding for the center. In 2004, the center earned a LEED certification. The conservatory is maintained at approximately 80 °F and 74% relative humidity. The center has 1,000 butterflies representing over 50 species. A third course, the Gardens View Course, was opened in 1969 but was closed in 2002. The attraction was expanded in 2013. Birds of Prey The Birds of Prey Show is presented several times a day at the Discovery Amphitheater. In the mid-1990s, the Earthquest company was contracted to conduct shows during the Summer season. In 2000, the Discovery Amphitheater was constructed along with hawk mews and the flight tower. Earthquest began performing more shows until 2005, when Callaway Gardens decided to hire their own staff and do it themselves. Callaway's birds come to them injured or are human imprinted, which means they never learned to survive in the wild. Raptors are federally protected, so Callaway is permitted to keep and use the birds for conservation education. Show attendees can learn about different raptors from a bird handler and see them fly from their aviary to perches around the arena, then receive a reward. The audience is cautioned not to stand up or raise their hands while the birds are being flown to avoid collisions and/or injury to the birds and spectators. The show usually lasts less than an hour and includes at least one hawk and an owl. by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, "to the glory of God, and in loving memory of Ida Cason Callaway." Constructed using regional materials such as fieldstone quartz, massive pine beams and a slate roof, it was inspired by Gothic architecture. The stained glass windows depict a forest through the four seasons. The chapel was rededicated in 1990. but seats only 50 people. ==Former attractions==

Vegetable Garden ''Mr. Cason's Vegetable Garden'' was started in 1960 and named for Cason Callaway after his death in 1961. He said, "This is going to be the most productive 7½ acres, with the largest number of varieties of fruits and vegetables in the Southeast." The goal was to provide a demonstration garden that would show visitors how and what to grow in their own gardens. As of 1965, the garden provided much of the produce for restaurants serving Callaway Gardens. The goal of the Sibley Horticultural Center was "an expression of man working in harmony with nature while addressing the needs and wants of both plants and people". The facility was permanently closed on November 12, 2015. Renovation for the Lodge conference center was scheduled to begin in late 2019 and be ready in February 2020. Three buildings were demolished eliminating 115 hotel rooms. The facility once contained two swimming pools. The smaller pool sat right outside what was then called the Plantation Room Restaurant which was replaced with a paved courtyard and a koi pond. When asked what happened to the pool, a waitress responded, "I think some of the older ladies didn’t appreciate their husbands ogling over bathing beauties during their meals." Cottages The cottages in the 1980s were a small community for families, with a teen center, pizza parlor and large pool. Each had a full kitchen, BBQ grill and screened porch. However, it was two miles from the Mountain Creek Inn where many activities were held. Those included movies, game nights and theater productions from the La Grange College drama students. The original golf clubhouse became the Gardens Restaurant. ==Seasonal events==

Callaway Gardens annually hosts quite a few seasonal events depicted in the table below. There are other events that have been held including: Sip & Savor, a four-day food and drink festival; Callaway Marathon/Half Marathon/5k/Kids Fun Run; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert; Free Admission on Founders Day; Organ concerts at the Memorial Chapel; Concerts featuring Travis Tritt, Parmalee, 38 Special, The Beach Boys and Foghat; ==Gallery==

Image:Callaway boathouse1.jpg|Boat House Image:16 25 163 callaway.jpg|Mountain Creek Lake Image:Callaway Overlook Gardens Pavilion.jpg|Pavilion by the lake at Overlook Gardens Image:20-01-285-callaway.jpg|Historic marker Image:20-01-275-callaway.jpg|Historic marker == See also ==