Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge
Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Location | McIntosh County, Georgia, United States |
Nearest city | Riceboro, Georgia |
Coordinates | 31°38′00″N 81°16′00″W / 31.63333°N 81.26667°W |
Area | 2,762 acres (11.18 km2) |
Established | 1962 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
Website | Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge |
Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1962. It consists of 2,762 acres (11.18 km2) of
Early history
Harris Neck is a coastal peninsula located 30 miles (48 km) south of Savannah, Georgia in McIntosh County. The nearest town is South Newport, six miles (10 km) to the west. Originally named Dickinson's Neck, the peninsula was renamed when William Thomas Harris became the principal land owner in the mid-18th century.
The land was deeded to a former slave in 1865 by a plantation owner. Black families settled in the area and built houses as well as oyster and crab processing factories.[1]
The original Harris Neck airfield was built sometime between 1929 and 1932. Named "Harris Neck Intermediate Field Site #8", it was an emergency airfield for commercial planes on the
Army airfield
In mid-1942, the
Today, there is very little left to show that the area was once an airfield. Other than the overgrown runways, taxiways, revetments, munitions bunkers and the bore sighting range, the only structure that still exists on the former military airfield is a water fountain which must have belonged to Livingston House. The area is very overgrown, access is limited by "keep out" signs.
Former residents of the displaced community and their descendants are attempting to work out a compromise with the federal government to allow them to return to their land, without significantly disrupting the wildlife refuge.[1][2]
Wildlife refuge established
The Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge (HNNWR) was established in 1962 by transfer of federal lands and the World War II Army airfield formerly managed by the Federal Aviation Administration. The refuge consists of 2,762 acres (11.18 km2) of saltwater marsh, grassland, mixed deciduous woods, and cropland.
HNNWR is located in
The public access to the refuge consists of over 15 miles (24 km) of paved roads and trails provide the visitor easy access to the many different habitats.
Chosen for its accessibility and bird diversity, Harris Neck is one of 18 sites forming the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, inaugurated in 2000.
References
- ^ a b c Dewan, Shaila. Black Landowners Fight to Reclaim Georgia Home. The New York Times. June 30, 2010.
- ^ "Harris Neck Land Trust". Retrieved July 1, 2010.
External links
- Media related to Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge at Wikimedia Commons
- Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge website