Twin Lakes State Park (formerly known as Goodwin Lake Park and Prince Edward State Park for Negroes), is a state park in Virginia, United States. It is located in Central Virginia in Prince Edward County. Twin Lakes State Park, centrally located in Virginia's Piedmont region, provides visitors from all over the Commonwealth with a variety of lakefront activities in a secluded setting. Swimming, camping, fishing, biking, canoeing and hiking are popular activities. The park is home to Cedar Crest Conference Center, a perfect facility for group meetings, family reunions, birthday parties, wedding receptions and company picnics.
The land for Twin Lakes State Park was initially bought from struggling farmers by the federal government during the Great Depression. Two parks, Goodwin Lake and Prince Edward Lake, were founded in 1939 and until the early 1960s were run as two racially segregated parks.
In 1948, businessman Maceo Conrad Martin and his family embarked on a vacation to Staunton River State Park. As expected, Park authorities denied the Martins entry to the state park based on their race. The Martins consulted the Richmond, Virginia-based civil rights law firm of Hill, Tucker and Robinson, led by Oliver Hill. Hill's firm filed a civil suit against the Commonwealth of Virginia under the “separate but equal” doctrine. The suit alleged that Staunton River State Park's policy only allowed white citizens to use its facility, with no accommodations for African Americans. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Development first responded by converting a segregated African-American/"Colored Only" recreation area into a state park facility: the "Prince Edward State Park for Negroes" (now the Twin Lakes State Park). In 1949, Virginia Governor William Tuck allotted $195,000 to create 6 housekeeping cabins, an expanded swimming area, expanded parking, a bathhouse, and concession stand.[3]
Opened to the general "Colored Only/African-Americans Only" public in June 1950, Prince Edward State Park for Negroes became Virginia's eighth state park and the only pre-Civil Rights Era state park for African-Americans.[4] African Americans from across the mid-Atlantic states visited the park for its swimming, recreation, camping and dancing.[5]
The parks merged in 1976 and became Twin Lakes State Park in 1986.
In 1995, Virginia erected a marker to acknowledge his lawsuit's contribution to desegregating the park.[6] The marker reads:
Prince Edward State Park for Negroes was established in 1950 one mile west on the site of the former Prince Edward Lake Recreation Area for Negroes. Maceo C. Martin, an African American from Danville, sued the state when he was denied access to Staunton River State Park. Governor William M. Tuck funded the new park to provide "similar and equal" facilities in lieu of access. The park, with a black superintendent, was operated separately from neighboring Goodwin Lake Recreation Area until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The two parks merged in 1986 to form Twin Lakes State Park.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twin Lakes State Park (Virginia).
twin, lakes, state, park, virginia, twin, lakes, state, park, formerly, known, goodwin, lake, park, prince, edward, state, park, negroes, state, park, virginia, united, states, located, central, virginia, prince, edward, county, twin, lakes, state, park, centr. Twin Lakes State Park formerly known as Goodwin Lake Park and Prince Edward State Park for Negroes is a state park in Virginia United States It is located in Central Virginia in Prince Edward County Twin Lakes State Park centrally located in Virginia s Piedmont region provides visitors from all over the Commonwealth with a variety of lakefront activities in a secluded setting Swimming camping fishing biking canoeing and hiking are popular activities The park is home to Cedar Crest Conference Center a perfect facility for group meetings family reunions birthday parties wedding receptions and company picnics Twin Lakes State ParkCedar Crest Conference Center in the parkLocationVirginia United StatesNearest cityGreen BayCoordinates37 10 26 N 78 16 25 W 37 17389 N 78 27361 W 37 17389 78 27361Area495 acres 2 00 km2 Governing bodyVirginia Department of Conservation and RecreationTwin Lakes State ParkU S National Register of Historic PlacesVirginia Landmarks RegisterNRHP reference No 12000906 1 VLR No 073 0070Significant datesAdded to NRHPOctober 31 2012Designated VLRSeptember 18 2008 2 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe land for Twin Lakes State Park was initially bought from struggling farmers by the federal government during the Great Depression Two parks Goodwin Lake and Prince Edward Lake were founded in 1939 and until the early 1960s were run as two racially segregated parks In 1948 businessman Maceo Conrad Martin and his family embarked on a vacation to Staunton River State Park As expected Park authorities denied the Martins entry to the state park based on their race The Martins consulted the Richmond Virginia based civil rights law firm of Hill Tucker and Robinson led by Oliver Hill Hill s firm filed a civil suit against the Commonwealth of Virginia under the separate but equal doctrine The suit alleged that Staunton River State Park s policy only allowed white citizens to use its facility with no accommodations for African Americans The Virginia Department of Conservation and Development first responded by converting a segregated African American Colored Only recreation area into a state park facility the Prince Edward State Park for Negroes now the Twin Lakes State Park In 1949 Virginia Governor William Tuck allotted 195 000 to create 6 housekeeping cabins an expanded swimming area expanded parking a bathhouse and concession stand 3 Opened to the general Colored Only African Americans Only public in June 1950 Prince Edward State Park for Negroes became Virginia s eighth state park and the only pre Civil Rights Era state park for African Americans 4 African Americans from across the mid Atlantic states visited the park for its swimming recreation camping and dancing 5 The parks merged in 1976 and became Twin Lakes State Park in 1986 In 1995 Virginia erected a marker to acknowledge his lawsuit s contribution to desegregating the park 6 The marker reads Prince Edward State Park for Negroes was established in 1950 one mile west on the site of the former Prince Edward Lake Recreation Area for Negroes Maceo C Martin an African American from Danville sued the state when he was denied access to Staunton River State Park Governor William M Tuck funded the new park to provide similar and equal facilities in lieu of access The park with a black superintendent was operated separately from neighboring Goodwin Lake Recreation Area until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 The two parks merged in 1986 to form Twin Lakes State Park nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Twin Lakes State Park Virginia See also editList of Virginia state parks List of Virginia state forestsReferences edit Weekly list of actions taken on properties 10 29 12 through 11 2 12 National Park Service November 9 2012 Retrieved November 13 2012 Virginia Landmarks Register Virginia Department of Historic Resources Archived from the original on September 21 2013 Retrieved June 5 2013 Maceo Conrad Martin PDF Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Retrieved September 20 2021 Christen Miller February 19 2019 History of a Pre Civil Rights Era State Park In the Interest of Justice Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Retrieved September 20 2019 Department of Historical Resources 1995 Prince Edward State Park for Negroes Historical Marker Database Retrieved May 5 2018 External links editTwin Lakes This article about a property in Prince Edward County Virginia on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Twin Lakes State Park Virginia amp oldid 1219109274, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
