In 1818, when Andrew Jackson marched his Army into Fort Scott, there was 1,600 militia volenters and 1,000 native Americans under Col. McIntosh.

Next morning, John Hutchinson, nephew of Mrs. Ratheal Jackson sed, “Uncle Andrew, I’d like to have a plantation on top of that high hill.”

Gen. Jackson, sitting at his field desk, whipped out a piece of paper and gave him a deed to 500 acres of land. It was 1822 before John Hutchinson was able to move on that piece of property. He road a horse to Milledgeville and got a permit from the government, to operate a ferry across the Flint River. He was a successful farmer and bought up many more acres of land, he died in 1856.  There is a cemetery with 34 graves in it and only four have names on them.  They are soldiers.  This cemetery is mostly slaves, native Americans, and the soldiers, this cemetery is a fitting tribute to those who lived, worked and died on the plantation.  So is the 300 acres of land that has not had the timber cut since 1946, nor has a fire been in it, there are artifacts from the plantation hanging in the dining room at Wingate’s Lodge and two big oak trees that John Hutchinson planted are still standing on Booster Club Road.  Surely a marker “Chattahoochee Valley Authority” at Ufalla can furnish that, should be put at his old home place.

Now, I’ve been on the mural board of directors since it began over in Dothan. We are now preparing to paint the Country Music Mural. Here are the ones we now have on the proposed sketch, Hank Williams Sr., Hank Williams Jr., and Mrs. Andre Williams. Those connected to the Williams’ are Don Helms, Lamar Morris, Dixie Hatfield. The other nine are Stonewall Jackson, Harold Lee “Curly” Chalker, Charlie Monk, Lew Childree, Darrel Singletary, Billy Dean, Ray Kirkland, Boudreax Bryant and Jimmy Watford. Wish us luck.

Bream are still on beds at the 2-foot level with shellcrackers at the 6-foot level in pepper grass.  They are hard to pull out of the grass. Panfish seem to be the fish of the week. Bass has been slow most all week. However, some good fish was taken.

We need to mark your calendar for Sept. 5 for the Panfish Tournament at Spring Creek Park, $1,000 first place.

Two clubs fished out over the weekend: Tri-States Bass Club and Hog Hunters of Tallahassee. We were not able to get the scores or who won either one due to heavy rain and high winds both days.

Wingate’s Fishing Report

August 16 , 2009

Lake Surface Temp:83Lake Level: 8 inches downFlint: GreenishChattahoochee: Clear and FastSpring Creek: Muddy at BrinsonReport provided by: Jack Wingate