Pine Mountain State Park
Also known as: FDR State Park, Western Half
Why it's listed
Pine Mountain State Park occupies a forested ridge in Harris County, Georgia, about 30 miles north of Columbus. The district covers 4,568 acres and combines a state park with a contiguous recreational demonstration area, a New Deal program that turned worn-out farmland into recreation space. Planning began in 1933, with the National Park Service providing technical supervision and the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration supplying labor. The park opened in 1938 and was complete when the CCC left in 1941. Its features include the Pine Mountain Parkway along the ridge, a tavern, vacation cabins by Lake Delanor, group camps at Lake Franklin, and a day-use area with the Liberty Bell Pool and bathhouse. Franklin Roosevelt, who lived part-time nearby at Warm Springs, promoted the park and the scenic drive. The nomination holds the park up as a varied demonstration of Park Service planning, and notes the group camps survive with almost no alteration. Today it forms the western half of Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the park as a rare example of New Deal park planning by the National Park Service, built by the CCC and WPA. It combined a skyline parkway, a group camp area, a lodge and cabins, a day-use area and a campground in one small park. Franklin Roosevelt took a personal interest in it, and the park retains a high degree of integrity. It was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 97001273, listed September 25, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2790 Georgia Hwy. 190, Pine Mountain |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | September 25, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001273 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | National Park Service landscape architects, with Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration labor |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman; NPS Rustic |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Conservation, Politics/Government, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated September 25, 1997 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a state park; the historic group camps keep a high degree of integrity, while the Lake Delanor area has had more alterations, including post-World War II cabins and RV pads. |
| Acreage | 4518 |
| Coordinates | 32.83081, -78.81725 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 97001273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5423860
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.