Jimmy Smith
McIntosh Community
May 14, 2020
Jeff Whitten Editor
Coastal Courier
Dear Mr. Whitten
Please allow me to shed some light on a long ago happening on our beautiful Liberty County Coast.
Way back in the old days of our county only a handful of people lived on or near our waterfront.
I have heard of the Legendary story, about forty acres and a mule of what happened to our coastal property after the War Between The States. War. Allegedly after the Federal Army defeated the Confederate Army a condition of the peace was to award the former Slaves with forty acres and a mule for each family. Something along this line is our history.
As time progressed and eventually advalorem Property Tax was imposed land ownership actually became a burden to those less fortunate land owners. Gradually over time most of our property ownership transferred to those among us who were more fortunate. The more well to do amassed ownership of most of the property.
As Liberty County developed thru and after the great Depression years dirt trails became roads and eventually they were paved by local and State governments. Liberty County had two beautiful Islands named St. Catherine's Island and Colonels Island. St. Catherine's Island was separated from the mainland by the Inter-coastal waterway and therefore to this day it is only assessable by boat. In the twenties until the early forties Colonels Island was separated from the mainland by a few hundred feet of Marsh which was under shallow water for a short period of time at high tide.
When the local officials erected a causeway to Colonels Island and later built a road to the southeastern side of the Island Mr. Hammond Eve deeded a beautiful parcel of land on the bluff of the North Newport River at Halfmoon to the people of Liberty County. Along about the same time large landowner Mr. John Porter Stevens gift deeded a parcel of the eastern most tip of the mainland to the African Americans of Liberty. It was accepted belief by all that the the Eve property was for the white people only and whites were excluded from the Stevens property. This remained accepted until I became Chairman of the County Commission in 1999.
During my campaign of 1998 it became an issue that we needed to capitalize on our beautiful coastal property. Our county had approved every single Sales Tax revenue Proposal to come before the voters. However there were only three commercial operations east of I-95 in our county. Those business owners all combined only collected and reported minimal amounts of sales tax. During my campaign I became committed to changing that.
During my Administration,1999-2002 we in cooperation with the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) erected a fishing pier and enhanced the boat ramp at Sunbury. About the same time we erected a facility for social gatherings at Halfmoon on the Eve property which had been given to the county many years ago.
I have seen the Stevens deed to the county for the Martha Randolph Stevens Park. There is a condition in that deed which instructs that if the property ever ceases to be used for public recreation: "The Superior Court Judge should hold an auction and sell the property to the high bidder". It also says that the proceeds of the sale should benefit our African American people.
The property ceased to be used by anyone and remains behind a locked gate with virtually nobody using it for anything. I hope Chairman Donald Lovett or his opponent Graylin Quarterman (whoever wins) along with the new Board of Commissioners will abide by Mr. Stevens wish and sell this property to be used as commercial only for the betterment of us all. A waterfront restaurant and boat ramp would generate much tax revenue and create a substantial payroll for employees.
Sadly we remain the least developed coastal county and the Fire Protection and others services such as road maintenance etc on the east end is a heavy burden on the rest of us who own property in this county.
Sincerely yours
Jimmy Smith
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