THREE FORKS HISTORY: Honor Heights dedicated on Flag Day

Jun. 8—In 1909 the City of Muskogee purchased forty acres of land on Agency Hill from the Creek Nation at a cost of $4,500. The land was overgrown with brambles and brush at the time and the only thing notable about the hillside was a dirt trail providing a great view of the town on the plains below. It made for a great Sunday drive for sightseers.

Little else was located on the hill besides the old Union Agency building which was used for social activities and the farm of Alice Robertson called Sawokla Farm. Robertson's farmhouse was also a social gathering place.

Slowly the Parks Department worked to wrestle a park from the hillside overgrowth and at the same time purchased more land for it. For several years, the park had no official name. Locals referred to it as Agency Hill Park most of the time. Still, the park began to take shape and became a favorite spot for an outing or a picnic.

Following World War I, the nation and the city of Muskogee were looking for ways to honor the men and women who had served in the military during the war. A naming contest for the hillside park was held and the winning entry was Honor Heights Park. City leaders planned to dedicate the park to WWI veterans.

A dedication ceremony was held on Flag Day, June 14, 1920. A cornerstone at the park's entrance states that "This park is laid like a wreath of honor on the highland of the city by the people of Muskogee as a tribute to those of our country who served in the World War."

Honor Heights Park continued to grow in popularity among local residents, but the city hoped to make it a tourist draw. Working with the Muskogee Garden Club and the WPA, rock picnic tables, paths, ponds, trails and the waterfall were added during the 1930s. Its lake, known as Stem Beach, was a popular swimming spot.

A World War II veteran named Art Johnson was hired as a parks department employee. Johnson had trained at Camp Gruber and returned to Muskogee after the war. He became Parks director in the early 1950s. He recognized that while the park was beautiful and brought many locals for a visit, it needed something spectacular to gain wider attention.

Starting with donated azalea plants, Johnson began to add the showy flowers to the park in mass plantings. By 1964, there were over 25,000 azalea plants in Honor Heights and expansion continued for years. The Azalea Festival began in 1967. The azaleas had served their intended purpose for they became an attraction that draws over 250,000 visitors each April.

Reach Jonita Mullins at [email protected]