The Park of the Month for August, Hungry Mother State Park is a long time family favorite. Once you visit the park it somehow becomes a part of you and you can't help but feel like you have stepped back in time.

What is the history and background to this park that has stood the test of time as a treasure to Southwest Virginia?

History

Prior to 1936, a system of parks was only a dream for Will Carson. No state in the country had developed such a system and he was convinced Virginia could benefit from statewide park system. Fortunately, for him and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Carson had connections to just the man who could find funding for the project. It just so happened at the same time, President Franklin Roosevelt was making steps to develop the Civilian Conservation Corps. Carson approached President Roosevelt and convinced him to give this idea a chance. And that is how the Virginia State Park system came to exist.

With this challenge accepted, Carson set out to create his statewide system of parks. He decided to start with six parks sprinkled throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia with one of the six being located in Marion, Virginia. With land donated by local citizens, progress started and Hungry Mother State Park was on its way to becoming a reality. In fact, progress moved so swiftly that Hungry Mother was designated as the site for the opening ceremony.

On June 15, 1936, the Town of Marion was preparing for one of its biggest celebrations. The festivities were planned for the weekend. There was nothing like Hungry Mother State Park in all of Southwest Virginia. And the expectations were spreading throughout region. State and local dignitaries attended including Governor George Peery. Crowds came from all surrounding areas and the party began.

The park was introduced with five cabins, three shelters, a manmade 108 acres lake and a sandy swim beach. Prices were set for the average man. Not only was the park developed as recreational, but it was intended to be a refuge that all citizens could afford. And all these years later, we still strive to do the same.

The Legend

You don’t get a name like Hungry Mother without having a story behind it. Sometimes the story is truth and sometimes it is based on fiction, and sometimes you just don’t know which it is. As for Hungry Mother State Park, there is a legend about the name. Actually, there are several versions of the legend but there is one that is recounted more often than others.

There was a settlement along the New River that was destroyed by Native Americans. Two of the survivors were Molly Marley and her young son. They were taken to a base camp and eventually escaped. They wondered through the woods hungry and looking for food. Molly found berries and fed them to her son, taking none for herself. The search party looking for them found the son wondering by the stream and the only words he could say were “Hungry Mother”. When they found Molly, she had collapsed from hunger. They named the creek Hungry Mother Creek and the highest peak in the peak is now called Molly’s Knob.

Activities

Much of what Hungry Mother State Park offers today is based on those two things. Here are just a few things that have been passed down through the generations and are still at Hungry Mother.

            Swim Beach – In 1936, there was nothing like the beach at Hungry Mother State Park in Southwest Virginia. It drew crowds from the entire region. Today it remains one of the favorite activities at the park.

              Discovery Center – Although the Discovery Center wasn’t built until 1999, much of the heritage of the park is honored there. A replica of a common cabin, during the time of Molly Marley, stands just as you walk through the door. As you begin to explore the Discovery Center, you will find pictures, newspaper articles, and memorabilia from the CCC camps that served at Hungry Mother State Park.

             Original CCC Structures - Many of the original CCC structures are still standing today. Cabins 1-5 are log cabins built by CCC. Central heat and air have been added over the years, but the structure itself remains the same. All three shelters in the park are CCC structures, the stone restroom, closest to Shelter 3, is also. The park does a CCC Historical Walk that focuses on all the CCC structures and the Corps impact in the park.  The Paddling in the Park canoe program also discusses the CCC history. As you read this, new programs are being developed to feature the importance of the CCC to Virginia State Parks.

              Medians – Last but not least, and my personal favorite, are the medians that can be found in each parking lot in Hungry Mother State Park proper. The medians were built to represent the tools used by the crews building the park. Each median is in the shape of a different tool. The creativity and thought that went into that project amazes me every time I think about it. Go from parking lot to parking lot and see if you can recognize the tool in the median.

Our past helps create our future, so, when you are visiting Hungry Mother State Park, take a minute and look at things through the eyes of 1936.