The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1949-09-08
BY Hazel Brunusn

80 19@4
groups and organizations over
the county for various types Of
recreation-and il is a pleasure
in the fall to ride down through
the winding road to the lake and
see the trees IN their fall dress.
incidentally, since the Board OF
Supervisors purchased o few adj
ditional acres and the lake has
been made a little larger it is re-
ported that the muddy waters will
be no more. The water vas mud
died by acreage around the lake
which drained into it. There is
expected to be, by next summer,
clear water for the swimmers to
enjoy. This is welcome news in
deed.
Speaking of Improvements over
the county-have you gone to
Castalian Springs lAtely?
Castalisn Springs, al everyone
knows, is the property owned un-
til just recently by the c. S. Hin
family, and the site Of what was
many years ago a fashionable
watering place. People were said
to have come from miles around
to drunk the famous waters and
recover from malaria which pre-
vailed at that time, particularly
in The Mississippi Delta.
Castalian was purchased some
time ago trom the Hills by the
Mississiupi State YMCA and has
been the scene this year OF a num-
ber OF camps. Altogether 1877 boys
and girls and adults iagsn all 'purts
of the state have been in camp
there from April zs-suly 9TH The
number would have been more
than 1000 but due to the polio
epidemic two camps were can
celled. Attendance at camps next
summer is expected to reach at
least 1900.
Since the State Y has pur-
chased the property a great num-
Der Of improvements have been
made. Five cottages have been
built and completely furnished
and sanitary facilities installed;
a recreational building mas been
erected; the tennis courts I'M
proved; the spring has been
cleaned; the main hotel building
which has 81 rooms has been com
,pletely redecorated inside and
out; a butane gas system install
led for cooking; a new well
drilled and a hot water system IN
stalled throughout the hotel with
two new shower rooms built and
existing ones completely reno
waited; a dam has sbeen built rails
ing the water level of the lake
about four Feet.
While a great deal has already
been accomplished still greater
improvements r Ereeded and are
expected to be effected before the
camp reaches the standards de-
sired by state Y 1estiers.
They have hoped to build a
swimming pool with circulating
water and get the tennis courts in
first class shape; to build five
more cottages to take care of the
crowds; finish the athletic field
for sports. When this is done the
lake will be used for fishing and
boating. The lake is three or four
acres larger than formerly due to
the erection of a dam thereby
raising the water acvel.
At present Y officials r busy
trying to stock the lake with fish
and are engaged in a program
irving to protect the squirrels for
the enjoyment of the campers. In
order to do this they have posted
the Castalian property-but ex-
plain they are doing this only to
nrotect the Y from lawsuits in
case anyone should go lnto the
lake without permission and with
out a lifeguard being present and
drown-and to protect the SPUR
tels and what few fish there are
in the lake. Visitors are desired
and are welcome. Il
So If you are driving around
some Sunday afternoon or some
other time it might be interesting
to 20 out to Castalian and see
what a great camp they have. II
is and viii be in the future a great
credit to the state-and we. Zee
that we in Holmes county are
fortunate to have such a fine
group of people in our midst.