How Many Libraries Have A Park? We Do!

One of the advantages of working here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library is being able to walk out the door, cross the parking lot, and enter the gate of Bert Harsh Park. I say advantage, because it's a place where we can take our brown bag lunches, or meals from Fuller's Restaurant across the street, and sit in the sunshine while we eat. There are picnic tables, benches, plenty of shade, and lots of grass. And those of us who work here are close enough to it to enjoy it on a daily basis. Not many people are that lucky!
I drove past the park last Friday and noticed two women and a little girl sitting at one of the tables. Five children of various ages were running around in the fence-enclosed park, tossing a Nerf ball and laughing and hollaring. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and it was just a beautiful day to be in the park. Made me envious!
The park is on the corner of Fifth Street, S.E., and Fourth Avenue. It's not very big, but just big enough for several families, singles, or couples to enjoy. But you know, not many people who come to Bert Harsh Park know about the man it was named for. They also don't know that there are trees in the park named for famous people, such as Jimmy Carter Slash Pine, Julia Gordon Lowe Crepe Myrtle, and Abraham Lincoln oak.
So, let me tell you a little about Bert Harsh. He was a trustee on the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library Board when the new library was built in 1963-64 and served as chairman for two terms from 1978-1984. Then he served a third term when the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library was built in 1988-89.
He was a native of Goshen, IN, but came to Moultrie in 1951, after managing the Pal-Waukee Airport near Chicago, IL. He worked at Spence Field for Hawthorne Aviation in the USAF Pilot Training Program and made Moultrie his home. In 1978, Mr. Harsh was named Moultrie's "Man of the Year" by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce.
The park was named after him because he suggested establishing one outside the library. There wasn't anything on that little corner. When the genealogical library wing was finished, Mr. Harsh helped transform the space into a park, and because of his love for trees, it was decided to turn the park into a historic grove.
Trees were purchased from Famous & Historic Trees of Jacksonville, FL, and local groups and individuals sponsored the trees at a cost of about $40 each. Twenty-two trees, offshoots of those with documented historical significance, were planted in the area. Also, in the park is a cast-iron sundial, which has a time capsule scheduled to be opened on February 27, 2093, one hundred years after the dedication of the park. Everything in the park was donated by friends of the library.
By establishing the grove, Moultrie became the first among 300 designated Tree Cities USA to plant one. During the dedication ceremony in February 1993, someone said: "This is a place of learning. This is a place of history. It is dedicated to the people and children of Moultrie for quiet reflection of the past and future of the community." The park has been called "an oasis of green to push away concrete in a world that often seems determined to cover everything with asphalt."
This is the perfect weather to enjoy the library's park. The next time you come to the library or drive by, take a little stroll over to Bert Harsh Park, sit on a picnic bench, feel the sunshine warm your shoulders, smell the sweet breeze, and listen to the birds chirp. You'll be glad you did.