F. D. Roosevelt State Park is located in west central Georgia, 80 miles (128 km) southwest of Atlanta. With more than 9,000 acres and 40 miles of trails, F. D. Roosevelt is Georgia’s largest state park. A statute of FDR stands at Dowdell’s Knob inside the park. FDR convalesced from polio near here, and his Civilian Conservation Corps program built many of the structures in the park, including the stone swimming pool. The park is open until 10 pm, but cottages and campsites are available for rental. A visitor to EarthSky describes their favorite spots: “There are three overlooks on that highway. One has a gate that closes at dusk. The other two are just off the road with no gate. Both have a very good view of the sky and unobstructed horizon.”
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.