Athens Fish & Game Club Formed In 1922;
Charter Members Wanted Fishing Lake Located Near City

Organized in 1922 by a group of the progressive citizens who felt their need of a fish
and game club located near enough to Athens to permit them to visit it after business hours,
the Athens Fish and Game Club has become one of East Texas' most popular resorts.
The site of the club, five miles east of Athens, is one of the county's beauty spots.
The lake nestles among two hundred and fifty acres of virgin timber amd natural scenery.
The lake waters spread over one hundred and fifty acres of land, this broad expanse being
fed constantly by innumerable springs.
The Game Club property is equipped with a large clubhouse and with a growing
number of individual cottages which line the lake front. W. B. Johnson, employed as keeper,
remains on duty at all times and the lake is periodically cleaned and re-stocked to provide
excellent fishing for the members.
Dr. Will Richardson, retired physician, was the first president of the club.
The late W. G. Crumpler was vice-president and Attorney E. A. Landman was
secretary of the first group of officers. Present officers are: J. M. Royall, president;
E. F. Wood, Sr., vice-president; and R. B. Royall, secretary-treasurer. Directors are
E. B. Gauntt, E. M. Kimbrough, W. W. Spencer and J. H. Kinabrew.
Since its organization the Athens Fish & Game Club has had four keepers.
Preceding Keeper Johnson were J. R. Carver, A. B. Moon and Cody Hall.
Charter members of the Athens Fish & Game Club were;
Dr. Will Richardson, J. R. Carver, B. C. Wallace, W. G. Crumpler, C. H. Hawn,
W. T. Jenkins, W. R. Bishop, J. J. Montgomery, J. W. Murchison,
R. W. Patterson, V. I. Stirman, W. R. Thomas, A. F. Wood, W. W. Secrest,
A. F. Hood, H. H. Walker, Dan Gentry, Ed Carroll Jr., Mrs. Minnie Williamson,
S. J. McCaleb, Dr. D. Price, W. A. Hawn, W. O. England, B. F. Burr, Paul Gauntt,
W. R. Estes, A. F. Ferrell, T. A. Bartlett, H. L. Flagg,
S. W. Richardson, W. L. Faulk, J. J. Faulk, E. M. Kimbrough, Carl Howard,
E.M. Henderson, John Broom, Dan Browning, Tom Faulk Sr., Dean Jackson,
R. B. Royall, G. J. Eads, Joe A. McDonald, G. B. Connell, Miss Ida Dellis,
E. A. Landman, N. W. Conway and J. F. Gilmore.

Article appeared in the Athens Review. Date unknown.
Transcribed by Laura Gregory Calvin

More information on Athens Fish and Game Club added 1/1/2005:

I would like to pass on a few comments about the Athens Fish and Game Club.
Charter member, Joe A. McDonald was my grandfather. Due to health reasons
he gave his share to my father, Glenn M. McDonald in about 1925. My Dad built
a cabin in partnership with Dr. J. H. Burtis and it seems like I was raised out there
around the lake. We have photos of me around the cabin when I was about 2 years old.
As I was born in 1929, I think the cabin was probably built about that time.

Charter member, R. B. Royall was my wife’s father so we have a family connection
with the lake on both sides.

The first keeper I remember was Cody Hall. I remember Wiley Johnson real well
and as he was keeper when the article was written I think the article was probably
produced about 1940.

I served on Club board from 1992 until 2003. Current board members are Bill Templeton,
President, Mike Morgan, Dean Dickerson, Nancy Pitts, Secretary, Dr. John Wilcox, Bill Harris,
and H. B. Alfred. Keeper is Johnny Fisk
Submitted by:
Bob McDonald bmcdonald@tvcc.edu

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