How a denied vacation forced Virginia to create its first black-only state park in 1950

Twin Lakes State Park

When Maceo Conrad Martin sued Virginia for denying him access to white state parks, Governor William Tuck responded with $195,000 to build Prince Edward State Park in 1950.

Six new cabins, an expanded beach, and a bathhouse welcomed thousands of Black visitors. Edgar Latham became Virginia’s first Black park superintendent that same year.

This is how one lawsuit created a sanctuary, preserved today at Twin Lakes State Park.

The Lawsuit That Created a Park

In 1948, Maceo Conrad Martin tried to visit Staunton River State Park with his family. Park staff turned them away because they were Black.

Martin hired Oliver W. Hill Sr. from a Richmond civil rights law firm. Hill sued Virginia for its whites-only park policy. The lawsuit asked for “separate but equal” facilities for Black citizens.

This legal approach matched what courts accepted before the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

From Recreation Area to State Park

Virginia responded to Martin’s lawsuit by upgrading a spot already used by African Americans instead of opening existing parks to everyone. Officials picked Prince Edward Lake Recreation Area for this upgrade.

In January 1949, Governor William Tuck set aside $195,000 for the project. This money aimed to build facilities equal to white state parks. Officials hoped this would satisfy the courts while keeping parks segregated.

Building a Park for African Americans

Workers expanded the swimming beach and parking lots. They built new roads, six cabins for overnight stays, a bathhouse, and a concession stand.

The park opened in June 1950 as Prince Edward State Park for Negroes. Signs with this name marked the entrance. The six cabins became especially important. Few places in the segregated South offered overnight lodging for Black travelers.

Edgar Latham: The First Black Superintendent

Edgar Latham worked as a lifeguard at Prince Edward Lake before it became a state park. In 1950, officials made him superintendent. This made Latham the first African American superintendent in Virginia state parks history.

He ran all parts of park operations. Latham led an all-Black staff who kept up the grounds, patrolled the park, and helped visitors. His work built the park’s good reputation.

A Rapidly Growing Destination

Visitor numbers jumped after the park opened. In 1949, about 16,000 people came to the recreation area. By 1951, over 52,000 visited the new state park.

Black families traveled from Hampton, Fredericksburg, Roanoke, and even nearby states. The park let them enjoy outdoor recreation without facing segregation rules.

On summer weekends, church groups and social clubs arrived by the busload. Parking spaces filled as families came for day trips and weekend stays.

The Sounds of Saturday Night

The park restaurant became a dance hall on weekends. A jukebox played music for Saturday night gatherings.

People came from all over for these dances. Young adults especially enjoyed these events where they could socialize freely.

These dances built community during strict segregation. For many Black Virginians, Prince Edward State Park offered one of few places to gather and celebrate.

Where the Beach Was Always Crowded

The swimming beach drew the biggest crowds. On hot summer days, hundreds packed the shoreline.

Willie Bowen, who later worked at the park, remembered how busy it got: “On good Sundays you could hardly find parking and the beach was so crowded you couldn’t walk.” The park rented bathing suits to visitors who came without swimwear.

During peak times, swimmers filled the lake while others waited their turn.

Herbert Doswell Takes the Helm

Herbert Doswell became park superintendent in 1960 after Edgar Latham. Doswell had worked at Prince Edward Lake before, so he knew the park well.

As the second Black superintendent in Virginia state parks, Doswell kept improving the park. He focused on good service and facilities.

Under Doswell, the park sometimes hosted 4,000 visitors in a single day. He guided the park through the 1960s when segregation laws changed.

Jobs That Built Careers

Prince Edward State Park created jobs for African Americans when professional positions were hard to find due to segregation. Young Black men and women worked as lifeguards, rangers, maintenance staff, and concession workers.

Some came from other states just to work there. These jobs provided more than money. They offered work experience that helped people build careers.

Several employees, including Doswell, went on to careers in park management.

Two Lakes, Two Worlds

Prince Edward State Park shared a boundary with whites-only Goodwin Lake Recreation Area. Just half a mile separated them. Each park had its own racially segregated staff.

Prince Edward employed only Black workers, while Goodwin Lake hired only whites. Local stories tell of visitors from both parks venturing toward the boundary between them. After 1964, both parks stayed separate until they merged in 1976.

Visiting Twin Lakes State Park

You’ll find Twin Lakes State Park at 788 Twin Lakes Road in Green Bay, Virginia. The park welcomes visitors daily, year-round.

Permanent attractions include swimming at Goodwin Lake beach, hiking six miles of forest trails, and fishing in both lakes for bass, crappie, and catfish. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards seasonally.

The Cedar Crest Conference Center, once the park’s dance hall, now hosts events and contains historical exhibits about the park’s civil rights significance.

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