Lost Corner Preserve, A "Magnificent Legacy," Opens In Sandy Springs

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SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The weather could not have been more perfect in welcoming dozens of Sandy Springs residents, leaders and stakeholders to Lost Corner Preserve to celebrate the amenity's grand opening.

The city hosted the celebration Thursday morning at the 24-acre facility at 7300 Brandon Mill Road.

Mayor Rusty Paul provided the opening remarks to the crowd, which also included current and former elected officials, members of Sandy Springs Conservancy, Friends of Lost Corner and other organizations.

"This is an exciting day," he said, adding Lost Corner Preserve is the second park he's opened since serving as mayor. The first, which he opened alongside Sandy Springs founding mayor Eva Galambos, was the Abernathy Greenway Linear Park.

"I wish she was here to see this one, too," he said. "She'd be extremely proud of what this place is because she was intricately involved in helping pull this together as well."

Lost Corner Preserve includes 24 acres of wildlife, horticulture and local history. Since 1821, the property remained under the ownership of just two families, until its transfer to the city in eight years ago.

The property was deeded to Sandy Springs in 2008 by the property’s owner Peggy Miles. Her family originally moved onto the property in 1913; Fred Miles was an electrician and worked for Georgia Power selling electricity by the recently constructed Morgan Falls Hydroelectric Dam.

Miles and his wife, Nancy, built a bungalow-style house, which was one of the first in the area to have electricity. The property was called Lost Corner because those who tried to find it often found themselves lost. The Miles’ had five children, and daughter Peggy grew up at Lost Corner and lived there until her death in 2008.

Friends of Lost Corner, a nonprofit created to help the city turn Lost Corner from home site to recreation area for residents, unofficially began in 2003 when nearby neighbors, Trisha Thompson Fox and Cheryl Barlow, began visiting Peggy Miles at Lost Corner.

Over the years, they developed a special bond with Miles, often chatting about the many animals and plants that lived at Lost Corner. During one of those visits, Miles relayed her desire to have Lost Corner preserved for future generations to enjoy.

That wish was made true through efforts by Friends of Lost Corner, The Trust for Public Land, The Sandy Springs Conservancy, Fulton County Commissioner’s Office, The Georgia Land Conservation and the city.

So many organizations and residents have had their fingerprints over a preservation plan that's been years in the making, the mayor said.

Paul said Peggy Miles wanted to make sure the place was preserved before she passed away "because she understood the unique nature of this plot of ground."

"You don't find places like this in highly developed, urban areas anywhere in the country, and for her legacy of making sure that this was saved and preserved and protected and kept for this community is a magnificent legacy for a wonderful lady," he said.

The land has remained largely unaltered, and the century-old bungalow style home of the Miles family has been renovated to provide space to accommodate community activities and private events.

A community garden was added to the property in late 2014 and in 2015, a greenhouse was installed, donated by the Glenn-Mason family. The city also in 2015 installed a honeybee hive as part of an Urban Beekeeping initiative.

A mile of slate-surfaced hiking trails was installed using a grant from the Department of Natural Resources Trail Fund and Sandy Springs Conservancy.

After Miles confided her wishes to those closest around her before she passed away, both Trisha Thompson and Cheryl Barlow went to work in helping transform that dream into a reality.

Thompson said Thursday's celebration was a "fantastic" culmination of the hard work the community has undertaken to open Lost Corner Preserve to the public. She noted the community garden on the site already has a wait list of about 50 people.

While Thursday's celebration was reflective of the city's progress, Thompson reiterated that the work of the dozens of people behind the scenes can't be understated.

"Without them, this couldn't have been done."

Barlow, who said her 10-year-old son used to visit with Miles on the property before she passed away, added she hopes Lost Corner Preserve will be treasured by younger and older residents alike.

"If the kids don't love nature, they are not going to protect it for the future," she added.

The cottage is open only for reserved use. Those wishing to rent the cottage need to submit that request by filling out the Recreation and Parks Event Questionnaire found on the city’s website.

The city’s Recreation and Parks Department will oversee maintenance and operations. The park will be open daylight to dusk, with special times permitted related to facility/program use.

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Images via Kristal Dixon