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 During
the 1940's the Georgia 4-H Program operated two 4-H facilities. The
oldest of the facilities is Wahsega 4-H Center just north of Dahlonega,
which began operation in the 1930's. In 1947, Georgia 4-H'ers
began camping at Tybee Island 4-H Center near Savannah. During
this time, Bill Sutton served as State 4-H Leader, overseeing
one of the most rapid growth periods of 4-H membership in the
state of Georgia. Mr. Sutton dreamed of building a 4-H center
where 1,000 boys and girls could attend camp at one time. On
November 17, 1948, Mr. Sutton and other 4-H supporters and employees
of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service chartered
the Georgia 4-H Foundation. The Foundation was created to raise
and administer funding for the construction of Rock Eagle.
Location
of the 4-H center was selected in 1950 when John A. (Red) Smith,
County Extension Agent in Putnam County, suggested that the center
be built near the Rock Eagle Effigy Mound in the northern end of
Putnam County. Mr. Sutton, with the aid of the Foundation Board
of Directors, secured matching state funds from Governor Herman Talmadge.
Mr. Talmadge agreed that for every private dollar the 4-H Foundation
raised he would match it with one state dollar, in addition to
providing skilled prison labor to construct the facility. In June
of 1952, 4-H'ers attended ground breaking activities at the new 4-H
Center site.
 Construction was
started and the prisoners lived on the 4-H Center in a prison
facility built on site. The building now serves as the Administration
Office for the fiscal operations of the center and provides office
space for the 4-H Summer Camping Program, 4-H Environmental Education,
and 4-H Technology staff. On October 31, 1954, the 4-H Center
was dedicated. Later, in 1955, the center was opened for operation.
Rock Eagle 4-H Center
has served millions of people from throughout the United States
and all over the world. During the dedication of the 4-H Center,
E.W. Aiton, National 4-H Club Leader said, "The Center's timbered
hills will now grow a crop even greater than cotton or livestock
which once covered the area. It will be used to develop the boys
and girls who make the Nation's leaders."
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