Near Burkeville in Prince Edward County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Prince Edward State Park for Negroes

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 18, 2010

1. Prince Edward State Park for Negroes Marker

Inscription. Prince Edward State Park for Negroes was established in 1950 one mile west on the site of the former Prince Edward Lake Recreation Area for Negroes. Maceo C. Martin, an African American from Danville, sued the state when he was denied access to Staunton River State Park. Governor William M. Tuck funded the new park to provide "similar and equal" facilities in lieu of access. The park, with a black superintendent, was operated separately from neighboring Goodwin Lake Recreation Area until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The two parks merged in 1986 to form Twin Lakes State Park.

Erected 1995 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number M-23.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.

Location. 37° 10.198′ N, 78° 15.004′ W. Marker is near Burkeville, Virginia, in Prince Edward County. It is at the intersection of Patrick Henry Highway (U.S. 360) and Twin Lakes Road (County Route 621), on the right when traveling west on Patrick Henry Highway

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. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2534 Patrick Henry Hwy, Burkeville VA 23922, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Piedmont,

in Southside Virginia,

and specifically in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Prince Edward County / Nottoway County (approx. 1.1 miles away); a different marker also named Prince Edward State Park for Negroes (approx. 1.1 miles away); Prince Edward State Park: A Refuge of Freedom (approx. 1.2 miles away); Pushing the Boundaries (approx. 1.2 miles away); Twin Lakes State Park (approx. 1.6 miles away); Burkeville Junction (approx. 2.9 miles away); Burkeville (approx. 2.9 miles away); a different marker also named Burkeville Junction (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Burkeville.

Patrick Henry Hwy & Twin Lakes Rd (facing west) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, May 18, 2010

2. Patrick Henry Hwy & Twin Lakes Rd (facing west)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 11, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,724 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 23, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.