Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

In 1937, majority of the Okefenokee Swamp was turned into the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Around this year, the Chessers began settling at other areas. A lot of the family still chose to be within the vicinity so they stayed at Folkston and Waycross. Tom and Iva Chesser were the last ones to officially leave the island. Unofficially, all of them still see the island as their heritage.

As proof, most of the Chesser family are engaged in the maintenance of the Chesser Island Homestead. Some plays tourist guide to visitors, some have their hands full with the restoration. Other members of the family work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a 395-080 acre refuge protecting most of the swamp. It was a good move on the part of President Franklin Roosevelt because through this national wildlife refuge, the Okefenokee Swamp remains to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.

The facilities of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge provide visitors the chance to do some physical activities like hiking, canoeing, and boating. For nature trippers, wildlife observation and photography is very much allowed. Aside from Chesser Island, there’s also the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center which has an auditorium with a hundred-seat capacity which is ideal for exhibits.