Camp Charlie

Camp Charlie is named in memory of Charles Newton Elliott and Dr. Charles H. Wharton. Both men had a genuine love of the outdoors and recognized the importance of connecting people of all ages with the natural world.

Charlie Elliott (1906 – 2000)

Charlie Elliott lived in Covington, Georgia and grew up hunting and fishing in the Alcovy River Swamp. He served as the first Director of Georgia State Parks in 1937‐38, became the Commissioner of Natural Resources in 1938, and then became the first Director of the Game and Fish Commission (now known as the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division) in 1943. Elliott was also Southeastern Field Editor for Outdoor Life magazine from 1950 until his passing. His dedication to the conservation of the natural world and wildlife was evident to those who knew him personally and those who read his
many writings.

Charlie Wharton (1923 – 2003)

Charlie Wharton was dedicated to conservation and worked tirelessly for the preservation of Georgia’s wild places. In the 1960s and ’70s, Wharton led the fight against channelization of the Alcovy River. His efforts not only saved the Alcovy, but also led to changes in federal policies concerning channelization nationwide. He is best known for his academic work, particularly his book, The Natural Environments of Georgia, published by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 1978. For more than 40 years, Dr. Wharton made his home in the Georgia mountains on a 129‐acre tract of land that is now home to the Georgia Wildlife Federation’s Wharton Conservation Center.