Touring Heggie's Rock
Some had speculated it to be the base of Stone Mountain.
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Judy Gordon, chairwoman of the Sierra Club (center), shows member Kristen Harris some plants submerged in water at Heggie's Rock on Saturday.
Photo by Quandra Collins
But on a visit to Columbia County's Heggie's Rock near Appling, that rumor was put to rest.
"It is not a part of Stone Mountain, but its consistency is a part of the same formation like Stone Mountain," said Dr. Judy Gordon, a botanist who works at Augusta State University and chairwoman of Augusta's Sierra Club.
On Saturday, Gordon and Julie Duncan, a Sierra member, took about 22 members and tourists on a nature hike around the 101 acres of Heggie's Rock.
"It's quite fragile. There are state and federally protected plants there, and most of them are at their peak in late March and early April," Gordon said. Some plants grown on the rock also grow on Stone Mountain, she said.
While inspecting designated areas of the rock, tourists had the opportunity to ask Gordon and Duncan questions about plants and their ecological significance.
Jan Edwards, of Harlem, said she wanted to visit the site because of her husband.
"My husband toured (the rock) 15 years ago and he said it was real interesting. So, we decided to come out here and take a look," she said.
Keith Brigham, of Augusta, said he attended the tour to see nature and its beauty.
Red cedum is one of many plants growing on Heggie's Rock.
Photo by Quandra Collins
"I came out here with my dad," he said. "I just wanted to check out the rocks, trees and plants.''
The granite rock was named after a Scotsman named Heggie who inherited the property from his wife, those on the tour were told. It was later sold to local businessman Robert Pollard.
At the time of the purchase, Gordon said, she heard 91 acres of the property were sold for $50,000. Shortly after the purchase, she said, Pollard sold the rock to the Nature Conservancy, an international nonprofit organization that preserves plant and animal biodiversity with private and corporate funds.
Another public trip is planned for April 30, but space is limited. To make reservations or for information, call the Nature Conservancy in Georgia at (404) 873-6946.