Gee's Bend, as it has been called for nearly 200 years, is a large, isolated bend in the Alabama River in northern Wilcox County.  The area was settled in the early 1800's by Joseph Gee, a South Carolina native.  The plantation was sold to Mark Pettway in 1845 and the property remained in the Pettway family until the early 1900's when it, along with two adjacent farms, was bought by Farm Security Administration.  The land was divided and rented to the former sharecroppers.  In the 1940's many families bought their farms from the government.        Gee's Bend is an area that has continued to fascinate outsiders from the time it was the subject of a Arthur Rothstein, a government photographer, in the 1930's, to the 1990's when the national news media once again focused on the resumption of ferry service to "The Bend."
Black Belt Treasures is a non-profit economic development program marketing high quality products from the Black Belt region. Their retail gallery features artwork, sculpture, pottery, woodwork, baskets, jewelry, books and much more. Their secure shopping site offers an opportunity to purchase many one-of-a-kind, handmade Black Belt products.  The Black Belt Treasures gallery is located on Claiborne Street in downtown Camden and is a must-see stop for anyone traveling through the area.   Visit them in person on on the web at www.blackbelttreasures.com
The Freedom Quilting Bee is located on Wilcox County Road #29 in Alberta, Alabama.  A cooperative owned by the workers, it is the largest private employer in this rural settlement, an offshoot of the Civil Rights movement designed to boost family income and foster community development by selling handcrafts to outsiders.  The Pine Burr Quilt, sewn by workers at the Freedom Quilting Bee, was proclaimed the "Official Quilt of Alabama" in 1997.   See Also.... www.quiltsofgeesbend.com

WILLIAM "BILL" DANNELLY
Reservoir

 Bisecting Alabama's Black Prairie Belt, the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir encompasses 105 miles of the Alabama River, from Millers Ferry Lock and Dam to the Robert F. Henry Lock and Dam.

Named for an active supporter of river development, the late Judge Dannelly of Camden, Alabama. Dannelly Reservoir was created by the construction of Millers Ferry Lock and Dam which was completed in 1970. The power plant produces enough electricity to serve more than 50,000 homes.

Dannelly Reservoir boasts an area of about 27 square miles and a shoreline of more than 500 miles. Since opening in 1974, the lake and its surrounding parks have become a recreational center, offering excellent fishing, skiing, boating and hunting.
Designed for year-round use, Dannelly has numerous campgrounds, boat ramps, beaches and picnic areas. The lake offers bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie and other species, creating a true anglers' paradise.

 With its great appeal to sportsmen, birders, naturalists and those who just want to "get away from it all," it's little wonder that almost 3 million people visit Dannelly each year.

Roland Cooper State Park Fishing

For information about fishing licenses and to order one online, visit the fishing section of OutdoorAlabama.com

Set in the midst of a majestic pine forest along the 22,000-acre William Dannelly Reservoir (better known locally as "Millers Ferry"), Roland Cooper State Park offers excellent fishing.

Millers Ferry Reservoir is a regionally important reservoir in southwest Alabama that provides quality fishing opportunities. Both largemouth bass and crappie fishing are considered excellent in this reservoir. This reservoir consistently produces bass of three pounds or larger. Results from statewide bass club tournament data in 2000 indicated that Millers Ferry was third best in the percent of anglers who weighed in a bass and ranked tenth best in overall bass fishing quality. This is due in part to high fertility and a relatively stable threadfin shad population.

Crappie fishing is best in the late winter and early spring. At this time of year crappie are concentrated around cover in creeks such as: Fosters, Pine Barren, Chilatchee, and Bogue Chitto.

Channel catfish and blue catfish are frequent targets of local anglers, and blue catfish over thirty pounds are not uncommon. Late winter is an excellent time to catch large blues in the tail waters below the Millers Ferry dam. The tail water also produces good fishing, in the spring for hybrid striped bass, striped bass, and bream.

Boat Ramp Charge:
There is a $2.00 charge for use of boat ramp to non-registered guests.

The Bald Eagle, the only native North American eagle, has been the national bird of the United States since 1782.  The bald eagle is a sea eagle that commonly occurs around rivers and lakes.  Numbering in the tens of thousands in the late 1700's, the bald eagle's numbers steadily declined due to several factors including hunting and the devastating effects of the pesticide DDT.  In 1978 the U.S. government declared the bald eagle an endangered species in all but several of the northernmost states.  The bald eagle has since rebounded and in 1995 its status was reclassified to "threatened."  At that time it was estimated that there were 4,500 nesting pairs in the United States.       Wilcox County is proud to have at least two mature nesting pairs of eagles within its boundaries.  The birds were released in the early 1990's and have settled in the pine forests surrounding Lake Dannelly.  Fishermen can now witness these majestic birds watching over them from a high perch along the lake.  The location of their nests is known only by a handful of local outdoorsmen and is kept somewhat of a secret in order to protect the eagles.

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