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May 26, 2013
Don Wells
He has been a long-term member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Family in Jasper, Georgia, where operates the sound system for the main services. Previously, he managed all the facilities on the Holy Family 40-acre campus and helped establish several miles of hiking trails there.
He serves as President of The Mountain Stewards, an organization which has developed over 36 miles of hiking trails and built four canoe launch sites on public land in North Georgia. In addition, the Stewards locate and preserve Indian cultural heritage sites. In late 2007, the Mountain Stewards launched the Indian Trails Mapping Program to more precisely map Indian Trails from survey maps of the 1700 and 1800's era.
While hiking the mountains of North Georgia and North Carolina, Don saw a large number of bent trees. He learned from Indians in the areas the trees were used to mark trails, point to water, and to mark sacred sites. Since very few knew the significance of the trees, he christened them "Mystery Trees".
Since 2007, Don and Diane have travelled over 37,000 miles in the Southeast, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Colorado interviewing and videoing Indian elders who provide an oral history of the trees and Indian culture in general and giving presentations about their findings. For 2013, they have scheduled 20 presentations and expect to do thirty before the year ends and will travel approximately 4,000 miles.
Their research is documented in a book he and Diane wrote and is published by the Mountain Stewards. To learn more about Mystery Trees, visit mysterytrees.org. Don’s interest in Indian culture comes naturally. Part of his heritage is Lenape Indian.
He serves as President of The Mountain Stewards, an organization which has developed over 36 miles of hiking trails and built four canoe launch sites on public land in North Georgia. In addition, the Stewards locate and preserve Indian cultural heritage sites. In late 2007, the Mountain Stewards launched the Indian Trails Mapping Program to more precisely map Indian Trails from survey maps of the 1700 and 1800's era.
While hiking the mountains of North Georgia and North Carolina, Don saw a large number of bent trees. He learned from Indians in the areas the trees were used to mark trails, point to water, and to mark sacred sites. Since very few knew the significance of the trees, he christened them "Mystery Trees".
Since 2007, Don and Diane have travelled over 37,000 miles in the Southeast, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Colorado interviewing and videoing Indian elders who provide an oral history of the trees and Indian culture in general and giving presentations about their findings. For 2013, they have scheduled 20 presentations and expect to do thirty before the year ends and will travel approximately 4,000 miles.
Their research is documented in a book he and Diane wrote and is published by the Mountain Stewards. To learn more about Mystery Trees, visit mysterytrees.org. Don’s interest in Indian culture comes naturally. Part of his heritage is Lenape Indian.
Currently the Mountain Stewards is developing a video to document the Indian culture and the Mystery Trees including interviews with tribal elders.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Etowah River Alliance which protects and enhances the watershed of the upper portion of the Etowah River in five North Georgia counties. He also participates in a coalition of organizations actively promoting the development of the Etowah River Water Trail which will provide water-borne recreational opportunities on approximately 100 miles of the river.
Calling on his 50 years of engineering experience, he assists the Pickens County administration with long-range engineering studies for managing the future needs of the county including comprehensive planning, transportation and other studies. He also helps manage the private roads in his community.
Don and his wife Diane have contributed a number of historical stories to local newspapers. Some of those stories can be found on the Mountain Stewards web site under Mountain Stories.
He was selected by Cox Industries, the Trust for Public Lands and WSBTV (ABC) as the Cox Conserves Hero for 2009 in the Atlanta Metropolitan area for his work to create, preserve, improve and enhance the shared outdoor places in our communities.
After completing a 28-year career in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps and a ten-year career with a private engineering consulting firm, Don and his wife retired to North Georgia in 2000.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Etowah River Alliance which protects and enhances the watershed of the upper portion of the Etowah River in five North Georgia counties. He also participates in a coalition of organizations actively promoting the development of the Etowah River Water Trail which will provide water-borne recreational opportunities on approximately 100 miles of the river.
Calling on his 50 years of engineering experience, he assists the Pickens County administration with long-range engineering studies for managing the future needs of the county including comprehensive planning, transportation and other studies. He also helps manage the private roads in his community.
Don and his wife Diane have contributed a number of historical stories to local newspapers. Some of those stories can be found on the Mountain Stewards web site under Mountain Stories.
He was selected by Cox Industries, the Trust for Public Lands and WSBTV (ABC) as the Cox Conserves Hero for 2009 in the Atlanta Metropolitan area for his work to create, preserve, improve and enhance the shared outdoor places in our communities.
After completing a 28-year career in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps and a ten-year career with a private engineering consulting firm, Don and his wife retired to North Georgia in 2000.