“Where are we?” my husband asked impatiently as we passed yet another car repair shop. The industrial neighborhood wasn’t remotely familiar and he assumed I had the wrong directions.

To be honest, I feared we might be lost. On our left, a large abandoned strip shopping center proclaimed in painted black letters, “Everything is Not Ok.” Dear Hubby (DH) and I chuckle because we’re tired of hearing “It’s all going to be okay” and “We’re all in this together” platitudes during the current pandemic.

I continued following Google maps to Constitution Lakes, a Dekalb County park that I’d wanted to hike for several years. Soon we passed the Starlight Drive-In Theatre – another place we’d heard about for years – before turning into the park’s entrance.

Constitution Lakes

After parking, DH felt relieved that others were hiking in this blighted landscape. As we walked on the wide path, we soon felt miles away from the industrial area we’d just driven. Large trees graced the trail and it really was an adventure since neither of us had explored this part of Atlanta before. 

Soon, a boardwalk brought us to a large lake. Several people fished nearby and a family passed us from the other direction. At one time, the lake served as one of two quarries for South River Brick Company.

Doll’s Head Trail

At this point, the trail narrowed. We wondered if we had somehow gotten off the trail when a sign announced the doll’s head trail and the “rules.” Visitors can add to the collection found on the trail, but they must use materials found in the park, nothing brought in.

As we continued along the loop, we read the signs which were often humorous and fitting for the pieces put together. For example, a sign saying “Baby Driver” rested next to a doll in a baby stroller. In another section, a handwritten note says, “Don’t drink and text and drive” with a legless doll sitting on a riding toy and holding an empty beer bottle.

History

Although the collection of trashed items combined with a clever saying is fun to walk around, I found the history of the park intriguing. Back in 2014, Connor Lee wrote a post for History Atlanta, called “Doll’s Head Trail at Constitution Lakes.” 

Lee explains that this site housed the South River Brick Company in 1892. The owners, J.R. Knapp and S.F. Cain, chose the spot due to its proximity of the railroad that abuts the eastern side of the property. While the company enjoyed success, they also faced a tough rival, Chattahoochee Brick Company.

Unfortunately, the often inhumane convict lease system was in existence at the time. By providing a fee to the state and the assurances to feed and house prisoners, private companies could use the convicts as free labor. The Chattahoochee Brick Company used convict labor, allowing them to undercut the price of bricks compared to their competitors – mainly South River Brick Company.

If that weren’t enough, Chattahoochee Brick bought land adjacent to South River Brick and cut off their access to major roads in 1902. Although Governor Hoke Smith abolished the convict lease system in 1908, the South River Brick owners lost money and sold the company in 1909. The new owner declared bankruptcy in 1915 and Chattahoochee Brick Company bought the land in 1929.

Over time the clay pits filled with water forming Constitution Lakes. While popular for fishing, the land sat mostly unused until Dekalb county purchased it in 2003 to become a park. 

Doll’s heads

According to an AJC article, “The Keeper of Doll’s Head Trail” by Jill Vejnoska in 2017, Joel Slaton started the Doll’s Head trail. The carpenter visited the area around 2011 and instantly fell in love with the natural setting. 

While exploring off the main trail one day, he found a doll’s head and set it up near a tree. Eventually, he found more trash and started making “art” out of it and added whimsical sayings next to them.  The path became an official trail as more people discovered the collections of repurposed materials.

As we completed the loop, somewhat overgrown in spots, we backtracked to the lake. While popular for viewing birds and natural wildlife, we came to see the dolls. Since the trail is mostly flat, the hike is more about the found objects than exercise. 

 For more information about the trail and park, visit Friends of Constitution Lakes page on FaceBook.