There is still work to be done at the Susie King Taylor Freedom Park, and those efforts got a boost from the Georgia Power Foundation on Friday.

Georgia Power officials presented Liberty County with a check for $25,000 to go toward the park’s renovation. William Mock, Georgia Power regional executive, said it was an honor to support a place “that carries such profound cultural and historical significance as Susie King Taylor Freedom Park.”

She served as a nurse for the 33rd Colored Infantry Regiment and taught some of the soldiers how to read and write. Taylor, who had attended secret schools, since slaves were not permitted an education, later ran a school in Savannah for the children of freed slaves.

“Susie King Taylor’s story is one of courage, resilience, service and unwavering commitment to lifting up her community,” Mock said. “She defied the circumstances of her time to become the first Black Army nurse in the Civil War, an educator and a champion for freedom and dignity.”

The park on Isle of Wight and next to Jones Creek, was renamed for Susie King Taylor, who escaped from slavery during the Civil War near the park’s current location. Taylor escaped with others, who got on a boat on April 13, 1862, and sailed down the Medway River, eventually reaching Union gunboats.

“It is through the wildness of this beautiful natural landscape’s flora and fauna that Susie King Baker Taylor tested the limits of her imagination and freedom,” said Hermina Glass-Hill, president of the Liberty County Historical Society and executive director of the Susie King Taylor Women’s Institute and Ecology Center.

Friday’s event also was a sneak preview of the park, Liberty County Commission Chairman Donald Lovette said.

“It was encouraging for us to have the Georgia Power team to embrace the idea of making this park an amenity for Liberty County,” he said. “It was under- utilized and it is going to be top of the line.”

Among the improvements to the park are a new pavilion and a new playground. Improvements to parking are under way and a walking path is under construction.

“We’ve got everything looking a lot better,” county engineer Trent Long said. “It’s a totally different park now than it was six months ago. We’re glad to try to provide something great for the citizens out here.”

Plans also call for an elevated walking trail into the wetlands.

In the works also is a kayak launch and possibly a fishing pier, in conjunction with the state Department of Natural Resources. There also will be a statue of Taylor, in the mode of Savannah’s famed “The Waving Girl,” at the park.

“There’s quite a bit more to come,” Long said.

“We’re putting it together piece by piece,” Lovette added. “It will be a great place. This won’t be the place you knew yesterday.”

The county has used American Rescue Plan Act funds and proceeds from the special purpose local option sales tax to finance work on the park. SPLOST funds also have gone toward improvements at Briar Bay and Jesse Stevens parks, Lovette pointed out.

“We needed more help to reach the full benefit of what this park could look like,” the chairman said. “So we partnered with the Liberty County Historical Society and the ball was rolling for sure.”

Glass-Hill brought the story of Susie King Taylor to Georgia Power, and its leadership agreed to help the park project. The park and Taylor’s story met the company’s criteria for donations, Lovette said.

“It was encouraging for us to have the Georgia Power team to embrace the idea of making this park an amenity for Liberty County,” he said.

Added Long, “We’re so grateful for the help we’ve gotten from Georgia Power and from the Historical Society. Every penny counts and we try to make sure every penny goes toward something good.”

The county will seek grants from agencies such as the DNR to complete some of the bigger ticket items, such as the fishing pier.

There is a push to get the park listed on the sites of the Underground Railroad, the path many slaves took to freedom. Getting that national designation could open more funds for other amenities at the park.

“This park is on its way to having national designation,” Lovette said.

The county could hold a grand opening for the park in April, while planning for continued enhancements. The pavilion and the playground are “Freedom Park is not just a place,” Mock said. “It’s a living testament to perseverance, learning and community strength. As Susie King Taylor wrote, ‘Let us forever remember that the future is ours to share.’”