CONSTRUCTION OF OBSERVATION DECK
In October 2010, at a cost of nearly
$16,000 the construction of the observation deck
was finally completed. In 2007 the GCPT was
awarded over $14,000 from the King’s Daughters
and Sons Circle Number Two that was designated
for this project. The location of the eastern
slough was chosen because of the beauty of its
natural setting, and plans were set in motion
upon receipt of the KD grant. Traditionally,
this slough had been dry during the summer and
fall months but from 2007 until the summer of
2010, the slough remained too wet to safely
construct the foundation of the deck. King’s
Daughters Circle requires that grant monies be
spent within a calendar year but because of the unusual circumstances regarding the abundance of rainfall during the three year period between receiving the grant money and the building of the deck, a weather-necessitated exception was made for the preserve.
The all wood construction deck with its
multiple unique features was designed by Bob
Gramling, a founding trustee of the Preserve,
and is named in his honor. Bob died
unexpectedly on July 19, 2010, and is greatly
missed by the Preserve Trustees. Bob had a
keen artistic sense for how the trails should
look and a deep desire that they be made
accessible to the public with minimum detriment
to the surrounding terrain. With his multiple
design and engineering talents, he was able to
bring all this to fruition for the enjoyment and
pleasure of the friends of the preserve. The trails were completed as he had envisioned, and the unfinished deck was seen to completion by a fellow trustee, Herbert H. Huddleston, Jr., with the building done by Vernon Yost & Sons Construction. A memory regarding the tedious details of the construction that is special and dear to the trustees, is that Mr.Yost and his sons were able to accomplish this remarkable feat of building over and among the myriad cypress knees with only ONE very tall cypress knee being “topped” to make room for the deck.


Greenville Cypress Preserve Highway 82 West and Cypress Lane Greenville, Mississippi