“At the end of the day, I enjoyed every day. If I had to start my life over again with an occupation, I would certainly try to get back into state parks.”

Those are the words of Willie E. Bowen, 74, whose service to Virginia State Parks is being honored by Twin Lakes State Park, which is naming its new six-bedroom lodge after him.

“To me it’s an honor. I feel real well because it didn’t have to be that way,” Bowen said.

Park Manager Phil Morgan said there is a tradition of naming lodges after people who were “key influences” to Prince Edward County.

“Especially during the segregated days,” Morgan said, adding it’s “very fitting” for Bowen to be included.

Bowen began his slightly more than 30-year career at what was known as the Prince Edward County State Park for Negroes on Dec. 1, 1968.

During those years, following the “separate but equal” court ruling, state parks remained separated by race. Prince Edward was the first state park open to African Americans. In 1986, it became Twin Lakes State Park.

Bowen held the position of chief ranger.

“I was in charge of the seasonal people and I got to be what they called conserver of the peace,” Bowen said.

He said he worked with Superintendent Herbert Doswell during those days, who also has a building at the park named after him.

“This was what they called the park for negroes and the negroes back in that area didn’t have anywhere else to go but Prince Edward Park,” Bowen said. “On a good Sunday here, you could hardly find a parking space and of course the beach was so crowded, you couldn’t hardly walk.”

Even during the week, Bowen said, the park stayed busy.

“You used to look up and see people coming down the hill, hundreds of people coming down the hill,” he said.

It is these memories of crowded parks and happy beach goers Bowen said he held most dear when he changed jobs.

In April 1973, he was promoted to superintendent at Holliday Lake State Park in Appomattox County. This park, much like Prince Edward, was also segregated by race. Bowen said 95 percent of park attendees at the time were white.

As time went on, Bowen said, the park eventually became more integrated.

“It was probably 50-50 so far as whites and blacks were concerned,” Bowen said.

In 1985, Bowen was promoted to superintendent at Westmoreland State Park and then again in 1995 to district manager. According to Morgan, Bowen is to date the only African American to have held the district manager position.

“I just like people,” Bowen said of helping the parks to become more integrated. “It didn’t bother me one way or another. I can talk to anybody, just like without even seeing what color they are and I got along with everybody.”

In 1999, Bowen retired, but remained an avid state park supporter.

“I would have loved to stay a little while longer, but when retirement comes, you ought to retire, he said. “It was a job just like every other job; you had your good days and your bad days. For some reason I think in state parks most of the days were better. You had a lot of good days.”

Bowen said he and his wife, Mildred still go to and enjoy state parks every chance they get.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes. They’ve really come a long ways,” Bowen said.