Andrew Jackson Hodges, Sr. (1890-1966), a native of Cotton Valley in Webster Parish, purchased more than of cut-over barren land and replanted in timber. The land included an old quarry. Hodges and his wife, the former Nona Trigg, planned a scenic garden around the natural rock formations. The quarry had been used to supply rocks, stones, and sandstone to build, among other things, the jetties in Port Arthur. Work began on the jetties in 1898; material from the quarry was delivered by wagon that would have been at least a six-day round trip. Water from a lake created in 1954 is pumped through the gardens to waterfalls, pools, a geyser, fountains, and to the watering system before it is recycled back into the lake. Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, head of the Culture, Recreation, and Tourism Department, said that the state signed a transfer agreement with the Hodges Foundation. Landrieu, who left the lieutenant governorship in May 2010 to become mayor of New Orleans, noted that A. J. Hodges "took a barren stone quarry and turned it into a thriving tourist area. The state’s takeover of the park will restore the garden’s original beauty, upgrade accommodations, and ultimately add value to this economic asset."