InTucker Magazine

New & Improved Twin Brothers Lake at Johns Homestead Reopens

Work on Johns Homestead and the dams has been a long time coming. Johns descendant Patricia McDonald donated part of the property to DeKalb County in the early 2000s, and DeKalb County proceeded to purchase the rest of the land that would become the park within a few years.

Due to deferred maintenance, construction on the dams at Twin Brothers Lake had become a life safety issue according to a 2018 AECOM report and subsequent revisits in 2019 and 2020. Both the upper and lower dams were overgrown with vegetation, which could lead to dam failure, and the soil was no longer suitable. The upper lake had sedimentation and water quality issues. The lower dam was seeping water at the bottom, and there were issues with downstream flooding.

The bypass channel at Edinburgh Estates had become severely eroded. This was a safety issue for the people and property in the neighborhood, as this erosion created an increased risk of falling trees, stream bank failure and flooding.

Rehabilitation was necessary to restore proper drainage from the surrounding wetlands and lakes, restoring and improving the environment for both residents and the neighboring wildlife.

In 2022, the partnership of the Friends of Johns Homestead Park and Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District helped the City secure a $2.5 million grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources via the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program to repair and enhance the park’s stormwater management system. The City matched $1.3 million of these funds. In addition, the Friends of Johns Homestead Park contributed $13,000 and 1,500 volunteer manhours to the project.

Construction on the project began in winter 2025 to bring the dam into compliance with the Georgia Safe Dams Program.

Now that the dams have been rebuilt, the lake will be restocked and wildlife has begun to return. Hikers will hear frogs and may see tadpoles in the water as they traverse the park’s trails.

The dams are far from the park’s only upgrades. While it was closed for construction, contractors built a pier with a partially covered observation deck on the upper lake and added new benches. An ADA compliant ramp with handrails winds down to the shoreline from the new parking spots and monument sign off Stapp Drive. Two bird blinds are erected at different locations on the surrounding trail for the enjoyment of birdwatchers. New landscaping adds a touch of color to the lakeside and lines part of the trail that loops around the lake. Several new bridges allow hikers to cross the water along the trail. At various spots along the trail, educational signage explains the workings of the wetland ecosystem and markers assist hikers in orienteering. The existing pavilion [SS3.1]provides shaded space and tables for visitors to utilize at the foot of the new ramp.

August 15 the City held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the park’s grand reopening. Elected officials, staff and Friends of Tucker Parks braved the summer heat to fi eld test the new improvements and recognize the efforts of the many residents and organizations whose support were instrumental to the park’s progress.

Twin Brothers Lake and the dams saw the majority of work during construction, but the historical significance of the park includes the Johns Homestead house and outbuildings. Visible from Lawrenceville Highway, the Johns Homestead house was built between 1830 and 1833 and is one of the oldest historically significant buildings in DeKalb County. This places it at roughly ten years older than the nearby Tullie Smith Farm House kept in preservation at the Atlanta History Center.

It is also one of the oldest continuously occupied homes in the County, as the Johns descendants lived there from its construction until the 1980s for roughly 150 years. The surrounding land served as a dairy farm, grew wheat, rye, corn and oats, and hosted a campsite of the Union army during the Civil War. Due to the deterioration of the home and other structures on the property over time, it was added to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Places in Peril for 2016.

Part of the homestead’s significance are the techniques used to build it. The Johns dairy outbuilding is the only documented remaining vernacular rammed-earth building remaining in Georgia, and construction on the property shows evidence of the area’s industrialization. Over time, the Johns family transitioned from pit-sawing wood gathered on the homestead to purchasing building materials from the surrounding area.

The Twin Brothers Lake is newer, as it was formed about 60 years ago when the dams were built to create a fi shing spot. To this day residents and visitors alike share memories of fi shing in the lake. In addition to maintaining the park, Tucker Parks & Recreation has offered fishing opportunities there and will host beginners’ fishing classes at the lake this fall.

The dams and bioretention lake at Johns Homestead are a vital part of the City of Tucker’s stormwater infrastructure, as the Twin Brothers Lake serves as a stormwater reservoir. In 2022, the residents of the City of Tucker voted via referendum for the City to take over stormwater responsibilities from DeKalb County. The City’s Public Works department leapt into motion July 1, 2023 to begin updating, repairing and expanding the City’s stormwater system.

The success of the project is a testament to the City’s care for the natural spaces under its watch and the efforts of our incredible community partners.

Visit Johns Homestead Park and see the improvements at Twin Brothers Lakes at 3570 Stapp Drive, or visit the Lawrenceville Highway side at 3093 Lawrenceville Highway to walk the trails and see the historic home.