Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia protects a rare wetland centered on Banks Lake, a natural pocosin of ancient geologic origin. Established in 1985 after threats of drainage and timber extraction, the refuge preserves open water, marsh, hardwood swamp, and uplands that support migratory and resident wildlife. In the mid-19th century, Joshua Lee dammed the drainage creek to power a grist mill, helping make the lake a trade center on an early stagecoach route. The Nature Conservancy bought the land in 1980, and the federal government formally acquired it in 1985. Today the refuge also supports fishing, wildlife observation, and paddling.