Whatley Memorial Historic Park is the last piece of unused land from the original campus of Bowdon College, which existed from 1856 to 1936. It also served as the backyard of the McDaniel-Whatley home, the last remaining building of the institution. Vachel D. Whatley Sr. graduated from Bowdon College in 1893 and served as school president from 1897 to 1900 and again from 1907 to 1912. The Whatley family donated the park to the city of Bowdon on August 2, 2003.