---
title: O.C.G.A. § 36-37-1. Devises, gifts, and grants of property for parks or other public purposes.
collection: code
id: 36-37-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 36-37-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-37-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-37-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/36-37-1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t35-t36-ch1-59-(v27)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=66569db4_0#page=795
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: LOCAL GOVERNMENT / Provisions Applicable to Municipal Corporations Only / ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY GENERALLY
---

# O.C.G.A. § 36-37-1. Devises, gifts, and grants of property for parks or other public purposes.

(a) By appropriate conveyance, any person may devise, give, or grant to any municipal corporation of this state, in fee simple or in trust, or to other persons as trustees, lands dedicated by such conveyance in perpetuity to the public use as a park, pleasure ground, or for other public purpose. By such conveyance, any person may also devise, give, or grant in perpetuity to such corporations or persons other property, real or personal, for the development, improvement, and maintenance of such property.

(b) Any municipal corporation or other persons, natural or artificial, as trustees, to whom such devise, gift, or grant is made may accept the same in behalf of and for the benefit of the public. The municipal corporation or trustees shall have the right to improve, embellish, and ornament the land so granted as a public park or for other public use. Every municipal corporation to which such conveyance is made shall have the power, by appropriate police provision, to protect the public in the use and enjoyment thereof.

## History

Ga. L. 1905, p. 117, §§ 1, 2; Civil Code 1910, §§ 890, 891; Code 1933, §§ 69-504, 69-505.

## Cross References

Further provisions regarding gifts of property or money to counties and municipalities for playground or recreation purposes, § 36-64-6.

## Law Reviews

For comment on Evans v. Newton, 382 U.S. 296, 86 S. Ct. 486, 15 L. Ed. 2d 373 (1966), see 2 Ga. St. B. J. 487 (1966).

For comment on Evans v. Abney, 396 U.S. 435, 90 S. Ct. 628, 24 L. Ed. 2d 634 (1970), as to reversion of a charitable trust designed to operate on a segregated basis rather than application of cy pres, see 22 Mercer L. Rev. 493 (1971).