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The ruins of a spring house remain down a hill behind Stamp Creek Baptist Church near the village of White in Bartow County, Georgia. One day while exploring old iron foundries and lime kilns, I stopped for a break in an old baptist church parking lot. Stamp Creek Baptist Church was founded in 1853 in White Georgia. The graveyard across the road has its earliest burial just one year after the church was founded. While sitting near the back of the parking lot, I noticed a b

The American Ethnologist James Mooney released his book on Cherokee legends in 1888. Only one sentence refers to a Cherokee council site. It falls under his definition of Talking Rock. Specifically, he states: "TALKING ROCK: A creek in upper Georgia flowing northward to join Coosawatee river. The Indian settlements upon it were considered as belonging to Sanderstown, on the lower part of the creek, the townhouse being located about a mile above the present Talking Rock stat

At the turn of the 20th Century, Forsyth County was mostly rural and white. There were small contingents of African Americans living in pockets in areas like Big Creek, Sawnee Mountain, and Oscarville, but for the most part, they were poor and lived a hardscrabble existence. In September and October, several heinous crimes drew the ire of the White community. After the slaves of the South became Freedmen, they competed for the same resources as the whites. In times of eco

Charles Walker's conceptual drawing of an Indian Removal fort. Nearly 190 years ago, in what is now Cherokee County, more specifically in an area near Lake Allatoona and Bridgemill, an Indian Removal fort was built in 1838. Eight years earlier, Camp Hinar was established when a Federal Lieutenant named Abram Fowler destroyed 19 buildings built by prospectors and gold miners who had illegally entered the Cherokee Territory. The Indian Removal Act was passed in May, 1830. Dis

The Poet Bury me in a nameless grave! I came from God the world to save. I brought them wisdom from above: Worship, and liberty, and love. They slew me for I did disparage Therefore Religion, Law, and Marriage. So be my grave without a name That earth may swallow up my shame! Aleister Crowley, infamous poet and black magician of the mid-twentieth Century. Potter's field "piece of ground reserved as a burying place for friendless paupers, unknown persons, and criminals" (1520

Last summer, John Humphrey and his sons Norman and William, found themselves in unfortunate circumstances. Within two weeks of each other, Norman caught fire, suffering third-degree burns over much of his body, and William lost his eye in a separate accident. Neither son had medical insurance, so a GoFundMe campaign was started by Norman’s girlfriend. I visited the property to meet with their father John, the owner of John’s Mill at their 61-acre property in Hinton. J

In June of 1964, Joseph Mahan Jr., an archaeologist from Columbus, Georgia, arranged a trip to southwest Pickens County, near the Henderson and Sharp Mountains. He had learned of an abandoned gold mine and wanted to explore it. In 1878, David Cantrell moved near the Indian Pine section of Southwest Pickens County. He lived on the land until he passed away in 1947. His son T.D. lived with him at the property on Route 3, Jasper. Reed Henson acquired part of the Cantrell Fa

The history of violence, especially when used to protect tradition, and/or fighting against a centralized power structure is frequently found in the historical record. A common perception is that all, if not nearly all of the violence committed by vigilantes groups in the United States was inspired by racism. (K.K.K., Christian Nationalist Movement, Black Panthers) And while this is historically accurate, the anti-revenuer groups of North Georgia during the late 1800s did

In a previous post about Young Potts Cemetery, we learned of Young Potts, his emigration to the gold mines of the Dahlonega area, and his acquisition of land in the Wolfscratch Wilderness area. He was a successful businessman and built a nice house beside a spring near the north end of Yellow Creek (The creek, not the road) north of present Hwy 53 and east of Steve Tate. Potts died early and his wife and daughters remained at the property, one day after Mrs. Potts died, Roxi

This blast furnace was built in 1852 in Bartow County off Stamp Creek. Originally called the Union Furnace, its ownership changed hands more than a half dozen times between its start and 1880. In 1875, this site was the first furnace in the United States to produce a commercial, high-quality ferro-manganese product at 67 percent purity. Its one-time owner, Willard P. Ward, had trained in Europe before venturing into the business in the United States. Ferromanganese is use