In 2014-2015, the iconic stone fire lookout tower constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps camp 468 (SP-6) was restored by the state as part of the interpretive plan at Fort Mountain State Park. The tower was used until the early 1960s when it was replaced by a steel tower on a nearby mountain. In 1971, the cupola burned and the tower fell into disrepair.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--
As you make your way up the short but vigorous trail to the top of Fort Mountain you will encounter scattered rocks of varying sizes. It helps you aunderstand the availability of material that lead to the construction of the rock wall the mountain is known for.
It has an otherworldly feel and I found it as fascinating on a recent trip as I did when I visited as a child.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--
Located near the summit of Fort Mountain, the rock wall which gives the mountain its name remains a mystery. Its origin has been attributed to everyone from Hernando de Soto to the Cherokee. The de Soto connection has long been disproved but the specific use by the Cherokee is still being researched. Some believe it was ceremonial while others consider it territorial.
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--
The drive up Georgia Highway 2/52 to Fort Mountain State Park affords several breathtaking overlooks of the Cohutta Wilderness, the largest such area designated in Georgia. This southwestern chain of the Appalachians is striking for its natural beauty.
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--
James Vann (1765, or 1768-1809) was the son of a Cherokee mother, Wa-wli, and Scottish father, Clement Vann. By 1800 he became a principal leader of the Cherokee, due to his wealth and influence as a tavern keeper and trading post operator. This home, completed in 1804, served as the seat of his 1000+ acre plantation. Diaries of Moravian missionaries at Spring Place indicate that Byhan and Martin Schneider were instrumental in the construction of the home. Sometimes described as a “hard drinking business man”, Vann nonetheless encouraged cultural and educational opportunities for the Cherokee, largely through his assistance in the establishment of the Moravian mission and school at Spring Place. Vann was murdered in 1809, presumably as retaliation for killing his brother-in-law in a duel the previous year. His son Joseph later inherited the house, which in 1819, hosted President James Monroe who was traveling from Augusta to Nashville
The Chief Vann House, as it’s commonly known, is a state historic site today, but beware, it has very limited hours and is closed during part of the year.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--, Spring PLace GA
Begun in 1916 and occupied in 1917, the Chatsworth courthouse remains the only such facility built after the removal of the county seat from Spring Place in 1913.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--, Chatsworth GA
North Third Avenue
East Market Street
Chatsworth Downtown Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MURRAY COUNTY GA--, Chatsworth GA
