The Etowah River and its surrounding area have a long and fascinating history. Native Americans extensively used the river corridor for travel and gold exploration. And, oral history posits the nearby town of Ballground as the site of the Taliwa Battle between the Cherokee and Creek Nations in approximately 1755. The results of this conflict gave the Cherokee control of the surrounding countryside, where they lived until the Trail of Tears in the early 19th century.
Legend has it that there is a vast Native American treasure of gold hidden in the surrounding hills. In the late 1830’s Mrs. Mary G. Franklin, a widow who had obtained a 40-acre lot in the Gold Lottery, established a gold mine that proved to be the second most productive in the state during the Georgia gold rush. During the Civil War mining was halted, but resumed after the war until 1913.
The Etowah River Valley, Today
The beauty that attracted the original settlers to this area is still evident along the river today. The Assistant Georgia State Geologist describes the Etowah River’s surrounding land as “…a gently rolling topography, and the farming lands are productive and well timbered and watered.” And, while the gold rush may have long subsided, the true treasure found in the area today is the scenic beauty of the hills and river valley amongst the hardwood trees and abundant wildlife including ducks, geese, deer, wild turkey and the occasional black bear.