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Clay Co., GAGenWeb Project
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GEORGIA
1776
FORT GAINES
One of several forts on Georgia's western frontier for the protection of white
settlers. Fort Gaines was established in 1816 by order of Gen. Edmund P. Gaines,
commander of a large district, who used this as his headquarters. Containing two
blockhouses, the 100-foot square fort was enclosed by a stockade eight feet
high. During 1817, when Indians were active in the area, settlers took
refuge in the fort, garrisoned by Federal troops under Gen. John Dill.
Maintained for a number of
years, the fort stood on the brow of the bluff just below the confluence of Town
Branch with Chemochechobee Creek.
History of Fort Gaines and Clay County
"Out of the hills of Habersham
Down the valleys of Hall,
I hurry amain to reach the plain
Run the rapid and leap the fall,
Split at the rock and together again,
Accept my bed, or narrow or wide,
And flee from folly on every side,
With a lover's pain to attain the plain,
Far from the hills of Habersham."
From "Song of the Chattahoochee"
by Sidney Lanier
Thus sings the mighty Chattahoochee
as it sweeps the western border of the little county of Clay.
In this bicentennial observance, we feel it especially
appropriate to review some of the historical incidents connected with the
Chattahoochee here at Fort Gaines. Ours is an old and historic town, and
much of its history is linked with the river, about which Sidney Lanier sang so
beautifully.
Fort Gaines was first established as an outpost on the
western border of Georgia about 1812-14, commanded by Lieutenant Sands and named
for Brigadier General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, who as a frontier army officer
contributed greatly to the development of the United States. He was born
in Virginia in 1777; died in 1849. He served with distinction in the War
of 1812, becoming Brigadier General in March, 1814, and receiving the brevet of
Major General and appreciation of congress for his defense of Fort Erie in
August, 1814. He took a prominent part in the operations against the
Seminoles in Florida in 1817 while in command of the southern military district
and again in 1876. During the Mexican War he commanded the Department of
the South with headquarters at New Orleans.
During the mid-period of 1800 popular demand for
additional counties and political strength caused the formation of many new
county organizations from the original counties which came into existence
following the close of the Revolutionary War. After that time counties
replaced the Parish system used by the British government. Clay County,
carved from old Early County to the south and from Randolph County on the
northeast, had long been regarded as the Fifth District of Early County.
It was incorporated as a county in 1854.
The early years of the nineteenth century saw many
adventurous people gradually reaching into the area of the present South-west
Georgia-Southeast Alabama Territory. Unquestionably, there had been others
even before this time because the Chattahoochee River was navigable from
Columbus, Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico (the Chattahoochee River and the Flint
River join below Fort Gaines forming the Appalachicola River). This
waterway formed a natural economic center of trade for these early settlers.
"It is interesting to note that several geological
formations are exposed, or preferably, outcrop, on the bank of the river bluff
at Fort Gaines. They are often referred to as starting points in the
description of the geology of South Georgia. This section forms a part of
the coastal plain region of Georgia.
In addition, the area comprising the Chattahoochee
River Valley or drainage basin has been elevated until the river is shut in by
high hills with deeply eroded stream beds. This feature has placed the
site of Fort Gaines on an elevated plateau, with well-drained territory.
It has been free of mosquito breeding swamps." 1
The native Creek Indians resisted the new settlers for
this was their homeland from ancient times. The Creeks, usually a
peaceable people in this area, were supplied ample hunting, fishing and good
fertile land. They lived in two main groups of villages. The upper
one on the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers in Alabama, and the lower group between
the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers in Georgia. Village sites and burial
mounds are frequently located in this section. The famous Kolomokee Mounds
in present-day Early County are quite ancient in the Creek history.
Numerous other mounds were explored and historically recorded along the
Chattahoochee before the river water impounded thousands of acres forming Lake
Chattahoochee (Walter F. George Lake). Today the most enduring memorial of
a nomadic people are the many names given to the streams etc. by them. For
instance, Chattahoochee is reputedly an Indian word for "Muddy
Waters".
Friendly at first, the native Indians naturally became
resentful over the evergrowing numbers of pioneers who were continually
pre-empting their lands and gradually forcing them back into less attractive
sections. Resentment became war. Indian forays into pioneer
settlements were frequent and disastrous. Lives were wiped out, cabins
burned, livestock driven to Indian camps. None could be safe from these
attacks, and soon the settlers were appealing for protection from their
government.
About 1812-14 a force of militia was sent to establish
a fort, garrisoned by Federal soldiers. The outpost named Fort Gaines
provided a refuge during frequent Indian raids was constructed with blockhouses
at each corner of an hundred-foot square enclosure protected by high-pointed
picket walls. It adjoined a spring known as Basin Springs which afforded
the vital water supply for the besieged settlers. This outpost was located
just north of the settlement at the juncture of "Town Branch" and
Cemocheechobee Creek. For some years this afforded a haven for endangered
settlers, provided they were alerted to anticipate the marauding Indians.
Not everyone heeded to warnings to seek refuge, however, and many lives were
lost as a consequence.
In one case a settler and his wife who had always been
friendly with the Indians returned to their home near the fort, assuming that
the Indians were good friends and would not molest them. His wife went to
Basin Springs under the bluff to get water. She was scalped by the Indians
and left for dead. She recovered but was forced to cover her scalp wound
with a piece of cloth. From then on she was pointed out as the woman who
had been scalped by the Indians.
During 1817, the Indians became active in the vicinity
of Fort Gaines. They killed a settler named Keath who lived on the Jim
Bennett plantation several miles below Fort Gaines on the west side of the
river. People from the surrounding area took refuge in the fort. The
men were mustered into military service and took part in suppressing the
Indians. After a few months, quiet was restored and the people returned to
their homes.
However, it was not until February, 1825 that Chief
William McIntosh signed the Treaty at Indian Springs ceding the land of the
Lower Creeks above the line of Fort Gaines north of Cemocheechobee Creek.
The Indians killed McIntosh and were not entirely removed until the "Trail
of Tears" 1835-40.
People began coming in great numbers to claim the
fertile Chattahoochee valley lands, relying on the convenience and safety
provided by Fort Gaines. Almost without exception, these early settlers
were Anglo-Saxons from the eastern part of Georgia and from the Carolinas and
Virginia. Many came from families of education and easier lives than that
which they assumed in the new land so recently vacated by the Indians.
"There has been much written about the luxurious
manner in which wealthy planters lived before the Civil War. This has been
very much exaggerated. These wealthy planters formed a very small part of
the population and were restricted largely to the Mississippi River Valley.
Most of the people in this section lived on farms.
These farms, when they became large enough, were known as plantations.
They produced plenty to eat, and cotton was a surplus crop. The roads were
few and poor, but the people were very hospitable. The traveler was never
refused a meal or a night's lodging. They lived for the most part in plain
houses, did all their own work, raised crops and cattle which provided their
food. The women made the clothing from cotton which was carded, spun, and
woven on spinning wheels and hand looms.
Many of the houses were constructed of logs and had but
one room. Cooking was done in a large open fireplace. Across the
fireplace and near the top was a large iron crane pivoted at one end in the side
of the fireplace so that it would swing back and forth either over the fire or
away from it. On this crane kettles of food to be boiled were hung, and
the crane was swung back over the fire. Baking was done in ovens with tops
on which coals were placed. The oven was on legs and placed over red hot
coals on the hearth. Wood was the fuel, and in the hot ashes cakes of corn
bread, sweet potatoes, and ears of corn in the shuck were roasted.
People traveled in buggies, wagons or stage coaches,
and frequently on horseback. It is related that sometimes a farmer would
come into town on a holiday or other occasion riding a horse with a woman on the
horse behind him. As he would reach the edge of town, he would start his
horse at a gallop and pass through the streets yelling. He would often
stop in front of the liquor store and provide himself with a well-filled bottle.
Later in the day he would likely be found preparing to dispute some argument
with another in the same condition with his fists, the woman hanging on his arms
trying to stop it. These fights seldom resulted in serious injury.
There were no telegraph offices and few newspapers.
The people got together at camp meeting and other occasions and learned a great
deal by personal contact. The camp meetings, usually held in the summer
when farm duties permitted, were always well-attended. They were always a
social event, and cabins were sometimes provided to take care of people who
lived too far away to return home at night. They were usually held in the
open. The barbecue was the favorite method of preparing food.
Social life and customs were carried into occupations,
such as corn shucking and logrolling. Usually at these gatherings there
would be competitive sports as wrestling and foot races. The winner of
these events would have a choice of partners in the dance which followed and
ride home with the prettiest girl, often on horseback. The women would
hold quilting parties.
The building of a log house was a social event of
importance. The owner would first cut and notch the logs, then invite his
neighbors to a house raising. After the raising and putting on the
clapboards he would "gin a treat". The chimneys of these log
houses were built of sticks of wood held together by clay or, when it could be
obtained, of stone." 2
A trading post had been developed on the west bank of
the Chattahoochee across from Fort Gaines about 1814. This was known as
Franklin and was a trading center which served useful years in the business life
of this section.
"Old Franklin" was one of the first
settlements in Henry County, Alabama. It was established in 1814 before
the State of Alabama was admitted to the Union. It appears that Franklin
was a thriving center while Fort Gaines was yet a military outpost, for Fort
Gaines was not incorporated until 1830.
Originally, there were only twelve families living in
all Southeast Alabama. One such family was the family of one James Hughes,
who located near Franklin in 1817. General Alexander Gordon, along with
his two brothers, was born in Washington County, Georgia, and was brought to
Franklin by his uncle, James Hughes. General Gordon's parents were killed
by the Indians in 1811, while he was still an infant. Because he would
speak the Indian language, he later became clerk of the trading post, then
operated by some New England merchants.
One of the earliest stores was operated by William
Irwin, who later became a general during the Seminole Indian War. He
settled in Franklin in 1819, where he acquired large acreages of land. He
later owned land holdings in Irwinton which became Eufaula. General Irwin
was drowned in a leap from a burning steamer on the Chattahoochee River.
He was returning from Columbus where he had gone to sell a large amount of
cotton. It was rumored that he carried a large sum of money in his money
belt. His body was later recovered 200 yards down-stream from where the
steamer sank, but the money was never found.
While Franklin was growing into a thriving trading
center in 1814, Fort Gaines, across the river in Georgia, was experiencing
growing pains. Communication between the two villages was by means of a
ferry, or by a canoe, until the first bridge was built in the late 1840's.
The first post office was opened in Franklin in 1832, and John L. Pugh was the
first mail carrier.
In 1841, C. V. Morris came from New England and entered
the employment of Howell Chitty. Morris and Chitty later married sisters,
Rebecca and Caroline Harvey. Mr. Morris became sole owner of the store in
1877, later moving to Fort Gaines where he continued in business until his death
in 1912. Another of the stores in Franklin was operated by Bennett and
Chitty, and grandsire of the late James T. Bennett of Fort Gaines.
Following the Civil War, the principal firms doing
business in Franklin were: T. H. McAllister, Bartlett Spann, C. V. Morris,
William McAllister, and the firm of Mount and Appling.
About 1856 or 1857 Old Franklin began its decline upon
the completion of the railroad into Fort Gaines, with its outlet to Macon and
Savannah. Fort Gaines, because of its modern transportation and lower
freight rates, entered a new era of prosperity. The spot where Old
Franklin stood, across the river from Fort Gaines, is now a pecan orchard.
Nothing remains to show that it was once a thriving business community.
The writer is indebted to the late Col. E. A. Greene
for the factual data in this story of Old Franklin." 3
Early County was formed by an act of the Georgia
Legislature in 1818. It was immediately thrown open to settlers, and many
came during 1818 and 1819. Their ability to acquire title gave the
settlements an air of stability they had not had before. The names of
early settlers who moved into the district during and before 1817 were: F.
Porter, John Dill, Wm. A. Carr. F. Porter, settled at Porter's Ferry; Joel
Porter halfway between the ferry and Fort Gaines; Dill and Carr in Fort Gaines.
Devastating floods were frequent, and people began
locating on the high bluffs along the eastern side of the river. The
stockade on the north afforded some feeling of safety, and settlements
increased. By 1819 the village of Fort Gaines was established. The
Indian name for the village was "A-con-hollo-way Tal-lo-fa" meaning
Highland Town.
The area of Fort Gaines was platted into lots which
were quickly taken, and homes erected. Businesses began forming, and
ambitions for a chartered town developed. In 1829-30 a petition for
charter as an incorporated town was presented before the Legislature of Georgia,
and in 1830 Fort Gaines became an incorporated township. Gabriel Johnson,
George W. Prescott, John Dill, Jas. V. Robinson, and Edward Delandy were elected
officers to direct the affairs of the town ship.
By 1830-1840 the Indians were removed to the West, at
least most of them. Some few so hated to leave the home of their ancestors
that they hid out in the high hills and woodlands and lived their remaining
years among their beloved lands.
These years were busy years of development for Fort
Gaines and adjacent areas. Many people were coming from the older counties
in the eastern part of the state. Many more came from the Carolinas and
Virginia, and even some few of the older names were from the northeastern
states.
For some years the Head Rights System had been used as
a method of attracting new settlers, but this had resulted in that the choicest
sections were quickly claimed, leaving less desirable sections vacant and
undeveloped. Surveys were more or less incomplete and bitter feuds
resulted because of conflicting claims to the same lands. So the Land
Lottery System was adopted by the State. This system directed that all
lands be surveyed, numbered by lots, and authentic maps placed in the Surveyor
General's Office.
After this was completed, the lottery system was used.
The numbered slips with the numbers of the land lots were placed in a box, and
eager settlers allowed to draw. Many estates of today had their origin
under this system. Settlement was rapid under this system, largely during
the administration of Gov. George M. Troup.
When General Gaines left this area, General John Dill
(one source states that the General was a courtesy title only and another that
General Dill was elected Brigadier General of Militia by the Legislature of
Georgia) was left in charge at Fort Gaines and lived the remainder of his life
here. General Dill was a native of South Carolina. So far as is
known, his military career was spent as an officer in charge of the post at Fort
Gaines. Later he became a prominent business leader in Fort Gaines and
served as its first postmaster.
An old legend persists that the nucleus of his
prosperity was a small fortune which he acquired through his marriage.
Supposedly a party was proceeding by boats laden with supplies from gulf ports,
mainly Pensacola and Appalachicola. The boats were protected by a few
armed men, but as they headed into the river along the mouth of the
Appalachicola they were ambushed by Indians. Only three Americans
survived, two men and one woman. The two men escaped, but the woman was
captured and carried to the Indian camp as a slave. Much debate as to her
fate ensued, but the chief of the tribe prevailed, contending that his life had
once been spared by the whites and that in return he would spare this woman's
life. The woman, a Mrs. Stuart, had lost her husband in the Indian foray
and accepted her fate as a captive. It seems that she was permitted more
freedom than some captives were allowed, being permitted to wander unguarded
about the camp. As a result, she was able to gather the paper money which
the Indians threw away when they returned from their many raids, regarding it as
worthless. The lady understood its value and hid it under her clothing.
Later during an encounter between a party of whites and the Indians, the woman
was seen and rescued. Eventually, she reached a party of General Andrew
Jackson's men. It seems that General Jackson and General Dill were
friends, and because of this contact, General Dill became acquainted with the
lady. This developed into a marriage between the two -- not the least of
her attractions were those paper currencies which the lady still possessed.
The first merchants in Fort Gaines were Hartwell
Tarver, John Brockman, and John Dill. Brockman moved to Franklin, Alabama,
where he died in 1824. Tarver moved to prospect Bluff, five miles above
Fort Gaines where he operated a trading post with the Indians; John Dill
remained in Fort Gaines, and in 1921 formed a partnership with John W. Sutlive,
who moved to Fort Gaines from Tennessee in 1819.
One of their first and most notable business ventures
after the partnership was formed was the establishment of a tannery employing
many hands, most of whom were slaves. They made only brogans, at first,
for use by the slaves. As the workmen became more skilled, they made fine
boots for their masters as well as shoes for the ladies. This business
became one of the largest in the state of Georgia. The skilled workmen
began making fine saddles and bridles, also, which were very much in demand and
brought very high prices.
Many of the buildings in downtown are built of locally
produced bricks. The brickyard was located at the foot of the bluff above
the old Central of Georgia railway depot. It functioned for many years,
first under the management of John W. Sutlive and John Dill. The bricks
were made by hand. Later, ownership came into possession of Sharp and
Peterson. They installed modern machinery making it possible to increase
the production substantially. An abundance of the proper type of clay
locally, developed brickmaking into a prosperous industry.
On the first floor of the old colonial house at the
northeast corner of Commerce and Lee street, two brothers, Bob an J. P. H.
Brown, opened a general store. Then they decided to set up shop for the
manufacture of pots, pans, and other tinware on the second floor. In a
horse-drawn wagon the tin was taken around the countryside for sale. For
some time this business flourished, but the volume production of tinware made it
unprofitable, and the factory was closed.
In 1880 this two-story building was purchased by J. P.
Sharpe who converted it into a hotel. The first proprietor of the new
hostelry was Mrs. E. C. Cook under whose management it soon acquired a wide
reputation for its comfort and good food.
About the time of the Civil War on Cemochechobee Creek
(known locally as Brown's Mill Creek) one mile above Fort Gaines, there was
established the first thread mill. The mill was powered by the current of
the creek. This welcome facility relieved the women of spinning thread on
the traditional spinning wheel. For some years this mill served a great
need, especially during the war years.
The Chattahoochee River was the main transportation
artery, and after its union with the Flint River access to the Gulf of Mexico
was available. Cotton was becoming a very important crop over all
Southwest Georgia and Alabama. Wagon trains came from as far east as
Palmyra (present Albany) and from as far as sixty miles in Southeast Alabama,
laden with produce for the river freights. The wharves at Fort Gaines were
busy with produce going out by boats as their incoming loads went out over the
countryside in the same wagons and carts which had brought loads to the wharves.
Roads were few and for the most part only unimproved
clearings. The Hartford Road, as it is still known today, became an
important artery for Fort Gaines. After removal of the Indians about 1826
from along the line above Fort Gaines, many newcomers were arriving in this
section. An outlet was needed for transportation of supplies to the
increased settlements east of Fort Gaines, and Hartford Road became that means.
It enabled the farmers and merchants to haul merchandise back to their homes
from the river port.
The only means of public conveyance, away from the
navigable streams, was the stagecoach which usually ran on a schedule of once or
twice a week. This immediate area was served from a central point at
Hartford, Georgia running in a southwesterly direction serving the Tallahassee
area. Another route came through Fort Gaines to Columbia, Alabama,
crossing the Chattahoochee and extending on into South Alabama ending at a point
near Evergreen, Alabama. No doubt connections were made at this point with
other routes down to the Gulf of Mexico.
The coming of the stagecoach was an important event in
the life of many villages. None living can recall those coaching days in
all their glory. The sharp crack of the whip as the driver flourished it
above the "leaders"; the long blast of the horn announcing the coming
of the stage; the small boys watching as the lumbering vehicle drew to a stop at
the station. Then, the quick change of fresh horses for the next lap of
the journey; the interchange of mail and passengers; another blast of the horn;
another crack of the whip and the excitement was over until the next stage
arrived. The fare was usually about $25.00. The Globe Tavern was the
stagecoach stop in Fort Gaines.
Formerly Georgia territory extended from the Atlantic
seaboard to the Mississippi River, but through the years portions were
relinquished to the federal government in exchange for protection from the
Indian. After the Treaty of 1826 with the Indians, the state line was
placed permanently at the Chattachochee. Before the settlement, travelers
desiring to go west through Indian territory were required to have passports.
In the early 1840's the first bridge across the
Chattahoochee at Fort Gaines was constructed. Prior to this time the need
for a bridge had long been felt, for the only bridge across the river was
located at Columbus. Traffic from Alabama on the west was heavy and had to
be handled by means of ferries, canoes, and flatboats. This was slow,
cumbersome, and often times most dangerous.
Prime movers for a bridge here was the firm of Bemis
and Prescott * (Charles F. Bemis and Alfred Prescott), who conducted a warehouse
and cotton factory at Fort Gaines. Fifty percent of the cotton received by
the firm came from Alabama across the river.
*Prescott and Bemis lot located in "Old
Cemetery" in Fort Gaines.
Plans were made in the early 1840's, and the firm of
Bemis and Prescott began the construction of the first bridge across the
Chattahoochee at Fort Gaines. The wharves and the warehouses of Bemis and
Prescott were located on a point a few yards south of the present bridge.
Feeding this point was the road leading down to the landing. This road led
from what is now Highway No. 39 south -- back of where the present nursing home
and hospital are located. Its original diversion from the highway known as
the Blakely Road was what the older generations know as the Gully. This
was filled years ago, and no trace is seen nowadays. However, the old road
down to the river has become a ravine, and where it reached the old wharves is
where the first sewerage emptied. The road had to be changed because of
erosion. At the point on the river bank there is now a small beach with a
sparkling waterfall from above.
In a time of drought the remains of the brick
foundations of that bridge can be seen on the Alabama side of the river.
This was almost directly in line with the wharves on the Georgia side.
This first bridge was of wood construction throughout and was supported by three
latticed piers. For twelve or fifteen years this early bridge afforded the
community a great benefit, though often ravaged by the river floods. In
the 1850's it was washed away in a great freshet, and once again resort was made
to boats and ferries. Anthony McCullough for many years operated a ferry
for the people's needs. In the early 1860's a group of business men
incorporated a company and let a contract to the firm of Bonner and Walden for a
new bridge. This bridge was finished around 1867-68.
River shipping, the main means of bringing in freight to this
area, was centered at the Fort Gaines landing. Likewise it was the loading
point for products brought here for shipping downriver to the Gulf of Mexico and
in many cases overseas. The landing was on a shelf broad enough to house
warehouses for receiving and storage. One of the first warehouses was
constructed by John Sutlive and John Dill. In 1841 their warehouse was
washed away and was not rebuilt. The firm of Bemis and Prescott erected
another warehouse after their first one was also destroyed. They went out
of business by 1861.
Freight was raised from the boats on a type of railway
hauled by mulepower, and was then loaded on wagons which still had to climb the
winding road around the high bluff until it reached level ground-old records
place this point near where the Woman's Clubhouse now stands. By a reverse
process, two sets of slides carried bales of cotton and other heavy freight from
the top of the bluff down to the steamboats. A series of steps was made of
boards upon which pedestrians could go down to the landing or vice versa.
This was actually the most important means of travel for many years prior to and
after the Civil War. Following the war, railroads gradually displaced
river transportation. Many records of the fabulous, as well as dangerous
days of the river steamboats are still told.
"The deep blast of the steamboat whistle was the
signal for those living in the villages and towns on the river to gather at the
landings for such news as the river steamer personnel might bring from
neighboring towns and from more distant points. The flat-bottom,
sternwheel steamers carried a varied cargo on their lower decks, but the upper
decks were reserved for passengers and living quarters for the crew. They
ranged in width from 28 feet to 38 feet and in length from 125 feet to 165 feet.
They used cordwood to fire their boilers. It was cut and stacked by the
Indians at the various landings along the river. The price paid was
one-dollar a cord.
Many of the old river steamers had well-appointed
interiors, especially on their upper decks. Many of them were floating
palaces, with Brussels carpets, gilt trimmings, and chandeliers hanging in the
passageways. They carried from forty to fifty passengers, and the fare for
the one-half to six day trip from Columbus to Appalachicola was nine dollars
including meals and lodging. Many now living, including the writer,
remember the enjoyable, carefree excursions on the river. In the early
1900's stops were made at Eufaula, Fort Gaines, Columbia, Wewahitchka, Owl
Creek, Iola, Ocheesee, and Appalachicola. There was dancing to the music
furnished by the Negro stevedores on their banjos and guitars, while one oldster
regaled himself over his mint julep. The silent ripple of water against a
background of a lattice-pattern of moonlight and shadows as it filtered through
the trees and the haunting strains of the stringed instruments was a setting
around which many a romance developed.
On the lower decks was a varied cargo of cotton,
lumber, fish, turpentine and rosin products, honey, oranges, as well as
fertilizers, seeds, grains, household and kitchen furniture consigned to farmers
and others adjacent to the river.
For a hundred years, the river knew the pageantry of
commercial traffic. As Jane Raymond writing in the Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer in its November 23rd, 1962 issue, has said: "The glamorous
queen of the river once moved in majestic glory up and down the Chattahoochee.
But she has been stripped of her queenly gear. Her life blood is given
through another source--electric power. Like a woman remembering the bloom
of her maidenhood, she blushes and holds down within her heart the memories of
when her admirers flocked to her side, and she was uppermost in the eyes and
thoughts of men."
It has been said that the Chattahoochee is not only the
longest river in the state, but it is the longest graveyard for sunken craft,
also. Innumerable steamboats lie with its waters across their breasts,
having met their fate by fire or striking snags or other obstructions on the
river." 4
The railroad replaced the old stagecoaches and river
steamers as passenger carriers. According to the notes of Col. E. A.
Greene, a meeting was held in Macon, Georgia in 1847 the purpose of which was to
construct a railroad from Macon through Southwest Georgia to some point on the
Chattahoochee River. In 1854 the Central of Georgia Railway System
extended a short line from Cuthbert to Fort Gaines, the rails terminating
at Fort Gaines. For one-hundred years it was fondly hoped that the line
would be extended across the Chattahoochee into Alabama -- a hope never
realized.
The railbed was built by the labor of many workers as
no modern machinery was then known. Quite many embankments and large
culverts were necessary. After more than 100 years, when the line was
rebuilt, these large culverts were found to be sound and strong for the heavy
loads which had passed over them. These loads of stone and other supplies
were brought in for the construction of the Walter F. George Lock and Dam above
Fort Gaines during the 1940-1960 period. After months of service, the
railroad became idle, and in late 1960 the line was discontinued.
Eventually the tracks were removed.
Three churches had become organized by 1845. The
Baptist, Methodists, and Presbyterians were contributing effectively to the
culture of the people. The first attempt made by a religious group was by
the Episcopalian order but never became very strong as there still remained too
much resentment of these hard people against the established Anglican order.
These settlers were fiercely independent and strong-minded or they could never
have ventured so far into undeveloped country. The churches became strong
and exerted a great influence on society. (Church histories included in an
appendix.)
"The schools of that period (1820-1830+) were
almost entirely private. The parents paid the teacher for tuition and had
a direct influence in controlling his handling of the instruction. There
was usually one teacher to a school, which would be located at some place
convenient for the pupils to walk back and forth, a walk of several miles being
considered average. As a result the simplest subjects were taught, the
students being divided into classes instead of grades. These classes
usually depended on the reader that the pupils were studying, there being no
reader higher than the Fifth Reader. They would range from the First
Reader Class to the Fifth Reader Class.
The old field school was, as a rule, held in a log
house and the pupils sat on benches without backs made of split logs.
Light came into the schoolroom through a window which had no glass and was
closed by a shutter. The teacher kept the school from sunrise to sunset.
In winter it began as early as the light was good enough to read, and it closed
when it was too dark to read. The studies were the three "R's" -
reading, riting, rithmetic. The teacher received fifty cents per pupil per
month paid by the parents, usually in provisions. The log house and the
primitive conditions of this period were gradually improved as the communities
became more settled and the inhabitants more prosperous." 5
In 1831, one year after the charter was granted
incorporating Fort Gaines, the Fort Gaines Academy, located at the corner of
East Commerce and Academy Street was chartered with the following trustees:
Samuel Johnson, Thomas T. Patterson, Sr., Leonard P. McCullough, Ira Cushmore
and James Buchanan.
One school was not deemed sufficient, and in 1838 the
Legislature of Georgia approved a charter for the establishment of the Fort
Gaines Female Institute. The trustees were John Dill, Simon Greene, Samuel
Gainer, James P. Holmes and William Mount. Management of the school was
entrusted to these men. This was one of the first schools for young ladies
in the state of Georgia. Professor Serons Taylor, an educator of high
attainment, was secured for the school. Upon his resignation, the trustees
were able to secure an equally well-qualified instructor, Professor John W.
Grant. Grant was forced to leave here after a short time because of ill
health. After five years he was persuaded to return and rendered
exceptional service as head of the Fort Gaines Female College (the name was
changed from Fort Gaines Female Institute to Fort Gaines Female College).
The architectural design of the college was a
masterpiece and presented an imposing and attractive appearance. This
colossal building was located on the river bluff just about where the tennis
courts are now. The main building was 120 ft. in length and consisted of a
chapel 80 ft. wide and 90 ft. long including a stage and two side rooms, with an
apparatus room 30x80 feet in the rear. The chapel ran from east to west
and was 40 feet from floor to ceiling. The wings, each 50 feet, contained
four large classrooms, two above and two below with large fireplaces in each
one. A gallery above connected the upper floors of the wings and afforded
ample accommodations for large audiences. A cupola that towered eighty
feet in the air adorned the main building and was cynosure of the eyes of all
visitors to the town.
Professor Grant owned a complete and quite valuable
scientific apparatus, as well as a complete set of astronomical instruments
including a very powerful microscope. The room back of the stage was used
as a laboratory and the room above for other scientific experiments. This
apparatus and these instruments enabled Professor Grant to teach and demonstrate
philosophy, astronomy, geometry, and surveying. Several first class
engineers were trained under him. He also had a very large globe for the
use of his classes in geography.
The drop curtain of the stage in the auditorium was an
elaborate and gorgeous work of art having been painted by Professor Grant and
his son, Alfred, both of whom were gifted artists and portrait painters.
The curriculum was of the highest standards. The
smallest pupils started in the "Blueback Speller", and as long as they
remained in school they were required to study it. As they grew older,
they were put in Webster's Dictionary in addition to the Blueback Speller.
Some very fine spellers resulted from this intense system.
The citizens of Fort Gaines regretfully saw Professor
Grant leave their town. He was an extraordinarily fine teacher and was called to
broader fields of usefulness. On leaving Fort Gaines, Professor Grant took
with him his telescope and other instruments. Stories about these remained
for many years as a tribute to his genius. Many capable men and women
succeeded Professor Grant at the college.
In 1851, a racetrack seven-eighths of a mile was built
on the plateau in front of the college. It was a circular track with a
straight stretch 440 yards long for quarter races. Cock fighting was also
a popular sport. Gamblers, horseracers, and others held a carnival of
gaming for about ten years. Poker was among the favorite games played at
night -- many lambs were shorn among the guileless.
The Globe Hotel (sometimes called Globe Tavern),
located on the corner of Carroll and Washington Street, was first owned and
operated by Charles Suddolph, succeeded by Jesse Wen, George W. Wardlaw, George
B. Wheeler, and Robert Peterson, who made this the most popular stop in South
Georgia. Drummers often arranged their itinerary in order to spend their
weekends in Fort Gaines. After the tavern burned in 1873, Mrs. Raymur
asked for the brass globe used to advertise the tavern to put across the street
in her flower yard. This globe still may be seen over there. This
fire started the replacement of wooden buildings with brick buildings
constructed from local brick.
Rivalry between two local hotels, the Dobbins House and
the Raymur House, was keen. When the afternoon trains came in, there were
carriages and drivers from each hostelry waiting at the station for passengers.
In those days, most salesmen traveled by train, carrying with them great trunks
of samples of their merchandise. Quite often they stayed in town for some
days, having "showings" of their wares. The hotels in Fort
Gaines did a good business and offered good service for their guests with
wonderful meals for them in the dining rooms.
An annual event was the Cahtaqua. Artists from
many places and of many talents came to Fort Gaines and gave their performances.
It was a week of entertainment for the people of the community, but gradually
other forms of entertainment came within reach of the people, and the Chatauqua
disappeared.
Development was rapid in the area during the 1830-40
period. More people were taking up the fertile lands and building better
homes, but the shadows of war were also darkening. Many citizens were
concerned, and many responded to the need for men to free Texas from its
bondage, so in the late 1840's there were some who went to the Texas territory.
This encounter was brief with not many from the area being lost.
A greater, more ominous threat was growing. In
this area there were few slaves; most of the early citizens were small farmers
and tradesman, comfortable but not wealthy. Agitation between the North
and South touched Clay County, too. When war became a reality, four
companies from Clay County participated (a list of these is included in an
appendix).
War department engineers were sent here in the spring
of 1863 in answer to an appeal from the citizens for a fort. The high
bluff commanding the bend of the river two miles south was recognized as a
strategic point. A fort was laid out on the site of the present Woman's
Clubhouse. A large magazine of sand and lumber was erected about sixty
feet east of the bluff in the depression south of the clubhouse. The
magazine was connected by trenches with the position of the cannon.
Breastworks were thrown up along the river bank near the abutments of the
present river bridge with portholes giving a view of the river to the south.
Three cannons were placed, two on the bluff and one behind the breastwork on the
banks below. Small arms, a generous supply of ammunition, and cannon balls
comprised the ordinance equipment. The fort was garrisoned by a company of
citizenry soldiers. Cap. John Seals, Dr. James Mandeville, Dr. Gaston, and
Capt. John B. Johnson, a West Pointer, were the officers in charge.
Fort Gaines was never invaded, but deprivation was felt
by all and bereavement touched many homes. Schools were closed. The
old Seminary or College became a hospital for the wounded. Those sent here
were mostly from the Battle of Olustee in Florida. Nine of these died and
are buried in New Park Cemetery in a section set apart for these and marked by a
suitable shaft. A monument to the memory of Anthony McCullough is also in
this section.
Stores, churches, and every other available place was
pressed into service for the wounded. The minute book (written on
wallpaper) of the "Wayside Inn", which was located in the old
three-storied Masonic building on the Corner of Hancock and Commerce Streets,
gave this as their preamble: "Feeling the necessity of a more
efficient provision for the sick and wounded soldiers who are daily being thrown
into our midst, and knowing it to be our duty to contribute to their comfort as
much as lies within our power, we do resolve to establish a "Wayside
Inn" and agree to be governed by the following Constitution and
By-Laws", etc.
This minute book of the old Wayside Inn also contained
many other things of note: for instance, receipts given by Mrs. E. V. Tuttle to
Miss Augusta Wardlaw from January 12 to February 29, 1864 for $2646.75 for
supplies. This was Confederate money, and the following prices will give
some idea of the purchasing value of this money.
100 lbs. flour -- $100
l lb. bacon -- $1
1 calico dress -- $100
1 bu. cornmeal -- $2.00
1 lb. butter -- $1.50 - 2.00
6 penpoints -- $6.00
1 lb. coffee -- $6.00
1 lb. sugar -- $1.25
Even at such prices food was extremely scarce, and many
people learned to use foodstuffs never before considered.
A few Yankee soldiers were brought to Fort Gaines as
overflow from the hospital at Andersonville. These were placed under guard
in the yard of the first old courthouse which is located at the present
residence of Mrs. Susie McAllister (once used as a schoolhouse, also).
The old Seminary building and two other buildings were
put into use as warehouses for the storage of grain and other foodstuffs for the
supply of the soldiers. This was known as the depot for the
"Tax-in-Kind"; this was a levy of one-tenth of all food supplies and
wool produced in this section. At the close of the Civil War, so many
supplies, mainly meat and corn, were stored in these warehouses that it is said
the floor gave way, but the building was securely locked. Returning
soldiers in the spring of 1865 saw the destitute circumstances of their families
and friends, and they demanded and distributed these precious provisions among
the people, making life a little less deprived for them.
The Reconstruction Period was a time of hardship,
deprivation, and injustice. Subsequent to the ending of the war, a small
detachment of federal troops was sent to Fort Gaines. They took possession
of the building and grounds of the Chattahoochee Female Institute. Only
because of the cool moderation of worthy citizens was rank insurrection avoided.
Feelings were very high when election years rolled
around. During the congressional elections of 1868 and 1870, federal
troops were sent to Clay County to maintain order. After this tragic
period, the people of Clay County applied themselves to the rebuilding of their
society and economy.
One of the earliest newspapers in Fort Gaines was named
The Messenger. Possibly there were earlier ones, but this is the earliest
record available. It was published shortly after the Civil War.
The Messenger was followed by The Tribune in the early
eighties. A rival, The Advertiser, sprang up in the eighties. At one
time it was reported that Fort Gaines had two weekly newspapers and one daily
paper, of short duration, however. From time to time other papers made
their appearance -- The Sentinal, The Recorder (early 1900's), The Southwest
Georgia (1926 or perhaps earlier until 1948), The Fort Gaines News (1930's), The
News Record (1948).
The first telegraph service for Fort Gaines was
proposed in 1868. Construction of lines and poles took some years, but by
1878 it was completed and offered dependable service. The first Western
Union Telegraph office was located at the Central of Georgia depot.
In the early 1860's a group of businessmen incorporated
a company and let a contract to the firm of Bonner and Walden for a new bridge.
This second bridge was much like the first one but located farther up the river.
During its construction another freshet destroyed the center pier in August
1868. Many lives were lost and many were injured. The contractors
abandoned the job so the incorporators secured the services of a well-known
Negro contractor, Horace King, who completed the bridge in a most competent way.
This time the bridge had three extra latticed piers, thus extending the bridge
farther on the low lying Alabama side which would hopefully give protection from
the flood waters which often inundated that area. However, in the flood of
March, 1875, the first of three piers collapsed, and two spans of the bridge
were swept away. In the fall of 1875, these spans were replaced by a
builder named MacKenzie.
At first, interest on the bridge bonds and upkeep of
the bridge itself were financed by liquor licenses and special business taxes.
Later, however, the State Legislature levied an ad-valorem tax, and this made
ownership of the bridge an enormous burden on the City of Fort Gaines. So,
the incorporators decided to sell the bridge to a prominent citizen, David C.
Adams. He agreed to liquidate the bonds on condition that the city deed
the bridge and its accompanying franchise to him. This was a short-sighted
policy of the city fathers, for within ten years time Mr. Adams was said to have
paid off all obligations and to have realized $30,000 profit.
After the floods of March 1888, Mr. Adams resold the
bridge to the city for $5000. William King, son of the first builder,
Horace King, rebuilt the bridge. The old wooden piers were replaced by
piers of brick. Resting upon a latticework of 2 1/2 x 10 inch planks held
together by strong wooden pegs, this bridge was of closed covered type.
Its sides were enclosed by solid walls of heavy planks, lighted occasionally by
small windows cut out of the planks. The entire bridge was covered by a
shingle roof.
As time passed, needs for an ever increasing citizenry
became apparent. Fort Gaines people depended on open wells and natural springs
for their water supply. As we know now, this was often impure. Early
in the 1880's an effort was begun to correct this condition. It had been
found that the water-bearing of limestone existed at different depths under the
soil. So, the first artesian well was sunk. This first well and
derrick were placed at the crossing of Washington and Carroll Streets. The
well diggers finally struck water at about 300 feet, and a steam pump was
installed and used for several years. Because the pump was a nuisance, the
well was later placed at a point just south of the Methodist Church. A
water tank was elevated on a tower just about where the Alley comes into Hancock
Street at present. This afforded the necessary storage and pressure.
A virulent epidemic in the early 1900's spurred improvement of the water system,
and greater precautions were taken to insure a safer supply. This area has
always provided a plentiful and dependable supply of water. Two other
artesian wells have been bored, each affording to Fort Gaines a generous and
unfailing supply of pure water.
As have all communities through the years, Fort Gaines
in the early 1880's felt the need of fire protection. The town secured a
chemical fire engine which could be used to throw a small stream of water.
The old "bucket brigade" was outdated except as a supplement to the
fine new engine. This new fire engine was a glorious spectacle of copper
which took a brilliant polish -- a two wheeled affair pulled by a gang of men
who doubled as a bucket brigade once the fire was reached and the chemical
stream directed on the blaze.
As the water system was improved, a better method of
fire protection was adopted. A larger pumper pulled by horsepower was
purchased. The strong pressure afforded by the improved water system
provided a more successful means of fighting fire. With so many wooden
buildings in the area, fires were numerous and most destructive.
The first cotton gin was established in 1821 four miles
south of Fort Gaines on the Robert Thompson plantation near the Blakely road.
Cotton ginning then was, like all industries, very primitive. The gins
were operated by horsepower. They would be located on the floor of the
building well-elevated so as to leave the space for the animals to pull a wheel
around that was geared to the gin. The cotton was carried, placed on top
of the gin, and fed into the gin all by hand. The seeds, which were then
considered a nuisance, would be placed in a pile, again by hand power, and
allowed to rot. The lint would be blown loosely into the lint room, where
it would accumulate. The lint was taken to the press. When the box
of the press was filled, animals were hitched to the wings and bales were
pressed and fastened.
About 1890 the increasing production of cotton in the
area made an urgent need for better methods of extracting the fleece from the
bolls. A mechanical device came into use which condensed the lint,
enabling the ginners to abolish the lint room. As cotton production
increased more gins became necessary and a larger number of machines were
installed in one gin house, requiring mechanical attachments so that the gins
could be attached together. The early bales of cotton were round rather
than the oblong shape now used. Increased gin facilities restored some of
the waning prestige of Fort Gaines as a trading center.
An additional bonus from the ginning was the cotton
seed which for a long time had been considered a waste product. These
seeds were found to have great nutritional value for cattle feed and then came
the discovery that cotton seed oils were valuable in the human diet. The
first oil mill established in the 1890's provided facilities for processing the
cotton seed into usable form. The first mill was located about where the
old Southern Cotton Oil Co. was in later years (on the river flat below the
railroad station).
A new era opened with the improved gins, and Clay
County literally became the "Land of Cotton". Large acreages
were devoted to cotton; in fact, many farmers grew cotton almost exclusively,
depending for feed grains shipped in from other regions. This system in
time took its toll from the land, and the economy suffered. In the 1900's
the dreaded cotton boll weevil made its appearance after its long devouring
progress from the West. Clay County and all the cotton growing areas of
the southeast suffered financial ruin. Necessity is the "mother of
invention", and desperation forced immediate changes in the growing habit
of the old cotton system. Many suffered heavy losses during this period,
but eventually the system as now known was adopted.
About 1912-15 farmers made many visits to areas west of
Clay County for the purpose of studying the ravages of the oncoming boll weevil.
Not only the cotton growing farmers, but everyone was anxious for a substitute
crop as the entire economy was crucially affected. After several years,
the cultivation of peanuts became the "moneycrop" of Clay County and
neighboring counties. Cotton has never been entirely abandoned, but
peanuts became more dependable; more food crops were cultivated; more cattle
raised; in other words, "diversified farming" became the general
practice.
Peanut growing required a means of harvesting and
processing the products. Methods of harvesting in those early years were
often crude, man-killing labor. The weather often caused financial loss of
a year's hard labor, but gradually over the past fifty years, new and more
profitable methods of harvesting and processing the peanuts have evolved.
Southern Cotton Oil Company, located in Fort Gaines, processed peanuts as well
as the cotton oil from cotton. About 1919-20 a Columbian Peanut Company of
Virginia established its first mill in Fort Gaines, becoming a very important
factor in the economy.
About 1897 the telephone first became available to this
section. A short line was built connecting Fort Gaines and Bluffton.
In a very few years this service was general over Clay County.
In 1914 another great convenience became available to
the citizens. Before that time some few had the advantage of a type of
gaslight, but most had depended on the kerosene lamp lights for illumination.
The Credille-Fowler Power Company brought the first electric service to this
area and served the area for some time. The facilities were sold to
Georgia Power Company.
The rail system gradually replaced the river
transportation, and in 1900 such was negligible for general business. This
line remained active for many years. After paved roads were built over the
area, it gradually lost importance as a carrier. Following a very busy
period in the 1950-1960 years when it served as transportation for many loads of
heavy stone and equipment used in the construction of the mammoth Walter F.
George Lock and Dam above Fort Gaines, the line between Fort Gaines and Cuthbert
became inactive and finally the rails were removed.
Automobiles brought an equally important change in the
life of this section. The first automobile in Fort Gaines was a Rio,
purchased in 1905 by the late S. D. Coleman, Sr., and quite a sensation it was!
Others shortly followed this first one, and the need for better roads became
imperative.
Lumber has been an important business in Clay County.
Sawmills, shingles, and other side products of the timber business have over
many years been very important contributors to the local economy.
The Bank of Fort Gaines was the first bank organized in
Fort Gaines in 1890 with C. V. Morris as President and J. E. Paullin as Cashier.
In 1904 the First National Bank was organized by A. W. Holley with Dr. R. T.
Crozier and W. A. McAllister as officers. The Union Savings Bank was later
organized and in 1936 merged with the First National Bank. During the
depression of the 1930's both the Bank of Fort Gaines and the First National
Bank were placed in the hands of the receiver and closed.
Fort Gaines was without means of clearing checks on
banks located in other cities and was in dire need of banking facilities.
Because of this the late W. G. Grimsley and the late F. A. Graham opened a
private banking exchange in the old bank of Fort Gaines building on Washington
Street, which became known as Fort Gaines Banking Company.
In 1937 W. B. Haley and J. T. Haley, Albany bankers
were interested in extending their banking interest to Fort Gaines. W. G.
Grimsley and F. A. Graham joined with them in organizing a chartered bank under
the same name, and it was housed in the same building for the next twenty-six
years. In February 1963 the bank moved to its new building, a commodious
brick building of Williamsburg design located on Washington Street.
Numerous floods over the years caused frequent damages
to the bridge of the 1913-1916 years. At times traffic was closed, but
numerous and very expensive repairs were made quickly and traffic flowed across.
The old bridge was a hodge-podge of repairs by the 1920's. Automobiles
were supplanting the horse-drawn vehicles. The passing of an automobile
caused the bridge to sway and shake alarmingly. In fact, the
reverberations of the crossing were audible for a great distance; the bridge had
outlasted its usefulness.
Again, progressive citizens were organizing for more
efficient service. The outcome was that the bridge became an inter-state
project, backed by federal aid funds (one-fourth from State of Georgia,
one-fourth from State of Alabama and one-half from Federal Government).
This was a most excellent move financially for the City of Fort Gaines, for it
was now relieved of an almost unbearable burden. Contracts were let to the
firm of Mallory and Nash for a modern steel bridge of the cantilever type.
This bridge was constructed some 100 yards south of the second bridge of the
1860's. The new bridge, named the Henry Clay bridge for the adjoining
counties approaching it, was completed on schedule despite floods, which caused
some readjustment of the plans after a tremendous flood completely covered the
center spans of the bridge. Work progressed steadily, however, and in
1925, the new Henry Clay bridge was formally opened to traffic. Fort
Gaines and adjacent communities celebrated in the old Southern way -- barbecue
and much speech making.
As traffic increased, so did the size and weight of
automobiles and heavy transportation vehicles. The old Henry-Clay bridge
had become a bit out-of-date for the new traffic. It had served long and
usefully but was becoming a bit "behind the times." Proposals
for still a fourth bridge were becoming definite planning. So, financed in
the same way the third bridge was, another bridge across the mighty
Chattahoochee was under way. This time the site was some yards, south of
the Henry-Clay and just north of the site of the first bridge of 1840. The
contract for the fourth bridge was awarded to Tidwell Construction Company.
This bridge, the Henry G. McKemie, follows present-day trends in its design
being lower over the river waters and wide enough for four lane traffic.
This bridge is 825 feet long.
"The quite woodsland and pasture setting on each
side of the river north of Fort Gaines has undergone a face-lifting, as men and
machines have left their mark as they battled with Mother Nature in their
efforts to impound the waters of a great river and convert its latent potential
for use in enhancing the economic and recreational development of this section.
The benefits accruing from this stupendous government facility are immeasurable!
October 27, 1955 was a day long to be remembered by the
people living in the Chattahoochee Valley area. It was on this day that
groundbreaking ceremonies were held on the Alabama side of the river.
There was a colorful parade, including units from Fort Benning and Fort Rucker,
eight or ten high school bands and floats from business firms throughout the
Chattahoochee Valley. There was an old-fashioned barbecue served prior to
the ceremonies.
Senator Walter F. George, for whom the Lock and Dam and
Lake are named, delivered the principal address. We mention for the
record, that Congressman E. L. "Tic" Forrester and Congressman George
Andrews of Alabama, with the help of their colleagues in the Congress, were able
by a margin of one vote, to obtain Committee approval of funds to build the
Columbia and the Walter F. George Locks and Dams. After receiving this
approval, there was still another hurdle to surmount. The Eisenhower
Administration had ruled that no new lock and dam construction would be started
during the then existing emergency. They knew of only one man who could,
in all probability, induce the President to reverse this position. That
man was Senator Walter F. George of Georgia, a close friend of the President.
The Senator, at the request of the interested Congressmen, made a special trip
to the White House. The President agreed to release the funds to start
construction, and these projects were on their way.
June 14, 1963 was the day the people of the
Chattahoochee Valley had waited for. On that day, their hopes and dreams
came to fruition, insofar as improvements on the river were concerned. It
was the day of dedication of both the Columbia and Walter F. George Locks and
Dams.
The dedications were sponsored by the Three Rivers and
Tri-Rivers Development Associations, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, a government agency that built both facilities. R. H. Morris of
Fort Gaines and R. H. McSwain of Abbeville, Alabama were co-chairmen in charge
of arrangements.
The exercises at the Columbia Lock and Dam started at
11:00 A.M. with Mr. Walter Oakley, the Mayor of Columbia, as Master of
Ceremonies. Congressman George Andrews of the Third District of Alabama
gave the dedicatory address.
At the conclusion of the exercises at Columbia, the
crowd moved up to Fort Gaines. There was an old-fashioned barbecue in the
part at Fort Gaines during which the United States Infantry Band from Fort
Benning gave a band concert. At the conclusion of the barbecue the crowd
moved across the river for the dedicatory exercises.
James W. Woodruff, Jr. of Columbus served as Master of
Ceremonies, and Major General Alvin C. Welling, Division Chief, South Atlantic
Division of the Corps of Engineers, delivered the dedicatory address.
The Commanding General of the United States Infantry
Center at Fort Benning, General Rich, provided a Color Guard and Salute Battery.
The color guard brought four artillery pieces which were mounted atop the
powerhouse and spillways. Four volleys were fired as the United States
flag was raised. At the conclusion of the firing of the artillery pieces
the fourteen gates were opened, one at a time, and the water cascading down the
curved spillways was indeed an inspiring sight.
It was an historical and memorable occasion for the
people living in the Chattahoochee Valley and one long to be remembered.
Not only the people living in the valley, but generations yet unborn, will enjoy
its benefits. The building of these tremendous facilities ushers in a new
era of industrial and recreational development for this section." 6
Whether it be a new bridge, a road, a recreational area
recently developed, an economic depression or inflation, population migration,
or a firm's business success or failure, technology, mass communication,
transportation and economic and social need continue to cast a spell on Clay
County. Its people, like people everywhere, have no choice but to respond
and react to the ever increasing pressures and urges of the world beyond.
The fourth quarter of the twentieth century will no doubt bring change and
challenges no one can really anticipate except to perhaps assume that change
will probably be more rapid and unpredictable than in years gone by. It is
hoped Clay County citizens will not be passive in this perpetual struggle of
human destiny for existence.
Footnotes
1. Greene, Col. E. A., History of Clay County and Fort Gaines: 1939
(unpublished), pp. 1-2
2. Ibid.
3. Cox, Willis S., A Chattahoochee River Story: 1967 (unpublished).
4. Ibid.
5.Greene, Col. Edward A.
6. Cox, Willis S.
7. Greene, Col. E. A., Appendix I.
Wayside Home - marker placed near present Masonic building, on site of original building. "After the battle of Olustee in North Florida, casualties were brought up the river to Fort Gaines where all available churches, stores, and other buildings became temporary hospitals. Most outstanding of these was "Wayside Home" in the old Masonic Building, on the site of the present one."
Fort Gaines - marker placed by Block house on elevation above the Pioneer Settlement on the Bluff. "One of several Forts erected on Georgia's western frontier for the protection of white settlers. Fort Gaines was established in 1816 by order of General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, Commander of a large District, who used this as his headquarters. Containing two block houses the 100 foot square Fort was enclosed by a stockade 8 feet high. During 1817 when Indians were active in this area, settlers took refuge in the Fort, garrisoned by Federal troops under Gen. John Dill. The fort was located on the brow of the bluff just below the confluence of Town Branch with Chemochechobee Creek. It was maintained a number of years.
Dill House - John Dill (1788-1856) of S.C., military aide to
Gen. Gaines, commander at Fort Gaines, and leading pioneer citizen is said to
have built this, "the finest home on the frontier", with money his
wife had saved while a captive of the Indians. Hoarding and hiding paper
money, which her captors discarded after raids, she took it with her when she
fled to freedom. The original part of the house, now hotel, contains
elaborate mantels and intricate carvings. Gen. Dill established a
mercantile business with his partner John W. Sutlive, in 1821. He added a
tannery, one of the finest harness and shoe businesses in the South, a brick
kiln and cotton warehouse to his interest.
Live Oak Tree - This magnificent tree with a circumference of 16 feet was brought from Florida and planted here by General Edmund Pendelton Gaines as a switch. This tree is located in front of the Dill House on the south side.
Submitted by Donna Eldridge
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