The Land of Sights & Legends Northwest Georgia Counties welcomes you to discover, explore, Dade Catoosa Fannin and enjoy the many treasures of the Murray Whitfield past & present cultures of our region. Walker Gilmer Rustic Settings Chattooga Gordon Pickens Mountain towns and main street cities, legendary attractions, luxurious resorts, charming B&Bs, waterside cottages and cabins, the adventure sites Floyd Bartow Cherokee of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Civil War battlefields and prehistoric American Indian dwellings, Sequoyah, a Cherokee silversmith, southern farms, grist mills and covered bridges await developed the Cherokee syllabary, Polk making reading and your visit to “The Enchanted Land,” so named by the Paulding Cherokee Indians. writing in Cherokee Haralson possible. Patchwork Stories H From the oral histories of early Native tribes to the Atlanta Carroll creation of the Cherokee alphabet, this region of Georgia inspired many colorful stories. The journals of early pioneers and Civil War soldiers combined with individual life histories tell of a history unique to Northwest Georgia. A visit here will introduce you to industrious women, writers, film stars, musicians and artists. Timeless Seasons Winters mild, kissed with frost and the occasional snowflake. Springtime sparkling with dew-dampened blossoms and Table of Contents wildlife renewed. Summers green with sheltering shade. Autumn colors as bright and vivid as the patches of Sights and Attractions .............................. 4 Grandmother’s quilt. Northwest Georgia is the perfect National and State Parks ........................... 8 setting to make legendary memories in any season. Adventure Areas ..................................... 12 Close to home Regional Map ......................................... 16 Less than one hour from Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn., you could begin your Driving Trails ......................................... 21 memorable getaway: relax by fire, have tea on Lodging ............................................... 23 an antique square, raft thrilling rapids, walk in Civil War .............................................. 24 historic footsteps, climb pristine mountains, shop designer sales, pick apples and drink Destinations .......................................... 26 fresh dairy milk, dine on world-class cuisine, Legendary Festivals and Events ................... 28 resort to luxury, tee off on a championship course, ride a roller coaster Visitor Information Centers ........................ 30 or antique carousel, and see seven states. Your fun Photo credit: Thanks to all Historic High Country Travel association members for awaits in the 17 beautiful counties full usage rights of all images located throughout this book. of Northwest Georgia! Copyright © 2018 Historic High Country Travel Association Design by Templeton Design Group GeorgiaHighCountry.org For more information call 706-937-4211 3 Sights & Attractions New Echota Historic Site, Friends of 1211 GA 225, Calhoun 6th Cavalry Museum 706-624-1321 • GaStateParks.Org/NewEchota 6 Barnhardt Circle, Fort Oglethorpe New Echota was the capital of the Cherokee Nation 706-861-2860 • 6thCavalryMuseum.com from 1825 to their forced removal in the 1830s. Experience our country’s history and military Located just north of Calhoun, Georgia. heritage from the Civil War to WW2 at the 6th Cavalry Museum located on the former Army Post Funk Heritage Center (Reinhardt College) at Fort Oglethorpe (1902-1947). 7300 Reinhardt College Circle, Waleska 770-720-5970 • Reinhardt.edu/funk.htm Barnsley Resort The Funk Heritage Center is located on the campus of 596 Barnsley Gardens Road, Adairsville Reinhardt University campus in Waleska. The museum 877-773-2447 or 770-773-7480 • BarnsleyResort.com is Georgia’s Frontier and Southeastern Indian A historic southern estate with unrivaled recreation, fine Interpretive Center. dining, spa experiences calling you to the ideal vacation, romantic getaway, or your next successful event. G3 Adventures, LLC Post Office Box 825,Trenton Bartow History Museum 706-913-7170 • G3Adventures.com 4 E Church Street, Cartersville G3 Adventures is an outdoor guiding service offering 770-387-2774 • BartowHistoryMuseum.org wild cave tours, guided hikes, and environmental Bartow History Museum takes visitors on a journey programs in the Northwest Georgia Mountains. No through over 200 years of history from the time of Destination, Just Exploration! the Cherokee through the present. Gibbs Gardens Booth Western Art Museum 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball Ground 501 Museum Drive, Cartersville 770-893-1881 • GibbsGardens.com 770-387-1300 • BoothMuseum.org Gibbs Gardens – 220 acres of spectacular gardens. Explore the West without leaving the South at Booth Open March to mid-December. 20 Million daffodils, Museum – Smithsonian Affiliate, 2016 Southeast 2,000 Japanese maples, waterlilies Japanese Travel Attraction of the Year and Best Western Gardens, Monet Bridge and more. Museum in America! Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding Cyra’s Range & Garden Restaurant 7201 Scenic Highway, Rising Fawn 234 North Hamilton Street, Dalton 706-398-3541• Hanglide.com 706-370-7305 • Facebook.Com/Cyras.Simple.Goodness America’s #1 Hang Gliding School and Resort since A unique meeting place and a natural, chemical free 1978. No experience necessary. Come see why more restaurant, serving fare prepared with the freshest & people than anywhere else have come to finest ingredients available. Located in downtown Dalton. FLY LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia Mercier Orchards 209 S. Main Street, Cedartown 8660 Blue Ridge Drive, Blue Ridge 678-901-0245 • CedartownCokeMuseum.org 706-632-3411 • Mercier-Orchards.com The museum offers a comprehensive story from Mercier Orchards, a family owned and operated apple Coca-Cola’s humble beginnings in 1886 to its departure orchard started back in 1943. Mercier Orchards offers from Cedartown’s Main Street in 1977. it’s visitors a fun filled experience for the whole family! Dalton Distillery Noble Hill - Wheeler Memorial Center 109 East Morris Street, Dalton 2361 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, Cassville 706-483-2790 • DaltonDistillery.com 770-382-3392 • NobleHillWheeler.org A distillery in Northwest Georgia that is producing the A restored Rosenwald School built in 1923 as the first world’s first sunflower spirits. TazaRay is a distinct school for black students in Bartow County. spirit with undertones of roasted sunflower seed. GeorgiaHighCountry.org 5 TELLUS SCIENCE MUSEUM Sights & Attractions BECAUSE Oak Hill & Martha Berry Museum 24 Veterans Memorial Highway NE, Mount Berry SCIENCE 706-368-6789 • Berry.edu/OakHill A historic house and history museum, whose mission is to tell the story of Martha Berry and Berry College through exhibitions, events and educational programming. MATTERS! Pine Mountain Gold Museum 1881 Stockmar Road, Villa Rica 678-840-1445 • PineMountainGoldMuseum.com I-75 EXIT 293 Museum and actual mining sites with gold panning. Farm animal exhibit and train rides. Regional artifacts 100 TELLUS DRIVE dating back to 12,000 BC. CARTERSVILLE GA 30120 Praters Mill Historic Site 770-606-5700 tellusmuseum.org 5845 Highway 2, Dalton OPEN DAILY 10AM–5PM #tellusmuseum 706-694-6455 • PratersMill.org Historic grist mill built in 1855 and park. Grounds open daily to enjoy fishing, picnicking and walking trails. Hosts annual Country Fair each October. Reformation Brewery 105 Elm Street, Woodstock 678-341-0828 • ReformationBrewery.com Timeless, inspiring craft beer for the reformer in everyone. Weaving brewing with living, we declare well made beer is a good gift and should be free from fear, noise, and neglect. Rose Lawn Museum 224 W Cherokee Avenue, Cartersville 770-387-5162 • RoseLawnMuseum.com Tour the Victorian home and gardens of legendary 19th Century Evangelist Sam Jones, honored by presidents and revered by millions. See Rock City 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain 706-820-2531 / 800-854-0675 • SeeRockCity.com Explore botanical and geological wonders and see the legendary 7 states view. Open daily at 8:30 a.m., with seasonal closing times. Limited handicap accessibility. Tellus Science Museum 100 Tellus Drive, Cartersville 770-606-5700 • TellusMuseum.org Tellus Science Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate museum in Cartersville, GA. See full-size dinosaurs, Apollo capsule, and Wright flyer, in addition to Georgia gold! GeorgiaHighCountry.org 7 State Parks, Historic Sites & National Parks GaStateParks.org • 800-864-7275 (* has lodging) *Cloudland Canyon State Park 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn 706-657-4050 • GaStateParks.org/Cloudland Canyon Lookout Mountain, rugged geology, scenic vistas, elevation 800 - 1,980 ft., cottages, campsites, group lodge, pioneer campsite, picnic, hiking, disc golf, biking, horse trails, caving. *Fort Mountain State Park 181 Fort Mountain Park Road, Chatsworth 706-422-1932 • GaStateParks.org/FortMountain In Chattahoochee National Forest: cottages, campsites, a lake with a beach for swimming, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, SUP rentals and miniature golf. *James H. (Sloppy) Floyd State Park 2800 Sloppy Floyd Lake Road, Summerville 706-857-0826 • GaStateParks.org/JamesHFloyd 1.6 mile hike to Pinhoti Trail, cottages, campsites, two stocked lakes, pedal boats, playgrounds, kayaks, pioneer campground, picnic shelters. *Red Top Mountain State Park 50 Lodge Road, Cartersville 770-975-4226 • GaStateParks.org/RedTopMountain Cottages, campsites, yurt, picnic/group