Georgia > Northwest Georgia Mountains > Murray County > Chatsworth

Who built the ancient stone wall at Fort Mountain has been a mystery that archeologists, historians and visitors have been trying to solve for years.

There are numerous ways to spend the day at Fort Mountain State Park – hiking, biking and horseback riding to name a few. But certainly, a highlight of the park and the landmark from which it derives its name is the mysterious wall that sits at the highest point of Fort Mountain.

The ancient stone Wall at Fort Mountain has been the subject of much speculation for centuries. Measuring 875 feet in length, it ranges in height from two to seven feet, although it was probably considerably higher in the past. Remains of circular depressions made of various sized stones and measuring about 10 feet across, occur in the wall at about 30-foot intervals.

Archeologists and historians have been unable to solve the puzzle of who, if anyone, built the wall or why or when it was built. There are many theories. A favorite explanation is that Woodland Indians built the wall around CE 500. The east-west orientation of its end points would result in alignment at sunrise and sunset at the solar equinox in both spring and fall. The dramatic setting of the wall, offering expansive vistas to the east and west, would add to its religious significance. Ceremonial centers similar to this were built by the Woodland Indians at Old Stone Fort, Tennessee, and Rock Eagle Mound in Putnam County, Georgia. The Woodland Indians occupied the Southeast from several centuries BCE to about CE 900. (more…)

 Georgia > Central Region > Bibb County >Macon

Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon in Central Georgia preserves a remarkable continuous record of human life in the Southeast from the earliest times to the present.

Ocmulgee National Monument preserves and displays a collection of archeological artifacts dating back more than 12,000 years. From early Clovis points through colonial bells and a 300-year-old sword, the collection demonstrates our historic connection to all cultures from Stone Age to Space Age.

Ocmulgee National Monument is a memorial to the relationship of people and natural resources in this corner of North America. It preserves a continuous record of human life in the Southeast from the earliest times to the present. There is evidence here of more than 12,000 years of human habitation. A diversity of natural and cultural resources combines to provide an abundance of reasons to visit.

All of the many histories preserved at Ocmulgee National Monument have one lesson for us that we see time and again - ALL THINGS ARE CONNECTED. This idea reminds us of our personal connections to the natural resource of the planet Earth and all of the people who have worked to create a society back through time.

Links:

•  Read more about Macon’s Ocmulgee National Monument.
• See Emily Gomez’s striking black and white photographs of Ocmulgee National Monument and other Native American sites in Georgia in the Brown’s Guides Gallery.

 Georgia > Northwest Region > Whitfield County > Dalton

Historic Prater’s Mill and the annual Prater’s Mill Country Fair, a plethora of Civil War and Native American sites to visit, along with Georgia’s oldest winery, and great shopping are all found in and around Dalton in Northwest Georgia.

Dalton is well known as the Carpet Capital of the World, but what is less well known is that it makes a logistically convenient and economical jumping off point for touring some of the top recreational, historical and cultural resources of Northwest Georgia. Just an hour’s drive from Atlanta, Dalton has 16 nationally recognized hotels, plenty of local flavor restaurants along with the favorite national franchises and shopping to accommodate your family’s or groups needs.

Click on the links below to learn more about Dalton area attractions accessible from I-75. Use the INTERACTIVE MAP to view photos of individual sites, read brief descriptions, and find the best driving routes.

• Booth Museum in Cartersville
• Chickamauga Battlefield
• Chief Vann House
• Confederate Cemetery and Memorial Wall
• Creative Arts Guild
• Emery Center
• Fort Mountain State Park
• Georgia Winery
• New Echota State Historic Site
• Prater’s Mill
• Prime Outlets
• Rock City
• Tunnel Hill Heritage Center & Tunnel