Northern Georgia

Last Update: 23/SEPTEMBER/2009

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2009 American Forts Network

Camp Benton
(1834 - 1836), Spring Place
A GA state militia post at the former Spring Place Moravian Mission (1801 - 1833), established to "protect" pro-removal Cherokees.

Fort Hoskins
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), Spring Place
A GA state militia stockade, including horse stables, garrisoned from March to June 1838. No remains. Site located near the former Spring Place Moravian Mission, which was located just southwest of the present community.

Fort Mountain (State Park) ?
(unknown), near Chatsworth
An ancient Native American-built (?) 855-foot rock wall atop the mountain. One proposed theory is that it was built by Hernando DeSoto in July 1540.

Fort Gilmer (2)
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), near Carters
A GA state militia post located at Rock Springs, near the Cherokee town of Coosawattee. Garrisoned by troops from March to June 1838. Barracks and a stockade were built by May 1838. No remains. Site inundated by Carters Lake in 1977. State marker located four miles north of town on Old US 411.

Previously here was Camp Gilmer (2) in March 1837, established by the GA state militia to round-up fugitive Creek Indians.

Fort Hetzel
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1837 - 1838), East Ellijay
Garrisoned by the GA state militia from October 1837 to July 1838 (two companies after March 1838). Winter barracks and a storehouse were built. Stockaded between March and May 1838. Early historians claimed the fort still stood until 1868. No remains. Site located on the Cartecay River about one mile east of the original 1834 courthouse in Ellijay. A stone monument was once located on Yukon Road at GA 515, but was moved in 1984 to First Street after a Wal-Mart was built.

Fort Newnan
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), Blaine
A GA state militia post located on the Federal Road (present-day GA 136), south of Talking Rock Creek near its confluence with Town Creek. Also known as Talking Rock Fort. Garrisoned by one company of troops from March to June 1838. Stockaded, with horse stables. Briefly occupied by Tennessee troops in July 1838 after the Georgia troops went AWOL. Site located near the old community of Sanderstown and the Talona / Carmel Mission (1819). No remains. Trail of Tears marker erected in 2000 on GA 136 at Antioch Church Road, adjacent to the Masonic Lodge. Local tradition claims that the Antioch Church originally used one of the original fort barracks when first organized. That building, later converted to a house, was relocated to Cherokee County, North Carolina in 1989.

Fort Buffington
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1837 - 1838), Buffington
Located on or near the Alabama Road (present-day GA 20), south of the Etowah River and west of the junction with the Federal Road. Garrisoned by one company of GA state militia troops from October 1837 to July 1838. Winter barracks, storehouses for provisions and munitions, and horse stables were first built. Stockaded in March 1838. No remains. State marker located on GA 20 (Cumming Highway) at Dobson Circle.

Camp Hinar
(1830, 1831 - 1832), near Cherokee
A Federal Regular Army camp at the Cherokee Sixes Town during the gold rush, established for two months to oust the white miners from Cherokee lands. The Army destroyed 19 buildings built by the miners. The post was later occupied by GA state militia troops the next year to "protect" the mines. The mine was reported closed in 1834. Later historians have incorrectly used the names Fort Hinar and/or Fort Hinar Sixes for this post. Site is now under Allatoona Lake (created 1950), just east of the confluence of the Little River.

Camp at Sixes
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), near Cherokee
A GA state militia post at the Cherokee Sixes Town. Five companies of troops were posted here from May to June 1838. There is no record of a stockade here. Later historians have incorrectly used the names Fort Sixes and/or Fort Hinar Sixes for this post. Site is now under Allatoona Lake (created 1950), just east of the confluence of the Little River.

Camp Eaton
(1830 - 1831), Hightower
A Federal log fort (eight barracks or cabins, stables, a guardhouse, and a storehouse), composed of two Regular Army infantry companies, established to protect the newly opened gold mines on Cherokee land. Used only for three or four months (May or June to October 1830). Later garrisoned by GA state militia in 1831 (January to October) and renamed Camp Gilmer (1). Located just east of Jacob Scudder's trade store and public stop at the crossing of the Alabama and Federal Roads.

Fort Campbell
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), Hightower
A GA state militia stockade used for the Cherokee Removals. Located on the north side of the Federal Road, just west of Jacob Scudder's trade store. Garrisoned by troops from April to June 1838 (stockaded in May). No remains. Later historians called it Fort Scudders or Fort Eaton, which were not correct.

Fort Dahlonega
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1837 - 1838), Dahlonega
Previously known as Camp Dahlonega. Garrisoned by GA state militia troops beginning in December 1837. A munitions storehouse was built that winter. A stockade and barracks were built in March 1838 and then officially named Fort Floyd (1). Also known as Fort Lumpkin (2). Abandoned in July 1838. No remains. Site located near the former U.S. Mint (opened in April 1838), now the grounds of the North Georgia College and University. A state marker (1954) is located at the old Blue Ridge Turnpike Station site five miles south of town, but new research by the NPS refutes that location. The NPS also refutes the names "Fort Dahlonega" and "Fort Lumpkin" for this post, which were seemingly only used by early historians.

The name Fort Embry is also associated with Dahlonega, but may refer to an earlier post of some kind, possibly associated with the establishment of the U.S. Mint, which was constructed beginning in 1835 following the northern Georgia Gold Rush of the late 1820's.

Camp at Chastain's
(Cherokee Removal Forts)
(1838), near Morganton
A GA state militia encampment on Benjamin Chastain's land, used for the Cherokee Removals. Garrisoned by three companies of troops from May to June 1838. The temporary post was not fortified, and was incorrectly known as Fort Chastain by later historians. No remains. The site in Garren Cove, on the east side of the Toccoa River, was inundated by Blue Ridge Lake in 1930.

Camp Toccoa
(1943 - 1944), Toccoa
A WWII Paratrooper Infantry Regiment training center located on Currahee Mountain. Units that trained here included the 501st, 506th, 511th, and 517th Regiments. The Currahee Military Museum at 160 North Alexander Street has the history and exhibits of the former camp. A 1922 English stable that was used by the 506th as barracks in 1944 was donated and reassembled here in 2005. Admission fee.
* This entry is listed here for historical interest only. *

Col. William Wofford's Station
(1793 - 1796), Carnesville
A settlers' fort, later renamed Fort Carnes when used by the GA state militia.

Jacob Hollingsworth's Fort
(1793 - 1796), Hollingsworth
A settlers' fort. The original house was acquired by the White family in 1860 and modified. Still extant, the "White House" is located on Wynn Lake Road, and is periodically open for tours.

Fort Daniel
(1790's ?, 1813 - 1814), Hog Mountain
Originally a settlers' blockhouse. Fortified later by the GA state militia, under Major Tandy Key, as a stockaded depot and staging area during the First Creek War. Actual site is private property. A state marker is located one-half mile south of the junction of GA 124 and GA 324. Archaeological excavations are currently ongoing.

Fort Yargo (State Park)
(Fort Yargo Living History Society)
(1792 - 1796), Winder
One of four area settlers' blockhouses which were built to guard against the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Also used as a trading post by the Humphries Brothers. Sold to John Hill in 1810. The D.A.R. placed a stone marker here in 1927, but it was later destroyed by vandals. The blockhouse has been restored.

Talassee Fort
(1793 - 1796), Jackson or Barrow County ?
A settlers' blockhouse at Talassee Shoals (location ?) (on the Mulberry River ?). Also known as Fort Strong. Built by the Humphries Brothers.

Thomocoggan Fort
(1793 - 1796), Jefferson
A settlers' blockhouse. Built by the Humphries Brothers.

Groaning Rock Fort
(1793 - 1796), Commerce
A settlers' blockhouse. Built by the Humphries Brothers.

Fort Lamar
(1790's ?), Fort Lamar
A settlers' fort.

Camp Haskell (2)
(1860's), Athens
A CSA training camp.

Of interest in town at the Clarke County Courthouse - City Hall Square is the unique 1862 "Double Barrelled Cannon". The gun was a complete failure.

Camp Haskell (4)
(1898 - 1899), Athens
A Spanish-American War winter camp for Regular Army troops. Located near Broad and Hawthorne Streets.

Fort Edwards
(1789 - 1801), Watkinsville
A blockhouse constructed for defense against the Cherokee. Became the Eagle Tavern in 1801. The present structure near the courthouse was built in 1820 and has been restored to the period. Eagle Tavern state marker

NEED MORE INFO: Garrison Creek in Banks County.
Towns: Fort Smith north of Dahlonega.

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