Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
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| Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area | |
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| IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
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| Location | Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton, & Gwinnett counties, Georgia, USA |
| Nearest city | Atlanta, GA |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 9,205.53 acres (4,343.62 federal) 37.25 km² |
| Established | August 15, 1978 |
| Visitors | 2,672,138 (in 2004) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites between Atlanta, Georgia and Lake Sidney Lanier along the Chattahoochee River. The 48-mile (77 km) stretch of the river affords public recreation opportunities and access to historic spots. The national recreation area was established on August 15, 1978. The park headquarters and visitor center are located at the Island Ford Unit of the park at 1978 Island Ford Parkway in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
Cochran Shoals is the largest and most popular unit of the park, featuring a 3 mile fitness trail, suitable for walking/jogging/biking, that is wheelchair accessible and also excellent for bird and wildlife watching. The historic Marietta Paper Mill ruins along Sope Creek are preserved within the Sope Creek unit of the area. The Akers Mill ruins along Rottenwood Creek are found within the West Palisades unit. Steep rock cliffs rise from the river's flood plain in the East Palisades unit of the park.
Powers Island was named for James Power (1790 - 1870). In 1835, he established Powers Ferry connecting what is now Sandy Springs to Cobb County. Powers Ferry was used by units of General William Sherman's army in July of 1864. The ferry was eventually replaced by a bridge, which was built in 1903.
The Vickery Creek unit preserves a rugged and scenic stretch of Vickery Creek (also known as Big Creek) from Grimes Bridge Road to its mouth at the Chattahoochee. The ruins of Ivy Mill, which was a wool mill that produced fabric for Confederate soldiers, are located in this unit along with the Allenbrook Roswell Historical Society Welcome Center. Ivy Mill was destroyed by Union soldiers in 1864 and the women factory workers were sent north for the duration of the war. The Allenbrook House, completed in 1857, was the home and office of the manager of Ivy Mill. From the Vickery Creek Unit, pedestrians can use sidewalks and spur trails for convenient access to Chattahoochee River Park (a City of Roswell/Fulton County park), Riverfront Park, Don White Memorial Park, Willeo Creek Park on the Cobb County Line, Waller Park on Hog Waller Creek, and the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Roswell Mill Shopping Center can be accessed via a spur trail and covered bridge that crosses the creek at the site of the Roswell Mill Machine Shop, which was built in 1853, and the only original building left standing of the 1839 Roswell Manufacturing Company. The city has boarded up the old machine shop building and fenced it off with razor wire. The Roswell Mill currently standing was built in 1882 and is now used as an office complex.
[edit] Units
- Abbots Bridge North
- Abbots Bridge South
- Bowmans Island
- Cochran Shoals
- East Palisades
- Gold Branch
- Holcomb Bridge
- Island Ford
- Johnson Ferry North
- Johnson Ferry South
- Jones Bridge
- McGinnis Ferry
- Medlock Bridge
- Orrs Ferry
- Powers Island
- Settles Bridge
- Sope Creek
- Suwanee Creek
- Vickery Creek
- West Palisades
[edit] References
- The National Parks: Index 2001-2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
[edit] External links
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