| Fort Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 868 m (2,848 ft) |
| Location | |
| Location | Murray County, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 34°46′52″N, 84°42′34″W |
Fort Mountain is a mountain in northern Georgia, just east of Chatsworth. It is part of the Cohutta Mountains, a small mountain range at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains. It also lies within the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Fort Mountain takes its name from a peak that has remnants of a stone fort around part of that peak. The stones, which are from the local area around the summit,[1] are piled in an 928 feet (283 m)-long discontinuous zig-zag line.[2] The fort may have been constructed by pre-Columbian native Americans, but exactly who created the fort and why, are still unknown. Other suggestions include that it owes its construction to a race of what the Cherokee termed "moon-eyed people" because they could see better at night than by day. These "moon-eyed people," who were said to have fair skin, blonde hair and opalescent eyes, have often been associated with Prince Madoc and his Welsh band, who some claim visited North America in the 12th century. Another tradition claims that the wall was built by Hernando de Soto to defend against the Creek Indians around 1540. Around and mostly south of the fort peak is Fort Mountain State Park, with camping areas, a mountain lake, and a variety of public facilities, such as a camp store, walking trails, swimming, boating, and playgrounds.