-Chapter IV- TOWNS, COMMUNITIES, AND MILITIA DISTRICTS (1880-1980)
Carters
Carters is the second oldest district in Murray County and the area was occupied by Indians even before the Cherokee era. In fact, many believe that th Spanish explorer. Hernondo De Soto visited a settlement on the banks of the Coosawattee River in 1540. The town's name was Guasili (or Guaxile) during that time and the Cherokees then called it Coosawattee "Old Town" or "0ld Creek Place."
Much of our information about the earliest days of this part of Murray County cornes from William J. Cotter's Autobiography written about 1910. A respected Methodist minister in adulthood, Mr. Cotter had spent some boyhood years in present-day Murray during one of the most exciting times in its history-the 1830's. Rev. Cotter wrote:
••I saw that part of the State when all was new-waters ... as clear a! crystal; rich valleys, hills, and mountains covered with a thick forest; a land of beautiful flowers . . There was plenty of wild game . . .When first seen, all was in lovely, beautiful spring, and 1 was nine years old (1834),"
Cotter vividly recalled the troubles encountered with bears, panthers, and wolves when his family first moved to Murray County.
According to Cotter, traders came to this area, then in the midst of the Cherokee Nation, after the War of 1812. A James Monroe received a permit to live in the Cherokee lands near Rock Spring before 1816 and soon several white men had married into the Indian families of the area. Among the first mentioned are the Martins, George Harlan. William May, and the McDaniels followed by the Calheys, Peepleses, Caseys, Bateses. Blacks, Brights. and Smiths-all of whom had lived in Murray before 1840. Mr. May was a well educated men with a plantation on the Coosawattee which used slave labor. George Harlan, who married Miss Anna May, was part Indian and had a two-story frame house, a fine orchard, and a large herd of cattle. Also on his farm was a fine spring coming out from a large limestone rock which gave the area the name "Rock Spring." The Harlans left for the West in 1834 and Mr. Cotter noted that the Catheys next lived at this spot, located below the Martin Place (now Carters). About a mile north of the Harlan place on the Federal Road was the old McDaniel home. Mr. Colter estimated that this place had been settled about 1770 and remembered a cemetery located there.
With the coming of the white people, churches became important and Mr. Cotter noted that there was once a Baptist "mission" project in the area and that Murray was then in the Holston Conference of the Methodist church. Among the ministers who traveled through the Rock Spring area were Revs. A.H. Ross. W.M. Rush (1836), and Elijah Still (1837).
Despite the religious presence, several mentions of liquor licenses in Rock Spring are found in early county records. In 1836 Edward T. Jones applied for a license. A.M. Turner had a store at Rock Spring in 1837 and the next year he had a partner, a Mr. Humphreys. They applied for liquor licenses both years. Ben Parker had a school at Rock Spring in 1838. Other settlers in the area included Jeremiah Harrison. Littleton Atkinson. and the McEntires.
While most of the these families, including the Cotters, soon moved away from Rock Spring and Murray County, the McEntires came to stay and descendants of the first siblings who came to Murray from Ireland by way of North Carolina still live in Murray. Their cemetery, later used by the Hemphill family, just east of old Highway 411 and is one of the few reminders of the Rock Spring community. The oldest burial is that of Rachel McEntire who died at 2 years of age in 1845.
Rock Spring was the first post office in the area and in 1836 the young William Cotter remembered carrying mail from here to Spring Place. Absalom Bishop was appointed the first postmaster on July 5.1834. A year later Littleton Atkin-son succeeded Mr. Bishop. On March 1. 1836 the name of the post office was changed to Coosawattee and Mr. Atkinson continued as postmaster until John Baxter was appointed to the office on April 3. 1837. In December of that year Alfred M. Turner became postmaster and was in turn succeeded by James Me-Entire on August 31. 1841. Other postal officials at Coosawattee were John Steward (August 26. 1845-May 14, 1847) and John H. Hawkins who served from 1847 until the office was discontinued in June. 1866. Apparently when the name was changed from Rock Spring to Coosawattee. the location moved from Rock Spring to the site of former Coosawattee Old Town near the river.
By this time, the Carters had settled in the area and established their plantation. Unlike any other district in Murray County. No. 825 came to be centralized around one family and their property. It seems that the entire area revolved around and depended upon Carter's Quarter for leadership and survival.
Farish Carter had first seen his "Quarter" when it was the property of Judge John Martin, treasurer of the Cherokee Nation. According to W.J. Cotters Autobiography Martin had Indian blood and was a chief though he was a blonde. Martin had two wives at the same time-the McDaniel sisters, Lucy and Nellie-who also had some Indian blood. Martin had almost identical homes for them-one on the south side of the Coosawattee near the Sallicoa and the other north of the river near Rock Spring. Cotter noted that Martin, his wives, and his children were saddened to leave their Georgia home for lands in the West abou 1836. but Martin believed that emigration was the only solution to the India problem in Georgia. Martin had "a noted farm" and owned about eighty slaves according to Cotter.
In the 1832 Land Lottery. Sarah Bosworth of Muscogee County drew the Martin lot (No. 45) which was purchased by Farish Carter on November 16, 1833. Over the next decade he acquired some 15.000 acres of land in Murray, Gilmer. arid Gordon Counties for about $40.000. Soon he boasted one of the largest, most productive plantations in the South and inspired the expression "more money than Carter had oats." However, life for Farish Carter had not always been one of prosperity.
Born in South Carolina on November 24. 1780. Farish was the posthumous son of Major James Carter, a distinguished Revolutionary War soldier who was killed in the siege of Augusta. Farish was probably descended from the Carters of Virginia. His widowed mother remarried and a rift later developed within the family, now living in Georgia. Farish ran away to make his fortune, did so. and increased it during the War of 1812 when he was U.S. Army contractor for Georgia.
In 1811 Carter married Eliza McDonald whose brother Charles was governor from 1839 until 1 843. The Carters settled in Scottsboro. near Milledgeville, then the state capital. From this home Farish Carter supervised his growing empire of farms, steamboats, banks, ferries, mills, marble quarries, and factories in Florida, Alabama. Mississippi. Louisiana. Arkansas. Tennessee. Indiana, and Illinois. Among the wealthiest of all Georgians, he was well known and had the town of Cartersville named in his honor.
Following the Indian removal the Rock Spring or Coosawattee plantation was the largest single unit of Carter's holdings and eventually became Carter's Quarter. Here large quantities of wheat, rye. oats. corn. hay. fodder, tobacco, peas, beans, potatoes, rice, wool, and cotton were produced. His Murray plantation was not just self-sustaining but also produced quantities to sell and to supply his other plantations which grew mainly cotton. The Carters used the old Martin home only for a summer residence and according to legend three attempts were made on Mr. Carter's life here. Word of his wealth spread!
Farish and Eliza had five children including James who grew up to direct a Carter plantation in Macon County. Alabama, and Benjamin who died while representing Murray County in the Georgia legislature. Another son, Samuel MacDunald Carter (born 1826), became "Colonel Sam" of Carter's Quarter.
Farish turned the operation of the Murray County plantation over to his son when the young man married Emily Colquitt in 1850. The younger Carters became the first of the family to live in Murray full time. Parish died in 186] just after the Civil War began. As noted in several Carter stories, his life coincided with the golden age of the Old South. His widow died in 1865 and both are buried in Baldwin County.
Under "Colonel Sam's direction Carter's Quarter continued to prosper. During the Civil War the family "Refugeed" to Milledgeville but following the conflict returned to North Georgia to make the transition from slave to free labor. They did so with apparent ease.
Two of Mrs. Carter's brothers were senators and one became governor. She and Colonel Sam had five children including Farish who died while a student at Norwood School in Virginia; Walter C.; Mary who married Benjamin H. Hill; Kate Mitchell; and Benjamin F, who married Lillian Whitman of Dalton. Mrs. Emily Carter died in 1867 and Colonel Sam later married Sallie Jeter of Columbus. Five children were also born to this marriage: Emily (Zelinsky), Sarah (Barnett). Pauline (Maben), Eliza (Home), and Samuel MacDonald. Jr. who became known as "Mr. Sam."
Colonel Sam was a true Southern gentleman and enjoyed a grand life at the Quarter. Described as a "baron." he was respected by all and revered by his former slaves. Newspaper accounts of his death in 1897 record a moving funeral scene in which former servants mourned their friend and protector for hours. His widow died in 1909 and was buried beside him in the family cemetery near the old home off old Highway 411. Several other members of the family are interred there in graves covered with marble slabs which record the family's history.
Under the terms of Colonel Sam's will the vast original Carter acreage was divided among his surviving children and entailed to the grandchildren. Mr. Sam occupied the house, bought some of his sisters' interests, and continued to operate the farm. An active member of the community, Mr. Sam served for several years on the County Board of Education. Though a bachelor, he continued to entertain his family and friends at Carter's. The mansion remained the scene of weddings, picnics, family reunions, and house parties such as the one described as follows in a 1926 Dalton newspaper:
"Picnic supper al Carter's Quarter was the filling climax to the round of festivities which have been given, honoring Miss Mary Hamilton and her guests. On Sunday the crowd motored over in the afternoon and enjoyed a swim in the river and later had a picnic supper spread on the lawn by ihc big spring. In the group were Mr. & Mis, George Hamilton, Mr. & Mrs. Qayton Moore, Misses Mary Hamilton, Frances Bryan, Mary Bryan, Virginia Deakins, and Messets Colquitt Carter, Ozzie Horton, Tom Horan, Albert Howell, Wells Moore, and Sam Carter.
Mr. Sam died in 1945 and a scholarship fund in his memory was established for agriculture students at Murray County High School. He left a large estate which included not only many acres of land in two counties, but stock in AT&T, Coca-Cola, Eastern Airlines. Cohutta Bank, American Tobacco Co., General Electric. General Motors. Georgia Power. Gulf Oil, Phillips Petroleum, Union Carbide. RCA, Woolworths, and several railroads, utility companies, and businesses. He was definitely a true heir of Parish Carter! Administrator R.E. Chambers worked 8 years to settle the estate. The Carter's Quarters interests of Mr. Sam were divided among various neices and nephews including Colquitt Carter. Mary and Samuel Barnett. and Mary and Emily Hamilton, all of Atlanta or Dalton, who maintained the house and grounds for their mutual use on weekends and for vacations. Other descendants of Colonel Sam. including the Mabens and the Homes (who also have a large farm) owned other Carter property. Today the house and the surrounding land is owned by Colquitt Carter and his daughter. Mrs. Nancy Bland, both of Atlanta. The original Martin part of the house was built about 1800 and faces south. As the Carter family grew, several additions were made at various times.
In 1935 these haphazard additions were removed and major renovations made. The Atlanta architectural firm of Ivey and Crook joined the original house to a duplicate end wing by a central two-story section, thus achieveing a pleasant balance between the old Indian house and the newly constructed addition. Electricity and indoor plumbing were added in 1936.
The interior of the 12-room house features plaster and pine-paneled walls, original doors, ornate window casings, hand-carved mantels in the old par) wainscoting, a cantilevered staircase, hardwood and old wide pine floors, wooden peg construction, wrought iron box locks and hinges, and plantation furniture made on the primises. Built in the early Georgia "plain plantation" style, the exterior of the two-story, one-room-deep house is built with pine siding, gable roofs, high chamfered columns, scalloped cornicing, five brick chimneys, and shutters. Water for the house is still furnished by the spring and the house is surrounded by park-like grounds which include ancient cedars and elms, beautiful large boxwoods, and a rock garden featuring native wild flowers and trees. The house is significant historically and architecturally as well as in agriculture for it was and is the hub of a large farm.
Eight surviving outbuildings surround the house including the springhouse, the old kitchen, the plantation office building, the trunk house (for storing guests' trunks during extended visits), and a slave cabin which all date to around 1840 along with a kettle house for rendering lard, a dairy keeper's house, and a barn which were built in the early 20th century. Farming operations are still carried on at Carter's Quarter though to a much lesser degree than 100 or even 50 years ago. For many years Carter's Quarter grew Hasting's seed corn and boasted prime beef cattle, excellent horses, and one of the finest dairy herds in Georgia.
Following the Civil War the plantation had been divided into smaller farms and was tenanted by former slaves as well as whites. Many lived in the old slave quarters which some say had given the plantation its name in the beginning. Actually "Quarter" was a common expression for a large tract of land owned by a single family. Other cabins were sometimes left empty for use by travelers on the old Federal Road.
The farmland is dotted with geographic features. In addition to springs, a cave, legendary gold mines, and Indian mounds, names for the numerous fields and pastures dating back to the Martin era are still in use. Among them are the Wood Fork Field, so named because Indians cultivated the land with tools resembling wooden forks; the Race Field where Indians held races; Six Toe Field named for an Indian who had six toes; the Big Martin Field named for Judge Martin and now part of the Home Farm; the Bell Field named for another wealthy Indian; the Town Field; Coniston Pasture; and Katherine Field.
The Carters have now owned the property for over 150 years and have carefully preserved the old Martin house. The only parts of the original tract thai have gone outside the family were sold for Carters Dam. (The Martin house on the south side of the river was torn down as the dam was built.) In 1985 the Carter House, the outbuildings and 116 acres of land were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, a great honor for any site. Also in 1985 the public was allowed to tour the mansion during the Historical Society5 Christmas Holiday House. More than 2,000 viewed the home during the firs'' ever open house at the famed Carter's Quarter.
The Carter name extended further than just the family's land holdings. In 1876 the Carter's post office was established with Eugene P. Taylor as the first postmaster. James B. Johnson was the second postmaster from 1879 until 1881 when W.C. Carter succeeded him and served until 1891. John A. Tankersley was postmaster from 1891 until 1893 when Samuel Carter was appointed to the office. When Mr. Carter died in 1897 his wife. Sallie, took his place and served until April 22, 1909 at which time their son. Samuel McDonald Carter was appointed postmaster. Robert P. Messer was the next postal official and served from 1925 until his retirement in June, 1940. During Mr. Messer's tenure the apostrophe was dropped from Carter's in official postal records and Carters was designated a "4th Class" office. One rural route from Carters had also been established. Mr. Messer also ran a store.
Ralph Messer became postmaster on July 1, 1940 and served until his death on January 9, 1963. His widow, Mary Stone Messer (later Abbott) succeeded him and served 5 years. Rufus Porter Donaldson was appointed postmaster on April 5, 1968 and served until the Carters post office closed in 1973. Herman Milam, a long-time postal employee, was the last Carters rural carrier.
Located at first on the Coosawattee River and the Old Federal Road and then later on the River, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and U.S. 411, Carters was long an important community. During the heyday of the Carter plantation steamboats came up the river to Carter's Landing to load cotton, lumber, oats, and wheat for shipment to the markets in Rome. While some steamboats were in use before the Civil War, many made trips up the Coosawattee following the war, particularly after 1873. Samual Carter was part owner of the "Etowah Bill" from 1878 until 1880. This boat had a capacity of 98.55 tons. Owners found sternwheelers more profitable than fiat boats and in 1880 the Oostanaula and Coosawattee Steamboat Company was founded by the Carters. Kimbroughs, and Humphreys (who lived west of Carters). Other boats which traveled the river were the "Coosawattee," "Hill City" (1882-1893), "MitcheU" (1884), "Resaca," "Mary Carter," "Dixie," "Sport" (1899). and "Conasauga" (1897). Two tow boats, the "Coosada" and the "Leota" were also in use.
To make the river more passable the U.S. Congress authorized several thou-sand dollars for improvements such as deepening, dredging, and building wing dams. Wing dams were designed to conserve shallow water and were built on each side of the river, but not all the way across. The first bridge over the Coosawattee at Carter's Landing was built in 1892. After the turn of the century and the advent of the railroad, the days of steamboats on the Coosawattee were over. Carters was the site of a grist and sawmill owned by the Carter family, but which was operated by others (such as C.C. Deal) at various times. A tan yard had also been successful there for a time in the 1880's. Carters was described as follows in 1937. "The town, with a population of 100. has a post office, postal telegraph and prepaid freight stations, and an attitude of 700 feet. It is a rural community, many farm products being grown on the Carter estate." (A vacant box car was the train station.)
Carters was naturally the home of a school and for some years the school was actually on Carter's Quarter. Mrs. Mary Maddox was an early teacher there as was a Mrs. Cochran (188!). The school closed in 1897 but reopened soon after. Other teachers at Carters were Jennie Cantrell (1916), Lucille Langston (1928-32), Mattie Bagley (1932-33. 37-38, & 42), G.E. Luther. Edith Wells. Charles Pannell (1933-34), Maxine Harris and Mrs. Harlee Bagley (1934-35), Clyde Barks-dale and Dorothy Jackson (1935-37), Ruth Messer (1937-38), Mrs. Tom Peeples and Mrs. Myra McDonough (1942). Mary Leatherwood and Eunice Blackwefl (1944), and Cleo Bannister and Mrs. Clyde Greeson (1947).
Among the trustees for the Carters School were J.A. Roe, J.B. Noland, H.W. Bagley, Allen Noland, Charlie Brown, C.C. Deal, S.M. Carter, Roy Jenkins.S.L, Coker, and John Home. The school was consolidated with Ramhurst.
Since the McEntires and Carters had been slave owners it was only natural that a black community would develop near Carters after the Civil War. The first trustees for the districts's black schools were Eli Moore, Joshua Betton, and William Brooks who were all appointed in 1879. In 1890 Jordan Davis succeeded Mr. Brooks. Later trustees (1930's) were S.F. Hassler, Luke Dean, and Ben Moore.
Early teachers at Carters school for blacks were A.B. Murphy (1882-84), L.F. Gay (1882), Coarsey Weams (1884). Maggie Shepherd and Eva Wilson (1891), A.J. Moore (1893), S.J. Moore (1895), R.P. Messer (1896). Nick Porch (1897). and Laura Davis (1896-99). In 1893 a second black school opened on the McEntire place. A Miss Alexander taught there that year as did Levi Bran-ham in 1895. This school closed in 1895, but the next year a session was taught on the south side of the river by Carrie Holmes.
The Carters school was also called Pine Hill and was just north of the Carters store. Other teachers were Laura Betton (1916-17), Paralee Fields (1929), jU» Eula Branham (1934-35). In 1931 a new school was constructed. A long-time teacher at Carters was Nina Moore Hill who gave the following account of education for blacks at Carters;
Even before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed some philanthropic slave owners were giving some type of education to slaves in their homes. As early as 1880 Ihere were schools for blacks in Murray County. The teachers had no formal education but they had good common sense, Christian ideals, and a love for children. Seemingly wherever a church existed for blacks, there was a little, poorly equipped, one room school.
The one room school usually consisted of four walls, one door, two 01 three windows with wooden shutters, a pot-belly stove in the center with long tows of benches around it. Cloaks were hung on the walls and a wood pile was in one corner. A large hand-made table was used for lunch buckets which were made fiom empty sorghum syrup buckets. A small hole was punched in the top of the buckets for ventilation.
The subjects taught were reading, writing, and arithmetic. Children had to walk, some as fat as five miles or more. Some further away would be brought to school by parents in wagons or on horseback. The home, church, and school all worked together. The parents cooperated with the teachers, discipline was strict, and there were not too many discipline problems with the children whose ages ranged from about five years old to about 18. Most girls stayed in school unlil marriage and some girls married very young while the boys were usually a few years older.
There were no high schools for blacks in Murray. Grades 1 through 7 were taught. After finishing the seventh grade students usually went to work, but a few would attend high school elsewhere.
The class rooms were overcrowded with forty or more pupils per teacher, but there were many absentees due to bad weather and long distances to walk. The school terms were about five months in the early years, but later on seven months were usual-five months winter session and two months summer session. This was known as a split session in order for the children to help with the farm work. Most children seemed to enjoy school life. They played games such as ball, hopscotch, Annie-over, marbles, jump rope, ring games, and many others. On Friday they would enjoy a spelling bee or speaking programs with long dialogues, singing, etc. Of course, a spiritual devotion with prayer was held each morning before class work began.
The school day began about 8:00 and ended at 3:00 or 4:00 depending on the weather. During severe rain or snow, the day was cut short to a half-day. The teachers and children did the janitorial work. Sage brooms and brush brooms made from dogwood limbs were used to sweep the floors and yards.
In the early years parents bought the school books which were handed down. Many books were old, torn, and worn out, but still appreciated. In later years the state furnished about three or four books to each child. The teacher kept a record of these books and would return them to the Superintendent.
As time passed, many new and younger teachers came to work in the schools. Some would stay for only a short time in one school and often the same teachers, lor some reason, were transferred from school to school. During the early years of school, the teacher would be required to take the County School Board Examination which was given every year. First, Second, and Third grade licenses were sued to teachers according to the scores they made on the test. Later on, when the state started regulating the schools, teachers were required to go to college and Be certified by the state. Many teachers attended summer school and increased their certification level.
School terms were increased from seven to nine months and then free books, and then free books, library funds, and much other aid were given to school from the Federal Government.
Gradually the schools for blacks were consolidated. Students were either transported to Chatsworth or to Emery Street Schol in Dalton with the Murray County Board of Education paying the expenses of transportation. Mr. Bonds and Mr. Bowie were the bus drivers. The Carters school for blacks closed in 1947.
As Mrs. Hill mentioned in her narrative, the school co-existed with a church. According to Shriner's 1911 History of Murray County Mrs. Farish Carter paid ministers like Jimmie Adams to hold religious services for the blacks at Carters. In 1870 the Walnut Grove church at Carters reported 75 members to the North Georgia Baptist Association. Evidently, a white minister, W.A. Ellis, helped get the church started and was the pastor in 1870. The next year Joahua Belt on was pastor. Other members included Eli Moore, Allen Davis. and George Betton. Whether the name of Walnut Grove church changed or was a completely different black congregation, the long-time black church at Carters was Pine Hill Baptist Church. Mrs. Nina Moore Hill compiled the following history of Pine Hill from information provided by Mrs. Serena Little, a former member of the church.
Some say that Pine Hill's history dates back to slavery times and possibly began as a brush arbor. Later a church was buill of pine logs by the excellent slave craftsmen. The Carters and the related families of Homes. Mabens, Bar-netts, and Hamiltons along with other white families such as the Hemphills, Nolands. Dills, and Messers supported Pine Hill and attended services there. Services were held on the second Sunday of each month. Everyone looked forward to those days, particularly Homecoming Day in August which was followed by two or three weeks of revival and Baptising Day in September. The candidates for baptism were dressed in long white gowns or robes and formed long lines on the banks of the nearby Coosawattee River for the baptism. On these special days visitors came from all over the county, riding the "short dog" (local) train to Carters.
As the years passed, the blacks decided to build a better and bigger church. During the 1920's and 30's they built a very large and beautiful frame church near the same spot as the old one. The structure had nice, well-built furniture and even electricity which was unusual for rural churches in those days.
Among those who served as pastor of Pine Hill were Revs. Miller. Carter, Cambell, Holloway, Kimball, and J.S. Zuber who served for many years. He was succeeded by his son, Ervin. The last pastor was the Rev. Smith who was serving there when the church structure burned about 1945. Many hearts were saddened by the loss of this church. Services were held in the Pine Hill School which was located near (old) Highway 411. The group did not rebuild following the fire since so many people had moved away as the 1940's brought major changes to the Carters area. Cotton was no longer the principal crop and machinery had replaced much hand labor. World War II took many away to other jobs and the Carter lands were divided after the death of Mr. Sam Carter.
Members of the Armstrong. Aikins, Betton, Beecham, Bowie, Carter, Davis, Dean. Griffin. Green, Jackson, Hassler, Kimball. Moore, Richardson, Taylor, Weaver, and Wheeler families were among those who attended church at Pine Hill. Many of these names were found on old tombstones in the cemetery which stood not far from the church. Covering a fairly large area the cemetery contains many unmarked graves as well and is located south of the road which now goes to the Carters Dam powerhouse on an old dirt road. Another cemetery is located on the south side of the Coosawattee. west of old Highway 411. This burial place was begun when the river was too deep to cross in times of flood. Both cemeteries are quite old.
The Carters area was not the only community to boast a school and a church. The Flat Rock Church was in existence by 1889 on land lot 46 (25th and 2nd) Nothing is known about the church, but school was held there for some time Those known to have taught there are J.E. McEntire (1891), W.L. Bowers (1893) M.R. Messer (1894), J.S. Parker (1895). Miss Lizzie Keith (1896 1899) r w Messer (1897), Georgia Holland (1899, 1900). Mary Brown (1916) and Edith Brown (1917).
Flat Rock was near the community which was later called Coniston. In 1937 Coniston was described as "a hamlet located In southeastern Murray County about 2 miles north of Carters on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and U S. Highway 411. The post office address is Ramhurst. the altitude about 800 ft and it has a prepaid freight station." Coniston was an important place to railroaders since it had a very long side track where trains could pass one another between Knoxville and Atlanta.
Two other communities in Carters District once had schools. In the northeast corner of the district, souteast of Ramhurst, is Fields Gap, named prokbably for the Fields family who owned a great deal of mountain land in the 1800s. The Murray County Board of Education minutes record in 1931 that "Fields Gap is to be allowed a school" and Miss Rachel Middleton taught there the next year. Other teachers at Fields Gap included Clyde Barksdale (1933-34), Mozelle Fletcher (1934-36). Ruth Stanley (1936-37), and Blanche Allen (1938-39).
In the very southeast corner near Talking Rock Creek was a school by that name. Minnie Jones taught there in 1899 and 1900 while Maude Jenkins and Tennie Cantrell were teachers at Talking Rock in 1917.
The most important event in the history of Carters in recent years has been the building of the dam. As previously mentioned the river has long been an important part of life in the area and the Carters Dam of today is not the firs' dam to have existed on the Coosawattee near Carters,
Mr. Lewis W. Richardson, now of Gainesville but formerly of Whitfield County, has done considerable research into North Georgia's past. In the course of his studies he discovered that a dam existed at Carters before 1880 and sent the following account to the Historical Society:
Notes on the First Dam at Carters
We usually think of the Federal Census as only a "counting of heads," ...... The fact is, beginning in 1810, information concerning the commerce and industry of the country was also published. This secondary activity of the Bureau of the Census reached a new height with the Tenth Census, in 1880. Surveys and statistics of Agriculture. Shipbuilding, Transportation, Forest Products, etc., filled twenty-two large quarto volumes. In Volume 16, the utilization of water power was surveyed by river basins, and attempts were made to count even the smallest country grist mills in each region.
In the section covering the Coosa River and its tributaries, only one site was considered worthy of identification by name and location. This was Carter's on the Coosawattee. The dam there was reported its being above Carter's Landing and built of logs. It was 400 feet long and eight feet high. Combined with the natural slope of the land, it provided a nine foot head, or fall. The power generated operated a "2 run" grist mill, sawmill, cotton gin and tannery. The report does not say how many wheels or turbines this complex required. The two runs of stones does indicate that both wheat and com were ground in the mill. It does mention that "Samuel Carter, of Dallon, Prop." owned property along two sides of the river.
The Landing was on the north bank, about 200 yards upstream from the old Highway 41 bridge. When work began on the lower darn a few years ago, one of the old warehouses still stood at the Landing. The old dam was probably several hundred yards up the river near the base of the new high dam. From there, a long millrace conveyed water to the mills somewhere near the Landing, where the ground rises above the river plain.
This first dam fell into disuse and flood waters damaged crops in the area for many years. In the 1920's Georgia Power Company bought the reservoir site from the Carters thinking that someday a dam might be built there. When the Coosa Valley Area Planning and Development Commission was formed later, they included a dam for Carters in their proposed network of dams on the Coosa River and its tributaries in Georgia and Alabama. On April 28, 1941 a delegation of senators, representatives, businessmen, and leaders from the two states met in Washington, D.C. to appear before a board of Army Engineers in support of the construction of a hyrdro-electric and flood-control dam at Carters.
The Georgia delegates included U.S. Senator Richard Russell, Congressman Malcolm Tarver, Georgia Power Vice-President Jack McDonough, and two Murray Countians-R.N. Steed and R.E. Chambers. While the building of other dams began, the Carters project, approved in 1945, was delayed.
In the late 1950's Georgia Power proposed a joint project at Carters with the Army Corps of Engineers. Under the plan, the power company would build and own a powerhouse, the corps would build and own the dam. while the land would be given to the government. The Federal Power Commission granted the company a preliminary permit to make studies in cooperation with the Corps of Engineers. Newspaper articles record that the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation challenged the granting of the permit. The reason for the challenge is clear. If Federal money built the darn, the GEMC. since it was part of the Federally operated Rural Electrification Administration, could have preference over Georgia Power in purchasing electricity produced by the dam. The Com-mission rescinded Georgia Power's permit. Carters Dam would be a project of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-only. Georgia Power continued to cooperate in every way. however.
Murray County was still a part of the Coosa Valley Area Planning and Development Commission which continued to support the project and now a local group. Chatsworth Enterprises, had been organized in support of the effort. Though two decades had passed since the first group went to Washington, two of the same men were still fighting for the funding of Carters Dam. Senator Richard Russell led the battle in Washington while Mr. R.E. Chambers drummed up support at home. The Chambers Papers, now in the Historical Society's collection, contain much correspondence between the two who became close friends. Senator Russell arranged for another delegation to visit Washington in June, 1961 to speak before the Subcommittee on Public Works of the House Committee on Appropriations. Murray County delegates included Mr. Chambers, County Commissioner Clarence Ridley. and County Attorney Sam Calhoun, Jr. Businessmen and leaders from Gordon and Floyd Counties joined the Murray Countians along with Congressmen Phil M. Landrum and John W. Davis. Among the reasons given for construction of Carters Dam included flood control, electricity production, and recreation. According to the delegation's statement the construction was economically feasible since little cultivated farm land would be inundated, losses due to flood waters would be eliminated, tourist dollars would help the area's economy, material for the earth-rock filled dam was available at the site, production of electricity would increase, and that no highways, railroads, occupied dwellings, or public utility installations would have to be moved. Their arguments convinced Congress to approve S300.000 for preconstruction planning. At last things started moving!
The next years were busy ones at Carters; 1962 was spent in planning and the next year, after several delays, ground was broken. Members of the Carters Darn Steering Committee from Murray County included Commissioner Ridley, Mayor M.B. Jackson, H.B.Brooks, Tucker Brown. Jack Cole. Charles A. Pannell, Sr., Mr. Chambers, and Smythe Newsome. In 1964 a special "Carters Dam Progress Celebration" was held on November 14. Held at the Colonial Pines Restaurant on Highway 411 south of Chatsworth, the celebration was highlighted bv an address by Senator Richard Russell. Fittingly. Mr. Chambers was master of ceremonies while other program participants were Rep. Landrum Rep. Davis and Major General A.C. Welling of the Corps of Engineers. About 160 people attended the ceremony.
General Welling commented on the uniqueness of Carters in terms of its construction and the presence of the re-regulation reservoir, the first of its kind in the southeast. Welling also praised the work of the Planning Commission and of the political figures involved. He said that Senator Russell had "accomplished wonders.''
The Chatsworth Times of November 19 recorded that Senator Russell himself "waxed eloquent." He envisioned "a gem of a lake, second to none in beauty in this region." He recounted the long years of waiting for funding and mentioned his promise to obtain that funding-something he had learned not to do--or so he thought. He said. "... it is dangerous to make flat ... promises concerning action any legislative body will take ... particularly . .. when it involves the appropriation of funds... I re-learned that lesson ..."
After the celebration the group went to the construction site to view the progress. They saw the 2,400-feet-long diversion tunnel, dug through Bell Mountain, which re-routed the river so that work on the main dam could begin. They saw, also, two temporary coffer dams necessary since "moving the river" was the only way to divert the stream around the gap between Bell and Horn Mountains where the main dam would be. The visitors also saw the sites where excavations of an Indian village site had been conducted in 1963. For several weeks archeology students from the University of Georgia worked against time trying to complete their diggings before the site was destroyed as earth was moved for the dam. They found numerous homesites. Indian burials, skeletons, bits of pottery, and other artifacts, Indians had lived at the site as early as 700 years before.
In 1965 work continued with a $6 million appropriation from Congress. Bids were accepted for construction of the main dam and property acquisition for the reservoir. For a time, mention was made of naming the lake formed by Carters Dam in honor of Senator Russell, but the name Carters Lake was chosen The plans for the complex were amended many times during the construction and the completion date moved forward several times-from 1968 to 1970 and then 1975.
Construction on a low-level sluice began in 1972 and in 1974 the power plant was underway. Finally in 1975. 12 years after construction began and 30 years after Congress first authorized the building. Carters Lake opened Improvements, particularly in public use areas and the visitors' center continued into the 1980's. In 1983 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a Carters-Blue Ridge Mountain Marina. One side of the road leading to the site is in Murray with the remaining land in Gilmer.
Carters is the largest earth-filled dam east of the Mississippi and upon completion in 1977 cost approximately $107,000,000. It is 2,053 feet long and 445 feet high. Forty feet wide at the top, the dam is 1,650 feet wide at its base. The lake's surface is normally at an elevation of 1,072 feet above sea level. It collects run-off from about 375 square miles and has a shoreline of 62 miles. Located mostly in Gilmer County, Carters is Georgia's deepest lake–400 feet when full.
Power is produced a few hours each weekday when the demand is greatest. The reregulation dam regulates the flow from the main lake to provide a continuous outflow from the project and storage for pump-back operations. The plant produces an average of 402,200,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, Designed for extensive public use, the Carters complex has seven areas with various recreation facilities such as boat ramps, camping, fishing, and swimming areas, beaches, and hiking trails. Carters is certainly the "gem" Senator Russell envisioned
Murray County Heritage