The City of White, Georgia is named for its first Postmaster, James A. White. The original charter is dated August 7th, 1919 as The Town of White. This was amended in 1962 and it became The City of White. [Previously located within the original Cherokee County] White is located in Bartow County in Northwest Georgia.

Relatively steep ridges and broad valleys characterize Bartow County’s topography with elevations ranging from a low of approximately 600 feet (where the Etowah River leaves Bartow and enters Floyd County) to an approximate high elevation of some 2,400 feet.

Bartow County is entirely within the Coosa River Basin, but lies in a complex geologic area where the Blue Ridge, Talladega and Northern Piedmont geologic provinces converge, consisting of igneous substrate rock formations, while the Ridge and Valley Province is comprised of sedimentary rock formations. The conjunction of all these geologic provinces has resulted in a mineral-rich area. Prominent geographic features include Allatoona Lake, Red Top Mountain, Pine Log Mountain and the Etowah River.

Source: CityofWhiteGA.com

The original community of Victoria is located on the bottom of Lake Allatoona. The Cherokee had a settlement here known as Indian Hill with a rock fish trap in the river.

A very small country store was established in the early 1800s by a Mr. Robinson at the intersection of Canton-Acworth Road (now Victoria Road). His wife’s name was Victoria. The store was named Victoria’s, hence the name of the community.

The area was mostly farm land with cotton the main crop. The area away from the river had been called the place where “the devil’s apron strings broke and spilled almost all the rocks he had.”

One of the early settlers was Samuel Lovinggood who came in 1854. He built a large home on the Etowah River at a point he called Lovinggood’s Landing, later called Victoria’s Landing. He built a toll bridge across the river and charged 10 cents a head to cross – animal or human. He operated a cotton gin. He is buried on top of a hill approximately half a mile from the lake in a community cemetery. His home was dismantled when the lake was filled, however, when the lake is low, the outline of the brick foundation can still be seen from Victoria’s Landing.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998

Holly Springs is located about midway between Woodstock and Canton. It apparently took its name from a spring west of town that was surrounded by holly trees. The spring was undoubtedly a gathering place for Indians before the White man came and then later used by travelers, miners, and prospectors.

It was incorporated in 1906. Families living here in the early part of the century included Chapmans, DeLays, Flemings, Hardins, Kelleys, Kings, Ragsdales, Roaches, Satterfields, Sims and Tates.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998

Hickory Flat Community was made up of stores, mills, schools and churches, as all communities were in the 1920’s and the 1930’s. The old store, cotton gin and corn mill were located where the present store and Biscuit Barn are today.

The Forrester Brothers ran the cotton gin and corn mill during the 20’s. They were followed by Bart Manous during the 30’s. Power for the mills came from steam, and changed to gas engines later. The mills also sawed logs for the building industry.

Hickory Flat was one of the first communities to have what was called a consolidated school, a one and two teacher school in the community. Prior to rural mail delivery, Hickory Flat had a post office. According to Bill Garrett, Jones Mercantile Company also had a store in Hickory Flat. It sold merchandise and bought cotton from the farmers.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998

Captain Delavan Lively, a captain during the Civil War, gave Free Home its name. Captain Lively owned land near the first existing one room school in the area, Chestnut Log, which was located at a crossroads in the Cross Roads Militia District of Cherokee County, Georgia. Due to limited financial resources, families who farmed the land were unable to buy land or build homes; therefore, Captain Lively offered free land to anyone who wanted to build a house with the understanding that the property would revert to him if the people moved away. Thus, the name of the community became known as Free Home. It was during Captain Lively’s administration as a teacher that a new one-room school house was built. A second building was later built to meet the expanding needs of the community. A third building was erected in 1906.

Source: Free Home Elementary School

Originally called Cherokee Courthouse when the post office was established in 1832. In 1833 it was incorporated under the name of Etowahand on 18 December 1834 it was changed to Canton, apparently for China’s great silk center. Judge Donaldson was instrumental in beginning a silk center here, but the industry did not thrive.

The name comes from Fort Buffington and the historical marker commemorating the site. It was one of the six stockade sites in the county for housing and collecting the Cherokee for removal.

Early family names in the area are: Green, Lusk, Bishop, Cook, Garrison, Haley, Carnes and others. Many descendants of these early settlers remain in the Buffington community.

One of the largest employers in the area was Nejasco Dairy, owned by the Coker family. The dairy provided home delivery for years. The dairy provided housing for its employees. Poultry farms became prevalent in the later years.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998

Click here for info on the community of Fort Buffington from the 1876-1877 State Directory

Beasley’s Gap, a 12-mile stretch on GA 140 between Waleska and Rydal, (in Bartow County), was named for John and Jane Beasley who settled there in the early 1800s. Mr. and Mrs. Beasley settled in the area and built a log cabin in the gap where they lived and farmed for several years. Finding the winter wind off Pine Log Mountain unbearable, the Beasley’s built another house further into the gap where they lived the rest of their lives Jaon and Jane owned slaves who helped in the farm work. The Beasleys are buried at Beasley Cemetery in Beasley’s Gap.

The gap slowly grew through the years as more and more settlers came to farm cotton in the huge fields found all along the gap.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998

Ball Ground received its name from the “stick ball” competitions of the earliest native American citizens. According to legend, Cherokees competed successfully with their Creek neighbors, winning the prize of a thousand square miles of land.

The development of the North Georgia Railroad in the early 1880’s contributed to the establishment of the town. Land was donated to the railroad by the following for the town site: Ancil Bearden, Ellen Byers, Hester A. Byers, J.W. Byers, Berty Carpenter, J. C. Carpenter, Martha Carpenter, Sarah E. Carpenter, M. F. Hawkins, N. A. Lyon, P. H. Lyon, and F. M. Waldrup. Their goal was realized when the railroad officially laid off the land into town lots and held a sale in April 1882. Within two years, there were approximately 250 citizens in the town.

Marble finishing was the primary industry for over 75 years. The Roberts Marble Company had begun before 1880 and grew with the establishment of Ball Ground. Tate marble was utilized. At least four more companies operated out of Ball Ground, Standard Marble Company, Consumers Monument Company, and Roberts Marble Company and “Little” Roberts Marble Company. The Amicalola Railroad was also established in the late 1880’s, connecting Ball Ground to the Pickens Co. marble quarries.

Source: The Heritage of Cherokee County Georgia 1831-1998