Tallapoosa in Haralson County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Historic Tallapoosa
Photographed By David Seibert, September 6, 2008
1. Historic Tallapoosa Marker
Inscription.
Historic Tallapoosa. . Tallapoosa was a place of great ceremonial importance to the Indians. Here in 1826 settlers discovered “Charles Town,” an Indian Village named for one of their great warriors. Several Indian trails intersected here and the Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee tribes frequently assembled here in a grove of “Seven Chestnuts” to trade or make war. A local farmer, William Owens, found gold here in 1842, and some 100,000 pennyweights were mined. Tallapoosa achieved international renown in 1890 when Gen. Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts and other notables including two United States Treasurers -- A. U. Wyman and James W. Hyatt -- organized the Georgia Alabama Investment and Development Co., to build a new city along the tracks of the Georgia Pacific Railroad, which had been built in 1882. The new city of Tallapoosa attracted some 15,000 investors, 3,000 new inhabitants and a billion dollars in capitalization. It was a city “built as if by magic,” Henry W. Grady said, “one which challenged the attention and admiration of the world.”
Tallapoosa was a place of great ceremonial importance to the Indians. Here in 1826 settlers discovered “Charles Town,” an Indian Village named for one of their great warriors. Several Indian trails intersected here and the Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee tribes frequently assembled here in a grove of “Seven Chestnuts” to trade or make war. A local farmer, William Owens, found gold here in 1842, and some 100,000 pennyweights were mined. Tallapoosa
achieved international renown in 1890 when Gen. Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts and other notables including two United States Treasurers -- A.
U. Wyman and James W. Hyatt -- organized the Georgia Alabama Investment and Development Co., to build a new city along the tracks of the Georgia Pacific Railroad, which had been built in 1882. The new city of Tallapoosa attracted some 15,000 investors, 3,000 new inhabitants and a billion dollars in
capitalization. It was a city “built as if by magic,” Henry W. Grady said, “one which challenged the attention and admiration of the world.”
Erected 1980 by Georgia Department of Natural Resources. (Marker Number 071-3.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce
Location. 33° 44.65′ N, 85° 17.201′ W. Marker is in Tallapoosa, Georgia, in Haralson County. Marker is at the intersection of East Atlanta Street (U.S. 78) and Freeman Street, on the right when traveling east on East Atlanta Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tallapoosa GA 30176, United States of America. Touch for directions.
In the background are the railroad tracks which were the reason for the founding of the city.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 6, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 2,565 times since then and 90 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on September 6, 2008, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.