Arcana Aviation - Georgia by Drone episode 10 - Pickens County, GA

The story of Pickens County starts with the Federal Road in 1805, which passed through land inhabited by Cherokee Indians to Nashville. The Kirby-Quinton cabin, constructed in 1832 by a Cherokee named Charles ‘Tsali’ Dunbean. Discovered on property along the Federal Road that was owned by Steven Kirby, who relocated to Pickens County in 1862. Was restored and moved to its current location in downtown Jasper in 1975 by Tom Quinton, a local school teacher who used the building to teach students about their mountain heritage. The Cherokee were forcibly removed from these lands in 1838. This historic Cherokee Indian Ball Ground was preserved by the congregation of Holy Family Episcopal Church when they built here in 2002. The Cherokee pitted village-against-village in a somewhat dangerous game similar to lacrosse. This Ball Ground was last used in 1834. City of Jasper, the seat of Pickens County, first organized in 1853. Is named after the Revolutionary War hero William Jasper who died at the Siege of Savanah in 1779. Jasper is know as the “First Mountain City.” “Marble Capital of Georgia,” At the southern end of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, hosts the Georgia Marble Festival held the first weekend in October, Apple Festival is held the following weekend in Ellijay. Largest marble quarries in the U.S. Etowah Indians were using marble as far back as 1,300 A.D. Irish stonemason named Henry Fitzsimmons began commercial marble production in the 1830s. Bent Tree and Big Canoe. As the Atlanta metropolitan area creeps north, Jasper maintains its friendly, small town atmosphere. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Cagle House was built in 1871 by Peter Cagle who was a farmer and operated several mills along Sharp Top Mountain Creek. With the arrival of the Marietta and Georgia North Railroad in 1883, Jasper experienced a boom with the export of high-quality marble—and cotton, which was later replaced by timber. The Woodbridge Inn was opened in 1884 by Edmond Lenning. Today, it is still operated as a hotel and restaurant. The Georgia Marble Company was also founded in 1884. It is now owned by Polycor. The columns of the U.S. Capital Building, U.S. military tombstones, the New York Stock Exchange Annex, and the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial are all made from Georgia marble. The old Pickens County Jail, marble facade, was opened in 1906 and held inmates on the top floor until 1980. The ground-level floor was a residence for the Sheriff. Made from marble, brick, and concrete, the building is virtually fireproof. Today, it’s a museum and open to visitors for guided tours. Colonel Sam Tate built the Tate Gym in 1925. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is currently managed by Marble Valley Friends, Inc. It is available for rent as an event venue. Marble Valley Friends, Inc. have also assumed stewardship of the train station in Tate, turning into a museum. Colonel Tate built his mansion just walking distance from one of his quarries. Construction on The Tate House started in 1926. It is clad in rare Pink Etowah Marble. Colonel Tate selected the matching slabs himself. Passing away without heirs, the home stood vacant from 1955 till 1974, when a 10-year preservation effort began. It is now one of the more popular wedding and event venues in northern Georgia. He also built Tate Elementary in 1928, clad in 100% marble. When it opened, it served grades 1 through 11, and was one of the best-equipped schools anywhere. It is the only marble schoolhouse in the country. Designed and dedicated by Colonel Tate, the Oglethorpe Monument was built in 1930. The 38-foot tall marble obelisk is a tribute to the British Member of Parliament and General, James Edward Oglethorpe, who founded the colony of Georgia in 1732. Situated on a curve on N Main Street in downtown Jasper. Also hard to miss is the gleaming, also marble-clad, Pickens County Courthouse which was built in 1949. This building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 2002, Holy Family Episcopal Church sits on a beautiful 40-acre campus that features a wheelchair-accessible labyrinth, 2.6 miles of nature trails, and a pavilion. The church also hosts a monthly concert series during the school year. Technical College System of Georgia in 2008, three technical colleges were combined to create Chattahoochee Technical College in 2009 and located it in Jasper. Founded in 2011, the Sheriff’s JeepFest brings over 2,000 Jeeps and Jeep enthusiasts to Marble Hill to raise money for children’s charities. Held on the first weekend in September, the festival features Jeeps, obstacles, trails, mud, concerts, rides, and food. There is no shortage of natural beauty in Pickens County. And just stone’s throw from the southern end of the Appalachian Trail, Burnt Mountain Preserve features beautiful waterfalls and a challenging 800-foot change in elevation.