Amicalola Falls State Park
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Dawson County
As other settlers moved into the area, Amicalola Campground was established near the bottom of Amicalola Falls and was often used for religious revival services. During the Civil War, the campground was used as a mustering ground for both Union and Confederate troops. When Bartley Crane died, his property passed to John Hunter Crane, who was Bartley's son. John Crane eventually bought back some of the property that his father had lost and operated a store and barber shop, and rented cabins near the base of the falls. In 1940, he sold the property to the state of Georgia for the establishment of Amicalola Falls State Park. Since its establishment as a park, Amicalola Falls has seen many changes. At the park's founding in 1940, the 2000 +/- mile Appalachian Trail passed through its borders until 1958, when the southern terminus was moved to Springer Mountain. Visitors frequented Amicalola Lake until it was drained in 1977 because of concern about the earthen dam. In 1991, the Lodge at Amicalola Falls added 57 guest rooms, a conference center, and restaurant to the park's facilities. In 2001, steps were added connecting the base of the falls to the top of the falls in order to make the area more safely accessible. Today, Georgia's 12th state park continues to be home to Amicalola Falls, which at 729 feet is the highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. |
In 1852, a gentleman named Bartley Crane settled near the base of what was known as Um Ma Calo La Falls, which is Cherokee for "tumbling waters." At one time, Crane owned several hundred acres in the area, including the falls. He ran a corn and flour mill on the creek near what is now the Visitor Center. Some of this property was lost after he used the land for collateral on a loan.
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