Underwater Ghost Towns of North Georgia Book Review

Title: Underwater Ghost Towns of North Georgia
Author: Lisa M. Russell
Publication: 2018, The History Press (Charleston, SC)
Paperback edition has 208 pages.
Back of the Book: "North Georgia has more than forty lakes, and not one is natural. The state's controversial decision to dam the region's rivers for power and water supply changed the landscape forever. Lost communities, forgotten crossroads, dissolving racetracks and even entire towns disappeared, with remnants occasionally peeking up from the depths during times of extreme drought...Lisa Russell dives into the history hidden beneath North Georgia's lakes."

I had no idea this book existed until I was leaving my local library one day and noticed it in the section set aside for new arrivals. The title grabbed my attention, but I think one of the lines on the back cover sold it as a must-read for me: North Georgia has more than forty lakes, and not one is natural. Well. The "not one is natural" part was news to me.

The map below is one I created with Google Maps. My one criticism of the book is the lack of something similar.


Regardless of this slight irritation, the book was very interesting. Ms. Russell profiles sixteen lakes, dividing them into three sections: The Army Corps of Engineers Lakes, The Georgia Power Lakes, and The Tennessee Valley Authority Lakes. Before and after type images are included, such as locations and buildings that were demolished, relocated, or simply drowned. A central theme throughout the book is the question of whether or not those rives dammed to create the lakes really should have been tamed. The reasons often offered were flood prevention and bringing power to more people. Was the progress (if one agrees with that term) gained worth it? The author does not attempt to answer this question for the reader, but simply asks that it be pondered.

I have not been to all the lakes located in North Georgia, nor have I been to all the lakes profiled in Ms. Russell's book. But I have been to some, and stories of those were (of course) the most captivating for me.

Allatoona Lake

Ms. Russell writes, "Allatoona has more identifiable towns underneath its waters than all the great lakes of North Georgia...Allatoona has been the subject of archeological studies that reveal a civilization that predates these forgotten towns."

We used to camp often at Red Top Mountain State Park, located on Lake Allatoona. On one occasion, we visited the Allatoona Pass Battlefield. The Star Fort, deep railroad cut, and the battlefield in general was preserved. The lands that lay beyond, however, were drowned. You can see the lake waters not far behind state memorials placed to commemorate the lives of soldiers who fought and died there.

Richard B. Russell Lake

Ms. Russell writes,

The University of Georgia conducted archeological studies on the Russell Lake area before the dam was closed in 1970. Researchers found prehistoric and pre-ceramic artifacts that proved the area had a small band of archaic hunters. Three prehistoric fish traps were located within the Savannah River channel at Cherokee Shoals and Trotters Shoals. Other items found in the lake basin included a farm, a mill site and a nineteenth-century ferry crossing.

The construction of Richard B. Russell Lake also drowned the lands on which the Revolutionary War Battle of Cherokee Ford was fought.

Battle of Cherokee Ford
11 Feb 1779

In honor of the brave militia men under Robert Anderson...who fought a
superior Tory force led by Col. Boyd at the mouth of Van(n)'s Creek and the
Savannah River. This encounter weakened Col. Boyd's Tories three days
prior to the Battle at Kettle Creek.

Lake Blue Ridge

I was aware of several Cherokee Removal Forts in North Georgia, but not this one that is now underwater. Ms. Russell writes:

During the government's takeover of Cherokee land, Native Americans were forced into one of the fourteen collection points. The collection sites were the beginning of the Trail of Tears. Under Lake Blue Ridge was one of these forts, Fort Chastain.

Lake Chatuge

Though I have no personal connection to this particular lake, the genealogist in me cannot let this post end without sharing this from Ms. Russell's book:

In the path of Chatuge, 20 cemeteries with 2,200 graves had to be moved. An unnamed engineer wrote: "After identifying all possible graves and determining the wishes of the nearest relative that could be located, it was found necessary to move 581 graves in five cemeteries..."

I shudder to think what happened to the rest.

I recommend this book. Especially if you have an interest in the rivers and environment, history, and/or people of this region.

This seems like a good time to point you to a post from five years ago >> Relocated Southern Cemeteries Index, 1787-1975 << about the Tennessee Valley Authority's Cemetery Relocation Database. One final note: All the "lake" images above are from my personal collection, and will not be found in the book.

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