by Kristal Dixon
kdixon@cherokeetribune.com
March 18, 2010 01:00 AM | 990 views | 1
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A Reinhardt College graduate and associate professor are teaming up to restore a historic part of Cherokee County.
Richard Wright is partnering with Dr. Kenneth Wheeler, an associate professor of history, to restore the Sutallee Trace.
The trace was a roadbed created by Native Americans that runs north of the Etowah River. The proposal would have the roadbed run between land behind Cherokee High School on Marietta Highway and near the Veteran's Cementary on Knox Bridge Highway.
Wright and Dr. Wheeler, along with Scoutmaster Dan Owen of Boy Scout Troop 241 in Canton, have been working to preserve the land they view as being a local treasure because of its proximity to the river.
Both men recently gave a presentation on the historic significance of the area. The area was popular during the southern Gold Rush during the 1830s, Dr. Wheeler said.
He noted many people relocated to Canton during the era, including Decatur businessman William Grisham, one of the city's founders, Ignatius Few, founder of Emory College and Samuel Candler, father of Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler.
"Early Cherokee County was the center of Georgia," Dr. Wheeler added.
Owen began developing trails in the area around 1976 to celebrate the bicentennial, he said. Since then, the boy scouts have developed close to 10 miles of trails.
Last year, Owen petitioned the county board of commissioners to create a pocket of wilderness for the area that would be undisturbed greenspace.
The land spans between seven and nine miles, Wright said, and has multiple owners.
Both men said they've mentioned the idea with County Commissioner Harry Johnston, who said he's "very interested" in the idea.
Johnston said he is discussing the idea with other county commission members to see where they stand.
Johnston, who represents the area, said the city has between $5 million and $10 million of its $90 million parks bond reserved for greenspace acquisition.
He added that he is considering forming a committee of citizens and land "professionals" to develop a proposal on possibly how to proceed with purchasing parts of the land.
Johnston said preserving greesnpace should be of importance to all residents.
"I want to try to protect and preserve some of that area," he said.
Owen said the historic aspect of preserving the land should get any resident interested in the project.
"It's a beautiful greenspace area," he said.
Wright pointed to how other communities surrounding Cherokee are attracting visitors, such as mountain biking in Ellijay and Chattanooga, Tenn.
With the river flowing through the county, Wright said the community has a perfect opportunity to capitalize on one of its best natural resources.
"Quite a few people are driving pass our area to a type of place we envision," he said.
For more information about the proposed Sutallee Trace, contact Dr. Kenneth Wheeler at (770) 720-5976.
After about 10 years, I noticed people tresspassing on the land and cutting my fence on both sides. Then I learned that it had been written up in a local news paper article and there was "INTEREST" in it. I put the fences back and posted my land. The fences were cut again and there was trash on the property. I called the sheriff and he came out and looked at it and said, well, unless you catch them, there is nothing I can do. So several days later, I caught a group of tresspassers and held them for the sheriff. They told the sheriff they "THOUGHT" it was okay to tresspass because they had been told by "EVERYONE" that it was okay. The sheriff did nothing and referred me to the county supervisors. They told me they "WERE LOOKING INTO BUYING ALL THE LAND ALONG THE TRAIL" and that I would be "CONTACTED" about it. A month later I was and they offered me half of what I had paid for the land ten years previously. I refused the ridiculous offer and they took it by imminent domain.
They came in and completely destroyed any and all historical appearance and made it a hiking trail that most "hikers" had no idea of what it was or had been and did not care. It was a place where they could come and make a mess and leave. Then they started having parties down there and set the woods on fire. I had to sell all of the property and move because the county would not do anything about the abuses, and indeed, they were the biggest abuser anyway.
So I say ABSOLUTELY NOT!! No trails. No government intervention on private property. No "PUBLIC ACCESS" because if you have it, you have a mess and a risk of trouble. and it is only a matter of time before you have it. Every property owner that has property along that trail is going to have rpoblems because of it. We need government to GO AWAY and LEAVE PRIVATE PROPERTY ALONE!!