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Georgia Genealogy Trails "Where your Journey Begins" |
History
Towns, Hamlets and Villages
| Floyd County was created from
Cherokee in 1832, and was named for Gen. John Floyd, the celebrated
Indian fighter. It lies in the northern part of the state and is
bounded on the north by Chattooga county, on the east by Gordon and
Bartow, on the south by Polk, on the west by the State of Alabama, and
on the northwest by Chattooga county. The Etowah and the
Oostanaula rivers, which enter the county at the east and north unite
at Rome to form the Coosa, that flows westward and enters
Alabama. The Etowah, though not navigable, furnishes abundant
water-power, which is utilized by many factories. The Oostanaula
and the Coosa together are navigable for 355 miles, bringing to Rome
the lumber, iron, grain and cotton of the Coosa and the hardwoods of
the Oostanaula valleys. The railroad transportation is all that
could be desired. From Rome several great lines diverge in all
directions, establishing communication with the principal cities of the
country. The surface is mountainous and is covered with
forests. Among the mountains are many beautiful valleys, the most
noted of which “Van’s Valley,” is one of the most charming in
Georgia. The soil, especially in the lowlands, is fertile, and
cotton, corn and small grains are raised. Peaches, pears, plums,
cherries and grapes are cultivated on the highlands, but apples do best
along the streams. Floyd county is rich in minerals, including
manganese, bauxite, marble, slate, limestone, cement rock, lithographic
stone, kaolin, ochre, brick clay, bituminous shale, iron, iron pyrites,
gold, silver and lead. Rome is the county seat and the commercial
and manufacturing center. Cave Spring is another thriving
town. Livingston was for a time the county seat. When the
court-house was moved to Rome Livingston was sole to a private
individual and became a farm. The population in 1900 was 33,113,
a gain of 4,722 in ten years. [Source: Georgia: Sketches, Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions & People, Vol. 2, Publ. 1906 Transcribed By: Maggie Coleman] Floyd’s springs, in the county of Floyd, was the scene of skirmishing on May 16, 1864, as McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee was marching toward Rome. [Source: Georgia: Sketches, Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions & People, Vol. 2, Publ. 1906 Transcribed By: Maggie Coleman] Forsters Mills, a village of Floyd county, is about five miles north of Cavespring. It has a money order postoffice, with free rural delivery. The nearest railway station is Yancey, on the Southern road. (Source: Georgia Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, VOL II, by Candler & Evans, Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Renae Donaldson) Hermitage, a post-hamlet of Floyd county, is located about nine miles northeast of Rome and four east of Shannon, which is the nearest railroad station. (Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Angelia Carpenter) |
