Georgia Natural Wonder #217 - Waterfalls Hudson River/Branches-Banks Co. (Part 2) 797

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Georgia Natural Wonder #217 - Waterfalls Hudson River & Tributaries - Banks County (Part 2)

We return to Banks County to wrap up our county tangent after exploring the many private property waterfalls on tributaries of the Hudson River and the Hudson River Falls themselves. This Banks County is really full of surprises. We start with three falls on Mountain Creek.


Roxanne Falls (Grace Point Falls)

Waterfall Info: This is the first and most spectacular waterfall on Mountain Creek, a tributary of Hudson River, and located just below a small lake. The falls is on the former property of Grace Point Christian Retreat Center, and while here, Grace Point allowed the public to hike a 1-mile trail to the falls. However, Grace Point has moved their mission house closer to downtown Baldwin, and this is now private property, with public access prohibited. There is a No Trespassing sign where the trailhead for Roxanne Falls used to be at the former location of the retreat. Some people have since accessed Roxanne Falls from a second trail from the west, but this trail is also on private property and now strictly off-limits. The owners of Roxanne Falls have personally informed me that trespassing on their property is not allowed.
Landowner: Private
Height: 40 Feet
Type: Sheer Drop (Single-Tier)
County: Banks

Mountain Travel Guide says that situated along Mountain Creek near the town of Alto, the privately owned Roxanne Falls is open to the public. Accessed by traveling along a short trail, Roxanne Falls is located within a subdivision, which maintains a small parking area.


Baldwin Falls

Waterfall Info: This scenic split flow waterfall is the second waterfall (from the bottom) on Mountain Creek. It is near Scenic Terrace Court and about 0.6 mile upstream from where Purvis Road crosses the creek. There is no trail to the falls, and any accesses to it are entirely on private property.
Landowner: Private
Height: 20 Feet
Type: Sheer Drop (Single-Tier)
County: Banks


Baldwin Falls with more water.


Upper Baldwin Falls

Waterfall Info: This small cascading waterfall is the third and uppermost waterfall on Mountain Creek. It is between Little Baldwin Falls Lane and Highway 441 Bypass. There is no trail to the falls, and any accesses to it are entirely on private property.
Landowner: Private
Height: 15 Feet
Type: Sliding Cascade (Single-Tier)
County: Banks

Then we move to Little Nails Creek named after the Nails family we covered in our first Banks County post (GNW #215).


Moss Mill Falls

Waterfall Info: This is a scenic sliding waterfall on Little Nails Creek, a tributary of Hudson River. Even though the falls sits on private property, it is easily viewed from the roadside.
Landowner: Private
Height: 15 Feet
Type: Sliding Cascade (Single-Tier)
County: Banks
Access Info: The waterfall is roadside along Moss Mill Road, 0.2 miles from Highway 441 Bypass, and 0.8 miles from Highway 441 south of Baldwin. There is a large dirt pullout/turnaround alongside the falls.
Waterfall Location: 34.418537, -83.508165

We move on Grove Creek for our next falls. Again, all these creeks are tributaries of the Hudson River.


Ayers Mill Falls

Waterfall Info: This scenic waterfall is on a large, unnamed tributary of Grove Creek, and is off limits due to private property. Grove Creek is a  tributary of Hudson River. It is a stream located just 7.4 miles from Commerce, in Banks County, in the state of Georgia, United States, near Erastus, GA. Alternate names for this stream include Grove River and Grove Fork.
Landowner: Private
Height: 25 Feet
Type: Sheer Drop (Single-Tier)
County: Banks

Wilson Shoals Wildlife Management Area is located in Banks County.



This 2,800-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey, small game and dove.


Wilson Shoals

Waterfall Info: Small sliding waterfall on a large, unnamed tributary of Hudson River.
Landowner: Wilson Shoals Wildlife Management Area
Height: 20 Feet
Type: Slide (Single-Tier)
County: Banks
Access Info: The waterfall is roadside along Grant Mill Road, 0.5 miles from Yonah Homer Road.
Waterfall Location: 34.40344, -83.58818


Squirrel Rock Falls

Waterfall Info: This waterfall is on an unnamed tributary of the Hudson River. Best seen during wet weather.
Landowner: Wilson Shoals Wildlife Management Area
Height: 30 Feet
Type: Series of Sliding Cascades (Multi-Tier)
County: Banks
Access Info: The waterfall is a short off-trail walk from Beaver Swamp Road.
Waterfall Location: 34.41977, -83.58363

Lastly we come to the Hudson River itself.


Hudson River Falls

Waterfall Info: This is a large, scenic waterfall in the headwaters of Hudson River. The waterfall is on private property, so there is no public access, but the property is for sale. I will let you know if the access situation changes!
Landowner: Private
Height: 50 Feet
Type: Triple Sliding Cascade (Triple-Tier)
County: Banks
NO PUBLIC ACCESS

Hudson River - Wikipedia

The Hudson River is a 49.5-mile-long tributary of the Broad River in the U.S. state of Georgia. Via the Broad River, it is part of the Savannah River watershed.



The headwaters are in Banks County near the city of Homer. The Grove River feeds into the Hudson near the Franklin County line. The river then constitutes most of the southern border of Franklin County, separating it from Madison County. Nails Creek feeds into the river along this border, just before the Hudson itself feeds into the Broad River, south of the city of Franklin Springs.

Hudson River - Paddling.com

I paddled the beautiful Hudson River during high flows that made this a much more challenging river than was expected. I was paddling a Mohawk Odyssey without flotation. Guidebooks say its the "prettiest of the tributaries of the Broad River and several drops never exceed easy class 2". I agree with the first half but the second half is totally dependent on flow.



I paddled the stretch from hwy 106 bridge at Fort Lamar down 6 miles to the hwy 29 bridge just before it empties into the Broad River. It was very muddy and since the gauge on the Broad was around 2000cfs, I think the Hudson was providing about half of that flow. It had some nice bluffs, rocky outcrops and about 6 well-defined drops, three of which needed scouting and were certainly class 3 due to big holes and invisible boulders just under the surface that could not be seen until they were impacted by your boat.



I do think it would have been better to wait one more day until the flow was around 300-500 cfs. It is otherwise a very enjoyable paddle that has a pretty easy shuttle. There are some pockets of homes along the river,..concentrated around the rapids. This seems to be a common thing with Georgia rivers. Overall, I am looking forward to paddling the river again at about half the flow I endured.

Directions:

From Athens GA, take HWY 29 NE about 25 miles to the takeout bridge. The put-in on hwy 106 bridge is reached by going south from the takeout about a mile and take hwy 174 west about 2 miles, then take a right on Shiloh-Ft Lamar road about 4 miles to Ft Lamar where a right on 106 gets you to the bridge in about a mile.



The wonderful Georgia scenery and the cool fresh water will make you feel great. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in Georgia are harder than the national norm, so don't forget that rivers here are less forgiving. There's camping available near Hudson River. If you're coming from Cornelia it's not a long drive at all to the put-in location. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. Getting a good workout and spending some quality time in nature are great attractions for lots of people.

Hudson River - Georgia Whitewater.

This section of Hudson River in Banks County is 2 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class I-III+ section. There are some good sections to paddle in this river system, the Wilson Shoals WMA section is one of them. This is a somewhat short section so better bring some good walking shoes. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination.



While you're here at Hudson River you will meet lots of folks from close by Alto. Summer brings highs in the 80's to Hudson River. Once the sun is down it dips down to the 60's. High temperatures during the winter are normally in the 40's while the cold winter nights at Hudson River are in the 20's. Hudson River commonly gets a lot of rainfall. March is when you get the most rain here, and October on the other hand is the driest.

Hudson River - American Whitewater

A lot of flat water on this run with some class I-II stuff at normal levels. Action picks up as it goes along.

Banks County (Part 2)

Historical Markers in Banks County, Georgia

Line Baptist Church




Looking southeast from the church toward Old US Highway 441. Looking from Line Church Road toward the church

“Hawkins Line”




Looking north and south on US Highway 441 at the Habersham and Banks County line.

Battle of Narrows




Looking south on US Highway 441 (on the right); the roadside park is on the left. Looking south at the City of Baldwin Roadside Park; a second marker, for the "Hawkins Line" is visible at the south side of the park.

Leatherwood Baptist Church




Looking east on Georgia Highway 105; Leatherwood Baptist Church is on the right, and the church cemetery across the highway. The marker and Leatherwood Baptist Church.

Middle River Volunteers




Looking east on Georgia Highway 105. The intersection of Georgia Highway 105, left, with Carnes Circle, right; the marker is in the distance.

Banks County




Looking southeast on Georgia Highway 51. The marker, with the old Banks County Courthouse.


The Old Courthouse was restored in 1990-1991. It now houses the Banks County Chamber of Commerce. The new 21st Century Banks County Courthouse stands adjacent to the original.

Indian Boundary




Looking north at the southbound lanes of US Highway 441 toward Baldwin. Looking south on US Highway 441 toward Homer.

Mt. Pleasant Church



There are over 175 unmarked graves





Nails Creek Baptist Church



Nails Creek Baptist Church is among the oldest Baptist churches in the state of Georgia. It was the first church of any kind to be organized in the state’s northwest frontier settlements. The Reverend Moses Sanders was the missionary who founded the church and started it as a mission for Indians in the area. Rev. Sanders was born in Westshire, England in 1732 and came to the New World seeking religious freedom in the 1770s. He served in the Continental Army under George Washington and the American Revolution made him a hero. He had many scars from bayonet wounds and one source said, “He got the scars in a bayonet fight and the Brit lost.”


Grave of Sanders and his son, Christopher Columbus Sanders.

After moving to Banks County, Rev. Sanders built a log chapel to minister to the Indians and early settlers. The community at the time was wild frontier territory with only a few settlers. Tradition states that there was a fort where the church was located. It was a public meeting place and General Elijah Clark and his soldiers were said to have camped there more than once on their expeditions against the Indians. It was not uncommon for men to carry their muskets to church on the Sabbath. On February 11, 1787, Nails Creek Baptist Church was established and Rev. Sanders became the first pastor. The church was named for the community which was called Nails Creek for Joe Nails who ran a trading post.



The first building served the church until around 1800 when the membership increased to a point where a new structure was needed. That building was said to have been a masterpiece of architecture for the time. The people freely gave of their time and labor to build it. It was constructed of the best huge yellow pines from the nearby forests. Congregations were so large that some wondered where they all came from. They arrived in surreys, wagons, on horseback and many walked. Every available seat was taken and people stood around the wall, at the doors and in windows. They would place their wagons near the window so they could hear.



In 1864 the meeting house burned and the culprit was thought to be an enemy of the Confederacy. There was no house of worship until 1868 when a house of built. That building was torn down and another framed building was erected where the church worshiped. The present brick building was built in 1908 at a cost of $6000. The church was built with hand-cast brick. It has large, distinctive timbers throughout the center of the sanctuary to support the 20 foot high ceiling.


Nails Creek Baptist Church soon after the dedication of the "new" sanctuary just a few years into the 20th century. Probably many of the people shown were my ancestors or their close relations.

Privy Circa 1948




A placard on the Privy explaining more of its history. The placard states that the Privy dates from the early 1900s.

The Hurricane Shoals Covered Bridge




The marker is barely visible by the bench at the left edge of the photo. The bridge is constructed using the Town lattice construction, using a large number of diagonal elements which form a lattice. Ithiel Town patented the design in 1820.

Hurricane Shoals is it's own wonder GNW #122.

Communities
   
Alto (partly in Habersham)

Alto was so named on account of its lofty elevation.


Alto 1939.

A post office called Alto has been in operation since 1879.


Tom Martins Store 1960.

The town incorporated in 1895.


Home of Jaemor farms on way to Helen.

The School Bus Graveyard in Alto, Georgia, turns junk into creative gems. Each year, artists transform the buses’ signature yellow exteriors and give the vehicles a makeover. Old buses, trucks, and RVs become a canvas for murals that come alive with bright colors and whimsical designs.



The property is owned by Alonzo Wade, who runs an auto parts shop. After people began stealing scraps and material in the early 2000s, neighbors suggested he use his array of salvaged buses and trucks to form a fence.



Not only did the wall help deter thieves, it also acted as a beacon for local creatives searching for an unconventional canvas. A team of artists known as Crispy Printz began painting the buses in 2012. They invite other artists to come repaint them every year, so the designs are constantly changing.
   
Baldwin (partly in Habersham)

Baldwin is located on U.S. Route 441 just south of Georgia State Route 365. Baldwin sits astride the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates waters flowing southeastward toward the Savannah River and the Atlantic Ocean from waters flowing southwestward toward the Chattahoochee River and the Gulf of Mexico.



City Hall sits in Habersham County. Baldwin borders the slightly larger city of Cornelia, which houses the Habersham Chamber of Commerce. Nearby in Demorest is Piedmont University.


Downtown Baldwin.

Also nearby is Lake Russell, a recreation area in Chattahoochee National Forest. The Habersham County airport is in Baldwin. The largest employer is Fieldale Corporation, a chicken processing company.

History

Baldwin was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 17, 1896.



The city was named in honor of Joseph A. Baldwin, an Atlanta-Charlotte Air Line Railroad official.
   
Commerce (partly in Jackson)

History

Native American history

Before European settlers arrived, the area around present-day Commerce was inhabited by the Creek and the Cherokee people. The Lacoda Trail, which extended from present-day Athens to the north Georgia mountains, was a significant trade and travel route through this area. (Georgia State Route 334, which follows a 9-mile section of this ancient trail, was designated the "Lacoda Trail Memorial Parkway" by the Georgia General Assembly in 1998.)


Lakota Trail.

Local histories that originated in the mid-1800s describe a territorial war between the Creeks and Cherokees over the land in the county during the 1770s. This war never occurred. The Cherokees were decisively defeated by the Koweta Creeks in 1754. For about a decade after their 1754 defeat, all Cherokee villages in the Georgia colony and the Hiwassee River valley in North Carolina were abandoned. William Bartram traveled through northeastern Georgia in 1773 and described the Creeks as being completely dominant over the Cherokees. The Cherokees never occupied or held title to lands within the boundaries of Jackson County.



The Creek Confederacy ceded its lands east of the Oconee River in 1785. A subsequent treaty in 1793 ceded the remainder of the land that was to become Jackson County. The last corridor of Creek land, located west of Jackson County, was ceded in 1818.

Early white settlement

The first permanent white settlement in Jackson County began near present-day Commerce on January 20, 1784, when German immigrant William Dunson was awarded a land grant on Little Sandy Creek. The settlement was named "Groaning Rock", supposedly because of a nearby hollow rock formation that produced a moaning sound when the wind passed over it.


The only Groaning Rock today is at Sandy Creek Golf Course in Commerce.

A trading post was established by Eli Shankle near Groaning Rock in 1808, named "Harmony Grove". The common explanation is that the name is a play on his wife, Rebecca's, maiden name: Hargrove. There is also an old Appalachian hymn tune called "Harmony Grove", found in an 1830 book called The Virginia Harmony. This tune is popular today as the melody to "Amazing Grace".



The Harmony Grove Female Academy, the first all-female school chartered in the state of Georgia, was chartered by the state legislature on December 20, 1824. The Harmony Grove post office was established on October 14, 1825; Russell Jones was its first postmaster.



On September 1, 1876, the North Eastern Railroad opened its line from Athens to Lula, which passed through the heart of Harmony Grove. The railroad line had the most significant impact on the shape of the city, which began expanding both directions along the line. These tracks are now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.

City history

The Harmony Grove community was officially incorporated as a town on December 24, 1884, including all areas within a one-mile radius of the railroad depot, one half mile east, and 400 yards west.


Commerce since 1904.

Harmony Grove Mills, Inc., was organized under the laws of Jackson County on April 3, 1893, for the purpose of processing and producing cotton textiles. It served various purposes over the years, including the manufacture of denim overalls and the earliest production of electricity in the city. The mill village created to house employees makes up a significant portion of the homes on the southeast end of Commerce today. The mill had been in operation under various corporations until the spring of 2004, when it closed operations and was sold; it has been used for warehouse storage space since, and is currently for sale. The building is still a major feature of the city.



Near the end of the 19th century, many began to feel that the name "Harmony Grove" was too long to write and sounded too much like a country village. In addition, many didn't like the fact that mail frequently went to another post office by the same name in Dawson County. Harmony Grove was reincorporated and renamed "Commerce" on August 6, 1904, in an effort to address these concerns and reflect the city's commercial dominance in the north Georgia cotton trade.



In 1959, a series of controversial town hall meetings were held to try to convince members of the federal Interstate Highway System to re-route the proposed Interstate 85, originally planned to go through Gainesville (Hall County), through Commerce and Lavonia (Franklin County). The proposal was changed, and the interstate was routed through Jackson County. Even more so than the railroad nearly a century before, this major transportation artery brought tremendous commercial advantage to Commerce, at a time it desperately needed it.



Downtown Commerce has a fine collection of 19-20th century commercial and industry structures. It was listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places in 1988.

Dr. William B. J. Hardman House, 1897.



This was the home of Dr. William Benjamin Johnson Hardman (23 November 1822 to 21 August 1904), the father of Governor Lamartine Hardman, who was also a physician. The elder Dr. Hardman was one of the most prominent and best-known citizens Harmony Grove (changed to Commerce in 1909).  Dr. Hardman served in Deadwyler’s Company, 4th Georgia Cavalry.

Lamartine Griffin Hardman House

This Mediterranean style house was built in 1920 for Lamartine Griffin Hardman. Mr. Hardman was a prominent Commerce citizen who served as Governor from 1927-1931.



The White Columns, Circa 1904.



Owners Perry Benson and Scott Jenks painstakingly restored this beloved landmark in 2018 and learned that it was built by Enoch Bush, circa 1904. Previously, it was known locally as “The Wallpaper School” for a business that had once occupied it.

State Street Storefronts, Commerce.



Storefronts South Broad.





Opera House, 1910, Commerce.



Commerce is all about the Outlet Stores now.


   
Gillsville (partly in Hall)

History

The community was named after the local Gills family.



Former Bank Building Gillsville.



Gable Front House, Gillsville


   
Hollingsworth

Community built up around Fort Hollingsworth and never really incorporated. See GNW #215 for details.



Homer

Homer is a town in Banks County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,141 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Banks County.

History

The community was named after Homer Jackson, a pioneer citizen. Homer was founded in 1858 as seat for the newly established Banks County. Homer was incorporated as a town in 1859, and its first courthouse was built in 1863.

Old Baptist Church, Homer.



Greek Revival Office Building (dilapidated shack).



Hill Hotel, Circa 1835.



Also known as the Candler-Hill House, this is best known today as the Hill Hotel, which was in operation until 1952. Originally built as a Plantation Plain with Greek Revival details, it was expanded by T. F. Hill for use as a boarding house and hotel. It was recently on the verge of demolition, but Scott Reed will be doing an architecturally sensitive remodel, and he believes the core of the house dates to circa 1835. It just sold for $55,000.

Dr. Andrew H. Stapler House



Beginning in the 1930s, this was operated as a post office by Oscar Garrison. Its construction, though, would suggest other historical uses. Another remaining structure (Mason’s Store), not pictured here, also served as the post office for a time.

Mason House, Circa 1870s



This house was built by William Benjamin Mason (1852-1913), a dry goods merchant in Homer, who came to Banks County from Pickens County, South Carolina, as a young man. I’ve seen it referred to as the Moss Mason House, as well; this could be due to the fact that a son of William Benjamin Mason, Dick Moss Mason (1878-1964) was a longtime resident here.



The Plantation Plain architecture, popular in rural Georgia in the antebellum era, was also common in the decade after the Civil War and would suggest a likely construction date in the 1870s.

Service Stations Homer.



Garrison Service Station circa 1930's.



Old Post Office Garrison's Store.



Tiny Town Restaurant.



Chimney Oaks Golf Club Homer.



Ragsdale Mill in Homer.

The Ragsdale Mill was built by the Reverend Francis Marian Ragsdale, brother of Captain Michael Jackson Ragsdale during the Civil War and began operation around November 1863.



Its millstones were made in France and brought into Savannah by a blockade runner to bypass the U.S. Navy guarding the port, and then transported from the coast during wartime. The Ragsdale Mill is located on Mt. Olivet Road. Mt. Olivet Road is north of Homer along U.S. 441 and off Ga. Hwy. 51 N.



Today, the historic mill is in good condition, but not really operating, and not open to the general public. It is owned by "Doc" Sisk.
   
Lula (partly in Hall)

Lula is a city in Hall and Banks counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. Most of the city is in Hall County, with a small eastern portion of the city located in Banks County. The population was 2,758 at the 2010 census. The Hall County portion of Lula is part of the Gainesville, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lula is the home of Railroad Days, a yearly festival held usually every May. Lula is the railroad junction between the Atlanta northeast line and the Athens north line of Norfolk Southern Railway.

History

The rail spur from Athens to Lula was completed in 1874 for the North Eastern Railroad. Civil engineers Joel Hurt and his brother Fletcher named the town in honor of Miss Lula Phinizy, later Mrs. Abner W. Calhoun, whom they both admired.



The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Lula as a town in 1905.
 
Maysville (partly in Jackson)

History

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Maysville as a town in 1879.

Development of other communities followed the pattern of railroad routes, many of which crossed the area. The earliest of these lines was developed in 1870 and went through Maysville.


Maysville has gone to the dogs. TRD took some of these images of Maysville while he was nearby at Hurricane Shoals a few summers ago.

First known as Midway, Maysville was renamed for John May and incorporated in 1879. Maysville was also referred to as "the Brick Store" in the mid-nineteenth century, for a store building made of brick owned by Abraham Atkins. It was at that time the only brick store north of Athens.



The town's cotton-centered industries (such as cotton ginning and cottonseed-oil production) as well as several other industries made Maysville an active industrial center for a time, but the town's population has declined steadily since 1910. Today Maysville straddles Banks and Jackson counties and is the second-oldest extant community in Jackson County.



Along Mulberry Creek, you'll find the Old Mill, abandoned, yet majestic in its own right. This cotton gin and grist mill was in operation from the 1870s to the 1920s, and served the townspeople and county well.



From Forgoteen and Vanishing Georgia we find more images of Maysville.

Old Post Office, Maysville.



Historic Storefronts.



Atkins National Bank and Storefronts.



Maysville Methodist Church, 1890.



This congregation was organized in 1881 and for almost a decade they met in private homes, and the old Maysville school building. This lot was purchased in 1890 and the church built soon thereafter. Like most other Methodist congregations in Georgia, Maysville was later affiliated with the United Methodist Church; after outgrowing this structure, the congregation relocated to a newer structure.

Eclectic House, 1883, Victorian Homes Maysville



Hale House



The Hale House is one of the most imposing residential structures in Maysville. The Chippendale porch rails are an interesting feature.


   
Narrows

Narrows is an unincorporated community in Banks County, Georgia, United States. It is located on Georgia State Route 105, approximately four miles southeast of Baldwin. Narrows was the birthplace of Ty Cobb. A roadside sign describes the original location of the cabin in which the Cobb family lived and where Ty was born.


Faded out sign that shows the birthplace of Ty Cobb at the Narrows in Georgia on Route 105 about four miles southeast of Baldwin, GA

In 1864, Narrows was the site of The Battle of the Narrows, between Confederate and Union forces, which resulted in a Confederate victory.
There seems to be no record of any further details of this encounter, nor is there any source for the material quoted on the marker. The Union cavalry in Northeast Georgia at that time was under the command of Kenner Garrard. In October 1864, his force numbered 166 officers and 2911 enlisted men. These were divided into small raiding parties which swept the countryside destroying property and supplies that might be of use to the South. There was much ruthless pillaging involved in spite of orders to the contrary.



The Georgia State Militia had been sent home after the fall of Atlanta to harvest the crops to feed the local families and troops. They were furloughed and allowed 30 days. By October the Governor was calling for all able-bodied men to come back to defend the state against Sherman’s army. A letter from the Adjutant General’s office dated October 11 refers to the Militia of Banks County as still being at home. It is reasonable to assume that these men or others in the Clarkesville area were the Confederates who fought in the narrows.



The site of the conflict is a small steep-sided gap between two mountains. It is conceivable that the Confederates could have occupied the high ground on one ridge and driven back the cavalry as they came into the Narrows. With no place to maneuver, the horsemen would have been caught in the open under direct fire from above. Doubtless, the Confederates would have had few horses at this stage of the war. Even so, in this situation, they could have won the day and driven the Union forces backward and prevented any further pillaging of the countryside.

Notable people
   
Terry Allen, former football running back in the National Football League; born in Commerce.


   
Bill Anderson, country music singer, songwriter and television personality, famous for "City Lights" written in Commerce; raised in Commerce. Anderson briefly attended the University of Georgia in the late 1950s, where he studied journalism.


   
Chris Beck, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.


   
Clay Hendrix, current head football coach at Furman University; born in Commerce.


   
Mike Bowers, former Attorney General of Georgia; born in Commerce.


   
Olive Ann Burns, award-winning author of Cold Sassy Tree, a novel loosely based on her experiences growing up in Commerce.


   
Spud Chandler, right-handed starting pitcher in major league baseball who played his entire career for the New York Yankees from 1937 through 1947; born in Commerce.



Lamartine G. Hardman, served two terms as the 65th governor of the state of Georgia from 1927 to 1931; born in Commerce.




   
Mary Hood, award-winning writer of predominantly Southern literature.


Georgia Writers Hall of Fame.

Whew, Banks County people. One more round of Banker Babes as Georgia Natural Wonder Gals for today.