There are so many abandoned places in Georgia! This is a list of the top three abandoned places in Georgia. Browse through all abandoned places in Georgia
Allatoona town was once a small mining community located in Bartow County, Georgia, United States. The town became a ghost town after it was flooded by waters from the nearby dam in the Etowah River.
The town of Allatoona was established in 1838 and gained popularity before the emergence of the American civil war. A major boost to the town’s existence was gold ores that were discovered in the area. As expected, miners migrated to this new location to exploit the gold riches. On top of that, there was also a silver mine nearby. This increased both the town’s popularity and population. Business opportunities were created when blacksmiths stores, small depots, and dry goods stores were opened in the region. Social amenities sprang up and a small catholic church was established in 1910. The church played a role of a schoolhouse in the region before an actual schoolhouse was built. Years later, a new school was constructed near the railroad relieving the church from its multi-purpose role. One of the remarkable settlers of the historic town was John Clayton who owned several plantations around the area. Being rich and influential, he enslaved people to work in his plantations. A cemetery was also established near the church where most of the town’s founder members were buried. John Clayton was among the residents buried in the cemetery.
During the Battle of Atlanta, the Confederate army's commander, General Hood, and his troops were ordered to destroy the railroad through Allatoona. This was done to prevent General Sherman and his army of Northern troops from conquering all of the towns in the area. Clayton John's house was used as a hospital during the battle to treat injured Union army soldiers. The war lasted approximately 6 to 8 hours before the bloodshed ceased. After the war, Allatoona town was scheduled to be evacuated to allow for the construction of a dam. The dam was constructed on 8th February 1946 once the two World wars were in the town’s rearview. The damming of the river Etowah led to the positive development of the town further as it produced hydropower, supplied water for domestic and industrial purposes, and offered fish and wildlife management. All these positive effects were lost when Allatoona town was submerged by the waters of the newly constructed dam.
Allatoona town is still submerged in the river Etowah. During summer when the water levels recede, roofs of the town’s buildings can be seen. After the disaster, it took years of abandonment and lying in despair of the town until a local investor took an interest in the town. With the government’s permission, the townsite was converted into a recreational center with several beaches, cabins, and campgrounds. Allatoona is open for the general public to visit.
Petersburg town began as a market in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The town, which was founded by Dionysius Oliver and named after Petersburg, Virginia, was established in 1786 to serve the rapid growth of the Broad River Valley region of Georgia. The growth of the town was highly felt not knowing that one day it would be deserted and disowned.
Dionysius Oliver arrived in Wilkes County in 1786 and settled in the area, where he established a trading post. Many of the local tobacco farmers used the trading point because they enjoyed the high prices at which their tobacco produce was purchased. As a result, the town grew slowly and steadily, reaching its peak between 1800 and 1810. Petersburg was Georgia's third-largest city, trailing only Savannah and Augusta. Two warehouses, shops, and some stores were built in the area to help in tobacco inspection. At its peak, Petersburg had more homesteads than business premises. In 1783, Charles Tait relocated to the town with his family. He would later become a senator in the US Senate. The efforts of Tait made Petersburg be home to several other senators.
After the revolutionary war, a sharp decline was recorded in major developing towns in the USA. Petersburg was not an exception and by 1810, the population had reduced to almost half of its original population. By the fall of 1840, Petersburg town was completely deserted and its former structures that once hosted hundreds of residents were abandoned. As usual, some residents still resided in the townsite with cotton farming as their main economic activity. This was after tobacco farming became expensive. The few that were still engaged in the tobacco business used boats to transport their produce to other towns. Petersburg's decline was also influenced by the river valley. Due to the town's highly undulating terrain, connecting it to other neighboring towns via railroad was difficult and expensive. The majority of the residents relocated to the west of town, where there was a large amount of undeveloped and unclaimed land. By 1944, the post office had been relocated to Lisbon town, and the town had been declared a ghost town by 1955.
Petersburg is currently submerged under Clarks Hill Lake. The ravaging waters of Clarks Hill Lake overwhelmed the town's structures after years of abandonment. The floods destroyed the majority of the buildings, and those that survived were submerged in the lake. Today, Bobby Brown State Park charges a fee for tours of the townsite. Simply be cautious when visiting the townsite, as life-threatening accidents are common.
Troupville is a ghost town located in Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. Originally established as a landing town for boats, Troupville’s growth was remarkable and preferred by many. The town was later deserted by its residents who were against the construction of a railroad that ran through the town.
For a period of time, plans to turn Little River and Withlacoochee River navigable were always discussed but no implementation was ever done. This was until a group of investors got interested and commissioned the development by advertising the region. They began by encouraging settlement and boats docking at the site. The efforts paid off and within a short period of time, hotels, stores, shops, churches, and residential structures sprawled the town. In 1850, Brunswick and Florida Railroad was completed after years of disagreements between the railway companies.
The disagreement was caused by one company having a route but no financial backing while the other had financial backing but no route to construct the railroad. All this was put into order by court order, demanding the two companies to work together. The newly constructed railway did not only make transport and trading easier for the residents but also contributed majorly to the birth of Florida State. Troupville is said to be the mother of Florida. The connection between the two towns highly benefited Florida making it the now established state.
The main cause of the desertion was the construction of the Atlanta and Gulf railroad through the town to Valdosta. The railroad did not only draw people away to Valdosta but also ran river navigation out of business. Several docking bays and bridges were neglected and left to rot. Business premises, homesteads, and stores were all vacated and abandoned leaving only a few operational stores that belonged to some diehard residents. All these were shut down by the 1900s. Troupville town was declared a ghost town by 2000.
Multiple buildings have collapsed over years of disuse and no maintenance. Several diehards’ residents still reside in the town to this day. Plant tendrils cover most of the now ruined walls and buildings. The majority of the abandoned buildings are unstable, full of lead and asbestos that are hazardous to health when inhaled. Lead paints bring about hallucinations whereas asbestos leads to cancer-related illnesses. Tours and picnics are allowed at the townsite. It is advisable to be accompanied by friends or family when visiting the place. Having an emergency helpline at the retainer is also encouraged as no one knows when a life-threatening accident might occur. Hiking; picnics and camping; nature walks are some of the recreational activities offered by the town.