Outdoor adventures await outdoor enthusiasts in Chatsworth.Chatsworth’s Restoration of the Stone Fire Tower in Fort Mountain State Park is newly complete this year.
There was a time when fire towers served as the guardians of the forest. In the early 20th Century lookouts stationed in the towers scanned the land below and had the critical role of reporting forest fires. The history of the fire towers even predates the 1905 founding of the current United States Forest Service. To learn more, visit the link to CCC fire tower on the state parks guide http://www.gastateparks.org/info/233027?dateid=4767.
Chatsworth is adjacent to Fort Mountain State Park and located within the Chattahoochee National Forest close to the Cohutta Wilderness area. Even though Chatsworth has maintained its small-town community feel for more than 100 years, it is quickly transforming into a modern town that continues to grow and sustain itself for future generations. To learn more, visit http://www.chatsworthga.gov/ or visit www.murraycountychamber.org.
The population was 3,531 at the 2000 census and jumped to 4,299 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Murray County. According to popular legend, the town received its name after a road sign with the word “Chatsworth” fell off a passing freight train nearby. Someone put the sign on a post, and the name stuck.
Attractions in Chatsworth
The Cloer Barn is a nice event or wedding venue. To learn more, visit Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheCloerBarn/ Chatsworth has a Growler Station in Eton, Cold Creek Growlers. The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/coldcreekgrowlers/. The annual Appalachian Wagon Train is the first week of July. The Wagon Train has numerous competitive equine/rodeo events, ending in a parade on the last day of Wagon Train. To learn more, visit http://www.murraycountysaddleclub.com/?page_id=1793 The Chatsworth Train Depot – adjacent to the Wright Hotel – hosts a monthly Bluegrass Concert Series through the summer. Local Farms/U-Pick Beulah Farms: http://www.farmersmarketspringplace.com/, Prewitt Berry Farm where people can pick blueberries and blackberries through the summer months. Chatsworth has The Overlook Inn. To learn more, visit http://www.theoverlookinn.com/ Cohutta Springs Conference Center can be found at http://cohuttasprings.com/. A picturesque view Carters Lake is the deepest lake in Georgia, boasting 425 feet found in Chatsworth at Carters Dam. Boat ramps, playgrounds, a public beach, picnic areas, camping, hiking, mountain biking and a variety of water sports abound. Carters Lake Marina and Resort offers an array of cabins with modern amenities for overnight visits. House boats and pontoon boats are also available for rent. Conasauga Lake is the highest lake in Georgia found in Chatsworth. The Chief Vann House is known as the “Showplace of the Cherokee Nation.” In the 1790s, James Vann, a Cherokee Indian political leader and a wealthy businessman established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, which covered 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County, Ga. Since 1958, the Chief Van House has been open to the public as a state historic site. It survives as Georgia’s most original and best-preserved historic Cherokee Indian home. A guided tour allows visitors to see the entire house, which features beautiful hand carvings, a “floating” staircase, a 12-foot mantle and many fine antiques. There is a museum with film and interpretive exhibits. Special programs include the Vann House Days in July and Christmas Candlelight Tours in December. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Other Attractions North Georgia Speedway has boasted high banked clay turns for more than 50 years. The following divisions race: super late models, limited late models, crate late models, modified hobby and modified pony. Southern High Roads Trail is a scenic driving tour that winds through 13 counties and four states including Georgia, South and North Carolina and Tennessee, in a 364-mile regional loop of entertainment and fun for the entire family. Skiing, rafting, shopping, Native American history, country cooking, hiking and more await on the trail. Chieftains Trail is an unforgettable 200-mile driving tour that highlights the history of the area’s Native Americans. It was designated as a state historic trail by the Georgia General Assembly in 1988 as part of the 150th anniversary of the Trail of Tears, the trail offers a wide variety of attractions.
Black Bear Festival
The 10th annual Black Bear Festival is Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It celebrates the beauty of downtown Chatsworth at Chatsworth City Park. The festival includes costume contests, recipe contests, a pumpkin-carving contest, arts and crafts, music, food, a pet parade and family fun. To learn more, visit www.murraycountychamber.org.
Chatsworth’s Historic Wright Hotel
Thomas Wright, the creator of the Wright Hotel, opened the business in 1909. Visitors flocked to the rural town of Chatsworth to drink the refreshing mineral waters, enjoy cool mountain breezes and to dine on Southern-style cooking. Many historic displays and memorabilia can be viewed there. Hotel registers dating back to the 1920s give a glimpse of those who stayed there while it was a thriving business. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Local eats
Home Cooking: Edna’s Restaurant, The Village Cafeteria; Italian: Little Rome, Pizza King; Hamburgers: Big V, The Crème Hut and Frozen Yogurt: The Crave