relics

Cooper's Furnace Park - Corps of Engineers - free day use area located along the Etowah River near Cartersville, Georgia - with picnic tables, grills, hiking trails, visitor center.

Main feature is the Cooper's Furnace, circa 1830s (pictured above):

A remnant of the antebellum industrial center started by Mark Anthony Cooper at Etowah, Georgia. The remaining cold blast furnace stands as a lone memorial to Cooper's iron empire.

Circa 1830s, in 1863 the furnace was producing iron for cannon balls and railroad spikes for the Confederacy, but when Yankee Sherman came through on his way to Atlanta he down burned the plant, like so many others in his wake.

After climbing to the overlook, see the old furnace at the bottom right (of picture above), and the Georgia Power Bowman Plant on the horizon. Turn around and see Allatoona Lake and Dam:



I never used to like history - I didn't like studying history in school or visiting historical sites, but over the past few years I have started to develop an interest in it, I think since visiting the Chickamauga Battlefield Park. Maybe it is because I am older - well, okay I am OLD - now so I feel a connection to these other old relics...

Sunday afternoon was a beautiful spring day, sun shining, light breeze, perfect for being outside. Add in a few wildflowers, mountain laurel starting to bloom, a camping chair to sit and watch the river go by, a pretty good day!

a few more pictures here