Cartersville History
The first evidence of human civilization in northwestern Georgia can be seen at the Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site in Cartersville. This 54-acre Georgia State Park contains three large earthen mounds, a village area and a plaza that were constructed during the Paleo-Indian Period around 10,000 B.C. and it is the most extensive prehistoric Mississippian Culture site in the Southeastern United States. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, the region was inhabited by Creek Indians who were later driven out of the area by Cherokee Indians during the late 18th century. The Cherokees lived in peaceful coexistence with the European settlers until gold was discovered in northern Georgia in 1828. Soon thereafter, the State of Georgia appropriated all the Native American Indian lands.
The history of Cartersville really began during the early 1800’s. A small community known as Birmingham had sprung up along a popular local stagecoach route and one of the frequent stagecoach passengers was a man named Colonel Farrish Carter who owned plantations in Chatsworth and Milledgeville. Colonel Carter suggested to some local people that they rename the town Cartersville and that occurred in 1850 even though Colonel Carter never actually resided in the town that was renamed for him. After the Civil war, Cartersville became the county seat of what was then Cass County, which later became Bartow County.
Cartersville was incorporated as a city in 1872
Before and after the Civil War, cotton was Georgia’s #1 cash crop, the railroads were transporting goods out of Cartersville and business was thriving. However, the infamous boll weevil infestation of 1917 devastated cotton production and that caused the local economy to crash into a depressed condition which lasted until the 1950’s. Various state road projects, the construction of Allatoona Dam that created Allatoona Lake, and the opening of nearby Red Top Mountain State Park revitalized the local economy. By the1970’s, Cartersville's economy had diversified sufficiently to support a city again. Construction of new residential housing during the 1980’s and 1990’s in Cartersville opened up new potential for prosperity. In 1993, Cartersville was listed in a book entitled The 100 Best Small Towns in America. This recognition appears to have sparked a rapid 25% population growth to 15,925 by the year 2000.
An excellent place to learn about the history of Cartersville is the Bartow History Center at 13 N. Wall Street in downtown Cartersville, (770) 382-3818. Visitors can view official historic documents, attend lectures and workshops, and have fun while learning about Cartersville and the history of Bartow County on various interactive exhibits.