Local History: Cherokee, gold, pottery & lumber

Sautee Nacoochee is rich with local history. If we start with the Cherokee Indian presence, there are many artifacts that paint a picture of what life was like centuries ago. The 19th century highlighted a sizable Gold Rush in the surrounding areas, even Taliama has evidence of miners looking for gold. And the 20th century was marked by a robust lumber industry. More recent history reveals the evolution of Helen, Georgia - located 10 minutes away - where the small town transformed from a mill town to a Bavarian-inspired tourist town.

it was cherokee territory

Local points (arrowheads) that have been unearthed and displayed at the Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center date back to 7,500 BC. The area traffic and travel, like most areas, was used for trade. The iconic Indian mound in the Sautee Valley was excavated in 1914. It was a burial site that showcased tools, pottery and trading materials.

For more on the Indigenous people in the area, we recommend visiting the Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center, an easy drive from Taliama.

Helen was about lumber long before becoming an alpine village

Helen was founded as a sawmill town in 1914. The mill was one of the largest band saw mills east of the Mississippi. At it’s peak it produced 125,000 board feet of lumber per day. The mill was the main economic engine of the area until its closure in 1931. The forest was devastated by timbering and the companies became the foundation the Chattahoochee National Forest.

This photo shows the sawmill along South Main Street in Helen.

Folk Pottery haven featuring the famous Meaders family

The Northeast Georgia Folk Pottery Museum features the nationally-recognized Meaders family. The Meaders Family has been honored by the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institute. The museum explores the the handcrafted skills of one of the South’s premier grassroots art forms - folk pottery.

For lovers of history, folks art and pottery, the Museum is a must see.