Diverse routes meander through north Georgia, tracing the scenery, economy and history of Dalton, Calhoun and Hartwell.

by Marla Hardee Milling

I’d often heard of Dalton, Ga., because of its fame as the “Carpet Capital of the World,” but until recently I had never visited the area. I’ve charted out a route
from Asheville that takes me on U.S. 74 west, meandering past the Nantahala River, and also the Ocoee, where I spot the new whitewater center and dozens of rafts bobbing in the whitewater. There are a few hairpin curves on this route around the banks of the Ocoee, but otherwise it’s a beautiful, scenic way to travel.

I drive briefly into Tennessee, and then head south into Georgia following signs to Dalton. While I’ve mapped out a route, I don’t have specific plans. It’s a weekend of exploration for me in north Georgia.

The Railroad to Dalton

I roll into downtown shortly before noon on a Saturday. I park near the statue of General Joseph E. Johnston, which stands almost in the center of town on the corner of Hamilton and Crawford streets. Johnston commanded the Army of Tennessee during the Atlanta Campaign, December 1863 through July 1864. Some businesses and restaurants are closed, I discover, so I walk around town and I spot the Historic Dalton Depot and Trackside Café.

Owner T.J. Kaikobad gives me a tour of the building, and points out a conversation piece just inside the front entrance: Survey markers are embedded in the hardwood floor pinpointing the exact center of the town of Dalton.

On the back side, Kaikobad shows me how they transformed the original platform into a large dining area, perfect for parties, or for folks who enjoy watching the trains roll into town as they eat.

Kaikobad says this train depot, built in 1852, is one of the few pre-Civil War train stations that remain.

“The roof lines and wood beams are all original,” he says. “The sun-baked bricks are original.” It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

The main dining area features hardwood floors and a miniature train track circling above the booths and tables. This place is a must-stop for train enthusiasts as well as Civil War buffs, but it’s also a must-stop because of the delicious food. I choose a fried grouper sandwich for lunch. It arrives piping hot.

The best part, however, comes at the end. T.J.’s wife, Danielle, creates the most impossibly creamy homemade cheesecakes. I tried the turtle cheesecake; other varieties include key lime, Heath bar, apple caramel and peach cobbler.

The day after Thanksgiving, this town lights up for the holidays and leaves the twinkling bulbs up until New Year’s Day.

“Dalton seems to be one of the center points for snow bird travel. It’s a good overnight stay,” says Kaikobad. “Dalton has some hidden jewels in its crown that we want to see polished in the next decade.”

Those jewels, according to Kaikobad, include being located near the end of the Appalachian Trail, and the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains, especially in the beautiful fall leaf season.

The Carpet Alley of Calhoun

After spending time checking out downtown shops, including a wonderful new/used Book Nook and Cubby Hole Café and a new baby store called Butterfly Kisses, I head south on I-75 to find the carpet stores.

This stretch of highway from Dalton to Calhoun is known as Carpet Alley, and there are so many carpet outlets and stores, it’s difficult to know which one to stop at first. This multi-billion dollar carpet industry, located in northwest Georgia, can be traced back to one woman: Catherine Evans Whitener.

Items from an earlier time catch sunlight in a window at New Echota State Historic Site.

In 1892, at the age of 12, she became interested in an old tufted bedspread, considered a family heirloom. The spread had been created by using a technique known as “candlewicking.” The young Catherine studied the stitches and taught herself how to make similar bedspreads. Demand became so strong for her work that she had to hire and teach others the process so she could fill the orders.
In 1933, the New Deal moved this bedspread business from a cottage industry to the factories. By 1941, more than 10,000 workers were making bedspreads in Dalton, which produced sales of more than 25 million. The industry eventually expanded to include bath mats, accent rugs and carpets.

The Beginning of the Trail of Tears

I follow I-75 to Calhoun and turn on the exit marking the way to New Echota. In 1825, the Cherokee Indians created a national capital called New Echota. Today, the site is preserved as a Georgia state historic site. There’s a museum inside the visitor’s center, along with a film about the history of the place. Following that, visitors take a self-guided tour among the buildings and homes at New Echota, or request a guided tour.

Interpreter Gary Greene, from Rome, Ga., leads our group to the first stop – a log cabin, which is an example of a typical Indian home at the time the Cherokee lived at New Echota. He laughs as he says most people come to the site and ask where the tepees are. The Indians followed the example set by the white settlers, and lived in log cabins.

A number of the buildings, including the home of missionary Samuel Worcester, are original. A reconstruction of the print shop where the first Cherokee newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix, was created and produced, is here. Greene rolls ink across the press, applies a clean sheet of paper and cranks it into the press. He then winds it back out and peels back the paper to reveal a page of printed text.

Lake Hartwell covers 56,000 acres on the Georgia-South Carolina line.

While there was great innovation here, there are also remnants of great sorrow. This is where the treaty was signed which relinquished Cherokee claims to lands east of the Mississippi River, and where Indians were forced to gather for removal along the Trail of Tears.

It’s hard to fathom on this sunny, peaceful day, that Indians were rounded up from their homes, many without blankets or shoes on their feet. They were forced to head west, and as a result, hundreds died in the severe winter weather.

Scenic 11 to Lake Hartwell

Traveling to Georgia by way of S.C. 11 is a beautiful drive, winding to a crown jewel: Lake Hartwell, right at the South Carolina-Georgia state line, created by the Hartwell Dam along the Savannah River. Lake Hartwell, the town of Hartwell, Ga., and Hart County, are all named for Nancy Hart, known for her patriotic acts during the American Revolution.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the 56,000-acre Hartwell Lake between 1955 and 1963. The lake is located in six counties, spanning two states – Georgia and South Carolina. The counties in Georgia include Hart, Franklin and Stephens; and Anderson, Oconee and Pickens in South Carolina.

Recreational opportunities range from hiking and camping to swimming and boating, but perhaps the most popular activity is fishing. With a shoreline of 962 miles, the lake contains 39 species of fish including striped and hybrid bass, largemouth, crappie, bream and catfish.

John Howard bought property on Lake Hartwell in Hart County in 1975. He retired there in 1985, and now says he spends at least 100 days a year on the water. Right now, he’s working on an initiative to build a mega-ramp.

“This facility will have six lanes which means you can put six boats in at one time,” he says. “The purpose is to attract bigger fishing tournaments.” He says it is part of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s “Go Fish Georgia” initiative.