A Short History of Chickamauga

In the early to mid-1800’s, the present town of Chickamauga was just a large plantation in the North Georgia rolling hills. The name of the post office was Crawfish Springs-named for Indian Chief Crayfish, of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Indians had settled the area, farming and enjoying the natural beauty of the land. During the War of 1812, five hundred Cherokee soldiers from the area fought with General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend against the Creek Indians, who were aligned with England. Their valor helped assure victory for the Americans. The Cherokee nation was divided into districts and courts with Crawfish Springs the county site of one of the districts. A courthouse was built in the town in 1820 and the first court in Walker County was held here. The Cherokees called this area their home until their forced exodus in 1838, leading to the Trail of Tears.

The area was settled once more by farm families and life was busy and fruitful in the fertile valleys until even this remote part of the south was visited by the sounds of cannon and guns during the War Between the States. The Battle of Chickamauga, named after the Chickamauga Creek which flowed nearby, was fought September 19-20, 1863 and involved more than 150,000 soldiers of the Northern and Southern Armies. Union General Rosecrans had his headquarters in the town prior to the battle at the Gordon Lee Mansion, completed in 1847 and still  standing today. During the battle, soldiers were cared for in the  home and adjacent buildings with many Union doctors remaining behind to care for the wounded after the Southern victory. Many parched and wounded soldiers of both sides drank from the town’s bubbling Crawfish Spring, still active today.

Crawfish Springs was the site of the reunion in 1889 of soldiers, Northern and Southern, who fought in the Battle of Chickamauga. Called the Blue and Gray Barbecue, hundreds of soldiers and their families visited the sites of the bloody battle of over 30 years prior, smoking the pipe of peace, healing the wounds, and helping start the Chickamauga National Park, known as the  Chickamauga Battlefield. The Chickamauga Battlefield, established in 1890, is located just north of the City of Chickamauga, and is a part of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, the first and largest in the country.

The City of Chickamauga was incorporated in 1891, named after the Tsikamagi Indian Tribe of the Cherokee Nation. Over the last century, the City has changed and grown, from a population of 95 in 1900 to 2,245 in 2000 (official census). The city is surrounded by the North Georgia mountains and valleys, and the history of the area has been rediscovered and restored wherever possible.

When the city was incorporated, the city's north-south avenues were named for Union and Confederate Generals.  Today, avenues named for Longstreet, Hood, Crittenden, Stewart, and more, are clearly marked by large, wood framed signs displaying a description of the General's accomplishments, his picture, and flags of the period.  This photo shows the sign for Lee Avenue, named for General Robert E. Lee.

 The City has embarked on a two year plan to "facelift" the downtown streets to look more like they might have in the early days of the 1900's.      

Recognizing the attraction of our historical assets to tourists and history buffs, many are now open for your visit, most have free parking and no admission charge, and all guarantee an informative, relaxing visit.  

Click here to go directly to the Historical Sites page