Towns County, Georgia

55 topographic sheets cover 20 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

2 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Georgia within the United States

Towns County within Georgia

What the record shows

463 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 1 building and 1 district.
The Geographic Names Information System records 20 populated places in this county; 20 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

18 photographs, 2017

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Scene on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

View of Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

The Ridges marina on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

Part of Sleepy Hollow, a whimsical fairy village, garden, and gift shop near the settlement of Young Harris in Towns County, Georgia, near the North Carolina line
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

View of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, looking toward North Carolina, from the Hal Herrin Overlook on Bell Mountain, high in Towns County, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

View of a menacing cloud above Lake Chatuge, which spills across the state line dividing Georgia and North Carolina, from the Hal Herrin Overlook on Bell Mountain, high in Towns County, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

The Happy Goat Trading Company, which offers a religious message along with eclectic rural items, near the settlement of Young Harris in Towns County, Georgia, near the North Carolina line
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

View of a deep valley in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Georgia from the Hal Herrin Overlook on Bell Mountain, high in Towns County, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

Field of sunflowers in Towns County, Georgia
Highsmith, Carol M, 2017. Library of Congress

Headen Bridge, County Road 87, spanning Hiawassee River, Hiawassee, Towns County, GA
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph	Property	Type	Listed	Reference
	Towns County Jail	building	1985	85002087
	Young Harris College Historic District	district	1983	83000245

The county from the air

20 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 164 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 20 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-02-02, scale 1:34000 — 1947-02-02, scale 1:34000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-08-25, scale 1:117852 — 1969-08-25, scale 1:117852. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-08-25, scale 1:117491 — 1969-08-25, scale 1:117491. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-08-25, scale 1:117992 — 1969-08-25, scale 1:117992. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-08-25, scale 1:120506 — 1969-08-25, scale 1:120506. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-29, scale 1:64000 — 1974-04-29, scale 1:64000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-29, scale 1:63000 — 1974-04-29, scale 1:63000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-04-01, scale 1:78000 — 1975-04-01, scale 1:78000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-03-14, scale 1:80000 — 1977-03-14, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

10 stations, 4 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

HIAWASSEE 1935 to 1962
TRAY MTN 1948 to 1962
LITTLE HIGHTOWER 1949 to 1962
TITUS 1949 to 1962
YOUNG HARRIS 1949 to 1962
HIAWASSEE 3 SE 1999 to 2003, hottest 35.0 C, coldest -18.9 C
BRASSTOWN #1 GEORGIA 2001 to 2026, hottest 48.3 C, coldest -21.7 C
YOUNG HARRIS 2.0 SSW 2010
HIAWASSEE 4.8 SSE 2012 to 2026
YOUNG HARRIS 3.6 NNW 2019 to 2023

HIGHTOWER CREEK NEAR PRESLEY, GA 1941 to 1945
HIWASSEE RIVER AT PRESLEY, GA 1941 to 1982
BRIER CREEK NEAR HIAWASSEE, GA 1984 to 2007
HIWASSEE RIVER AT RIVERSIDE DR, NR HIAWASSEE, GA 2007 to 2026

The 1950 census, district by district

11 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

139-1Militia District 833, Macedonia
139-2Militia District 918, Brasstown
139-3Militia District 990, Hiawassee: Hiawassee town
139-4Militia District 990, Hiawassee - That part north and northeast of U.S. Hwy. 76, outside Hiawassee town
139-5Militia District 990, Hiawassee - That part south and southwest of U.S. Hwy. 76, outside Hiawassee town
139-6Militia District 1138, Lower Hightower
139-7Militia District 1243, Hiawassee River
139-8Militia District 1264, Upper Hightower
139-9Militia District 1468, Young Harris: Young Harris town
139-10Militia District 1468, Young Harris - That part outside Young Harris town
139-11Militia District 1581, Tate City

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

374 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 374 of them, burning about 2,594 acres. 5 started naturally and 40 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	249
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	43
Arson/incendiarism	40
Equipment and vehicle use	11
Smoking	10
Misuse of fire by a minor	8
Recreation and ceremony	7
Natural	5
Power generation/transmission/distribution	1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Three of them were set deliberately.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
7 November 2007	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	790 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	CEDAR KNOB
12 November 2008	Arson/incendiarism	311 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	CHARLIES CREEK 1
24 March 2002	Arson/incendiarism	186 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	ROCKY MTN.
24 March 2002	Arson/incendiarism	186 acres	Georgia Forestry Commission	FY2002-TOWNS-016
22 March 1997	Debris and open burning	134 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	MOODY HOLLOW
31 January 1993	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	130 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	not named
18 April 2008	Debris and open burning	115 acres	Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest	ROLLING ACRES
3 April 1995	Debris and open burning	57 acres	Georgia Forestry Commission	not named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1985 to 2023

57 of 57 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 57 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $1,237,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event	Reports
Thunderstorm Wind	27
Hail	21
Flash Flood	7
Tornado	1
Heavy Snow	1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
September 2004	Flash Flood	Countywide	$500,000	The Georgia Emergency Management Agency, along with local newspaper, reported major and extensive flooding throughout the county. The Hiawassee River flooded the Enchanted Valley Resort. Many residents in the area had water up to the doors of their homes. At least ten roads and ten bridges in the county were washed out by flood waters.
May 2011	Hail	Macedonia	$290,000	Several reports of hail, ranging in size from quarters to golf balls, were received from the Towns County 911 Center and the public across the northern half of the county from near Brasstown Bald to Macedonia. WSR-88D radar data suggests that hail of at least quarter-size likely continued to the northeast corner of the county near Tate City.
May 2006	Hail	Alexanders Mill	$160,000	The public reported quarter to golf-ball sized hail. This was the third hail storm to affect the county during the same evening.
March 1997	Tornado (F1)	Hiawassee	$75,000	no account filed
July 2013	Flash Flood	Gumlog	$40,000	The emergency manager reported four roads west and northwest of Young Harris were closed due to flooding. Crooked Creek washed out a culvert pipe at Settlement Road and Byers Creek washed out a culvert pipe at Crisp Road. Winchester Creek flooded portions of Winchester Creek Road and Crane Creek flooded portions of Kerby Road which made them completely impassable.
March 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Sunnyside	$30,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported that a tree had blown down on a home south of Hiawassee.
April 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Macedonia	$25,000	The Towns County Emergency Management Director reported that a tree was down on a home near Mountain Scene resulting in damage to the structure.
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$20,000	The Towns county EMA director reported 3 structures, 2 of which were houses, were damaged when thunderstorm winds knocked trees down on them. Trees and power lines were knocked down along a 6 mile wide path.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Alexanders Mill	$15,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported that between three and four dozen trees were down across the county, especially the northern portions.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$10,000	Reports were received from the broadcast media and over social media of a small dock on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee being lifted and flipped over by strong thunderstorm winds.
April 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Gumlog	$10,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported that many trees and several power lines were down across the county.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Titus	$8,000	A trained storm spotter reported multiple trees down near Tate City.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$6,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported a few trees down across the county.
February 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Gumlog	$5,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported that nine trees were down across the county. Several traffic signals were also out of service as a result of strong thunderstorm wind gusts.
July 2009	Flash Flood	Macedonia	$5,000	The Towns County Emergency Management Director reported that from four to six inches of rain fell in southern Towns county causing flash flooding just south of the community of Mountain Scene, or about eight miles south to southeast of Hiawassee. The heavy rain forced High Shoals Creek, Soapstone Creek, and Corbin Creek, all headwaters of the Hiawassee River, to all exceed their banks and flood nearby areas. A few private dirt roads were washed out by the flooded creeks. No significant structural or property damage was reported.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$5,000	The Towns County 911 center reported that several trees and some power lines were down in the Upper Bell Road area on the east side of Chatuge Lake.
May 2003	Flash Flood	Countywide	$5,000	The Towns county 911 center reported that a number of roads around the county were flooded with water flowing over them.
May 1998	Hail	Young Harris	$5,000	The public reported golf ball to baseball size hail in Young Harris. Up to one and a half inch diameter hail was reported in Hiawassee.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$3,000	The Towns county 911 center reported three trees down, one on Georgia 75 and two on Fodder Creek Road just northwest of Macedonia.
July 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$3,000	Several trees and power lines were knocked down countywide.
May 2018	Flash Flood	Macedonia	$2,500	Emergency Management reported several roads experienced flooding in Towns County. The Enchanted Valley Resort RV park and River Bend Campground were evacuated due to high water from the Hiwassee River. Two cows and a cat were killed as a result of the flash flooding near the River Bend Campground. Additionally, a small mudslide occurred at Unicoi Gap.
June 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$2,500	The Towns County 911 Center reported that numerous trees were down particularly in the Hiawassee area.
January 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Sunnyside	$2,500	Ameteur radio operators relayed reports of trees down across most of Towns County, especially in the east side of the county.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Brasstown Bald	$2,000	The Towns County 911 center reported trees blown down along Highway 66 northwest of Young Harris.
May 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$2,000	The Town county 911 center reported that several trees were down.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	$2,000	The Towns county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were down.
June 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Macedonia	$1,500	The Towns County 911 Center reported six trees down. Four of these fell along Highway 75 South.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Macedonia	$1,000	The Towns County 911 Center reported that a few trees were blown down in the Macedonia area.
August 2008	Flash Flood	Macedonia	$1,000	The Towns County Emergency Management Director reported that flash flooding was observed along the Hiawassee River just west of Georgia Highway 75 south of Hiawassee in the Enchanted Valley Resort trailer park. The river reached a stage of 10.0 feet approximately one mile downstream from the USGS stream gage on Riverside Drive. The primary impact of the flooding was the wash up of debris into the backyards of several trailer homes. Minor flood damage occurred to the lower portions of some storage sheds.
June 2005	Flash Flood	Hiawassee	$250	The Towns County 911 Center reported that the Hiawassee river flooded as a result of excessive rainfall caused by repeated showers and thunderstorms associated with a spiral band that was a part of Tropical Storm Arlene moving north across Alabama and middle Tennessee. The river flooded a barn and the Enchanted Valley Resort along Georgia Highway 75 south of Hiawassee, although none of the water actually rose into the mobile homes in the area. As a precaution, a number of residents were evacuated from the resort and various fishing cabins along the river both north and south of the resort.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Hunt	-	Reports of widespread damage at the Georgia Mountain Fair Campground on Lake Chatuge in Hiawassee. Dozens of trees were blown down, including several on vehicles and camper vans/trailers.
July 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Hiawassee	-	Report of a tree down at Konahetah Dr and Konahetah Rd.
June 2015	Hail	Macedonia	-	The public reported that penny sized hail accumulated at least one inch deep around Owl Creek Road and Highway 75.
June 2015	Hail	Sunnyside	-	Employees at the Long Ridge Camp Ground reported quarter sized hail.
June 2015	Hail	Macedonia	-	An amateur radio operator reported quarter sized hail on Mauldin Circle.
April 2012	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The public reported quarter sized hail in Hiawassee.
April 2012	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The public reported quarter sized hail in Hiawassee.
April 2011	Hail	Young Harris	-	The public observed quarter-sized hail in Young Harris. WSR-88D radar data suggests that penny to quarter-size hail likely continued eastward across the county toward Titus.
April 2008	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The Towns County 911 Center reported that quarter-sized hail fell east of Hiawassee. Radar data supports that this or slightly smaller hail continued to the extreme northeast corner of the county to near Tate City.
May 2006	Hail	Titus	-	The Towns County 911 Center reported half-dollar-sized hail in the Scataway and Hightower Road area of northeast Towns county, near Titus. The hail was reported to have covered the ground.
May 2006	Hail	Titus	-	The Towns County 911 Center reported that yet another hail storm was observed in the Scataway Road area west of Titus. Once again half-dollar-sized hail covered the ground.
May 2006	Hail	Young Harris	-	Several reports of hail ranging in size from pennies to quarters were received from the public in the Young Harris and Hiawassee areas. Hail was reported to have covered the ground at one location in Young Harris.
May 2006	Hail	Young Harris	-	The public reported penny-sized hail.
May 2006	Hail	Alexanders Mill	-	Numerous reports of hail, ranging in size from pennies to quarters, were received from the public. The public reported that penny-sized hail covered the ground in the Alexanders Mill area along Georgia Highway 66 northwest of Young Harris. Penny-sized hail was reported in Young Harris, while quarter-sized hail was reported in Hiawassee. This was the second significant hail storm to affect Towns county within a one-hour period.
February 2005	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The Towns County 911 Center reported penny-sized hail.
July 2002	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The Towns county 911 center reported nickel size hail.
April 2001	Heavy Snow	Hiawassee	-	A retired Weather Service Specialist reported a light snow shower. This is unusually late in the spring for such an occurrence.
May 1999	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The Towns county EMA director reported dime size hail.
May 1998	Hail	Hiawassee	-	The public reported quarter size hail and a funnel cloud.
May 1996	Hail	Hiawassee	-	no account filed
November 1992	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed
February 1991	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed
February 1991	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed
May 1990	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed
April 1990	Hail	not stated	-	no account filed
June 1989	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed
April 1985	Thunderstorm Wind	not stated	-	no account filed

Mines and quarries

30 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 30 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 29 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity	Workings
Gold	25
Copper, Iron-Pyrite	1
Corundum	1
Manganese	1
Stone, Crushed/Broken	1
Silica	1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
Bell Mtn Silica Mine	Silica	Past Producer
Berrong Prospect (Johnson Copper Prospect)	Copper, Iron-Pyrite	Occurrence	Massive Sulfide
Cynth Creek Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Hog Creek Corundum Mine	Corundum	Past Producer
Mcconell Estate	Manganese	Past Producer	1919
Brown	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Chastain (Branch) Mine	Gold	Prospect	Placer
Chastian Placer Mine	Gold	Past Producer
E.R. Brown Mine	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Eller Mine	Gold	Prospect	Placer
Hooper & Berong Prospect	Gold	Past Producer	Placer
Horse Vein	Gold	Occurrence
Horse Vein	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Hunt Mine	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Kerby Prospect	Gold	Prospect	Vein
M. Kinsey Mine	Gold	Past Producer	Vein
Malden Prospect	Gold	Past Producer	Vein
Murdock Vein Mine	Gold	Past Producer	Vein
N. Brown (Brown Shaft ?)	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Newton Mine	Gold	Past Producer	Placer
Newton Placer Mine	Gold	Past Producer
Old Field Mine	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Pittsburg	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Skeet Hooper	Gold	Prospect	Placer
Smith Mine	Gold	Prospect	Placer
Struby	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Wellborn Hill	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Wellborn Hill Mine	Gold	Past Producer
Welsh Post Office	Gold	Prospect	Vein
Wills Creek Mine	Gold	Past Producer	Placer

Every populated place in the county

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Alexanders Mill

Young Harris census division · 30582 · On Crooked Creek · Blairsville quadrangle

23 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Beech Cove Vista

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · On Allen Mill Creek · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Campagne

Young Harris census division · 30582 · On Bare Branch · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988

No longer a settlement
Cedar Cliff

Macedonia census division · 30546 · On Long Bullet Creek (historical) · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Friendship

Macedonia census division · 30546 · On Burch Branch · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Gumlog

Young Harris census division · 30582 · Near Hyatt Cove · Blairsville quadrangle

23 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Hiawassee

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · Near Mossy Cove · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Hunt

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · Near Raccoon Hollow · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988

No longer a settlement
Jacksonville

Young Harris census division · 30582 · Near Dean Cove · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Macedonia

Macedonia census division · 30546 · On Bearmeat Creek · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Mountain Scene

Macedonia census division · 30546 · On Spaniard Branch · Tray Mountain quadrangle

23 sheets, 1886 to 1981
Osborn

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · Near Ab Cove · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Presley

Macedonia census division · 30546 · On Cynth Creek · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Red Banks

Young Harris census division · 30582 · On Bare Branch · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Sunnyside

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · On Sutton Branch · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Tate City

Hiawassee census division · 30525 · On Denton Creek · Hightower Bald quadrangle

23 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Titus

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · On Hall Creek · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Visage

Hiawassee census division · 30546 · On Scataway Creek · Macedonia quadrangle

22 sheets, 1886 to 1988

No longer a settlement
Welch

Young Harris census division · 30582 · On Crooked Creek · Blairsville quadrangle

23 sheets, 1886 to 1988
Young Harris

Young Harris census division · 30582 · Near Sharp Hill · Hiawassee quadrangle

24 sheets, 1886 to 1988

The vanished settlements of Towns County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Everything this county holds

The complete index, with nothing left out. Each of these is a separate record with its own page: a federal survey report, or the case file that argued a property on to the National Register. Both are public domain and reproduced word for word.

Surveyed structures

1 structure

Headen Bridge

The vanished settlements of Towns County, the places these records name that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.