15 April 2025
Pickens County grew into a community known for its natural beauty and valuable resources. By the late 19th century, the county’s marble deposits had gained national attention. The Georgia Marble Company, founded in 1884, contributed materials to iconic structures like the Lincoln Memorial and the New York Stock Exchange.
Today, while maps of Georgia show Pickens County as one among many, established in 1853, the land itself tells a deeper story. It is the story of a people removed, a state reshaped, and a landscape that still carries the weight of its origins beneath every ridge, creek, and quarry.
For generations, the Cherokee people lived, farmed, and governed themselves throughout North Georgia. The region that would become Pickens County was dotted with Cherokee settlements, especially near rivers and creeks like Talking Rock Creek, Talona Creek, and Long Swamp Creek. These areas were not just places to live, they were sacred to the people, both spiritually and physically.
This changed in the early 1800s when the United States government, in their haste to expand, began to pressure Native American tribes to relinquish their lands. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 gave the federal government the legal means to negotiate removals, though in reality, most of these “negotiations” were forced and downright unjust.
Despite a landmark Supreme Court case in 1832 (Worcester v. Georgia) that affirmed Cherokee sovereignty, the state of Georgia ignored the ruling. The illegal 1835 Treaty of New Echota, signed by a small, unrecognized faction, paved the way for the forced removal of the local Cherokee.
In 1838, thousands were marched westward in what we now refer to as the Trail of Tears. Disease, starvation, and exposure took the lives of many along the way. By the time it ended, North Georgia was left largely empty of its original people and settlers quickly moved in to establish their communities by way of the 1832 Georgia Land Lottery. Visit Pickens
The Indian Removal Project is memorialized just outside of Pickens County on the Dawsonville side of Monument Mountain. Eagle’s Rest Park is a beautiful mountain destination and series of trails, and tourist site featuring a beautifully carved, marble image of the Cherokee removal story.
Pickens County, Georgia, was officially established on December 5, 1853, through an act of the Georgia General Assembly. The county was formed from portions of two existing counties: the southern part of Gilmer County and the northern part of Cherokee County. New Georgia Encyclopedia
After its creation, the County underwent several boundary adjustments. It gained additional land from Cherokee County in 1869 and from Gilmer County in 1858 and 1863. Conversely, parts of Pickens County were ceded to neighboring counties: to Dawson County in 1857, to Gordon County in 1860, and back to Cherokee County in 1870. Wikipedia
The county was named in honor of General Andrew Pickens, a hero of the American Revolutionary War. The county seat, Jasper, was established shortly after the county’s formation and was incorporated in 1857. Wikipedia
A remnant of this reorganization of boundaries still exists on HWY 53 just before Hill City. County Line Baptist Church was established in 1849, before the creation of Pickens County. The church maintains its name and history to this day!
In addition to it’s native history, Pickens County is known for its high-quality marble deposits, which have been quarried since the 1830s. The Georgia Marble Company, established in 1884, played a significant role in the county’s economy and contributed to notable structures such as the Lincoln Memorial and the New York Stock Exchange Annex. Pickens County, GA
If you’re interested in exploring historical maps that illustrate the evolution of Pickens County’s boundaries, the Georgia Archives and the New Georgia Encyclopedia offer valuable resources. These platforms provide visual representations of the county’s formation and subsequent changes over time. Whether online or at their Pickens County Marble Museum located inside of the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce, Visit Pickens is another great source for exploring more about our beautiful Pickens County.
