This volume contains interesting, peculiar, and harrowing history: a fabled gold mine, the drowning of Woodrow Wilson's brother-in-law in Cherokee County, an abandoned cemetery and church ruins, the antebellum daughter that inspired Mitchell's Scarlett O'Hara, murders and accidental deaths tied to one piece of land, sundown counties (places where only whites were allowed after dark), the history of the KKK's efforts and how they influenced vigilante groups, a chicken contest that changed the starting and/or ending location, of the Appalachian Trail, and more.

I end with four tutorials on how to find and explore old historic sites on your own: one, by using trees, plants, springs, and other natural means to find them; two, by using aerial photography in conjunction with old topographic maps. Another, by using LiDAR to remove the canopy of trees and vegetation from view so you may find roads, trails, and manmade structures. And the final piece demonstrates how all methods, when used together, can provide an incredibly robust system for discovery, learning, and teaching.

• Christopher Feldt

"Chris Feldt does more than tell us about our beloved Pickens and Cherokee counties but garnishes his well-illustrated discoveries with solid advice on exploring and maps, as well as with poetry that makes these events and people particularly relevant. Chris provides the historical reality to places where I have passed many times without knowing their significance beyond place names and people who became legends that were whispered in passing. Many of these stories are dark, and some not included here should still wait for a time before being public. The past does not need to be 5,000 years old to be lost or reduced to fable. Much of this history explored, and sometimes recovered from the forgotten, is hardly a century old. Some tales here I have never heard or read elsewhere."

Robert S. Davis

Blountsville, AL

June 20, 2024

Robert Scott Davis has more than 2,000 publications dealing with genealogy, history, records, and research, most of which deal wil the state of Georgia (USA) in some form or fashion. He has been widely quoted by or appeared in CNN, Time, Smithsonian, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere.