Post by albaugh1976 on Jan 30, 2005 18:51:51 GMT -5
The article below was taken from georgiamagazine.com/
Currahee Mountain is the last mountain in the Blue Ridge chain of mountains. The name Currahee given by the Cherokee is translated "Stands alone." From almost any road leading into Stephens County the mountain can be seen as it stands alone above the horizon. Currahee rises in a conical form to a height of 900 feet. On the east it sinks to the level of the valley, but on the western side it blends with a ridge that unites it with the Allegheny chain of mountains. Most of the mountain is a part of the Chattahoochee National Forest where wild game roam through the forest protected by the State and Federal Game Commissions. There were numerous mines dug by Indians and early settlers. Rubies, garnet, silver, some gold was found. Many of the caves were used during the "Civil War" as a place of refuge for people who didn't want to go to war, and later by Indians who didn't want to follow, "The Trail of Tears." The two most famous of the caves "The Ron's Den" on the west side of Currahee and "The Silver Mine" on the east side of Currahee.
During the Indian Wars the famous Indian fighter, Andrew Jackson, engaged the Indians at Fort Hill which was near Currahee Mountain. Fort Hill was an outpost of Wofford's Settlement and many of the local men aided General Jackson in the skirmish with the Indians. This was the Battle of Currahee.
During World War 11 the mountain again became a part of a War. The U.S. Army selected Currahee as the site for its first Parachute Infantry Training Center to be named Camp Toccoa. The training from this camp differed from parachute jumpers trained in other camps in that their shout as they jumped was "Currahee" instead of "Geronimo" which was commonly used. At the end of the war, the government turned the camp facilities over to the county. In 1972 the area was being used as an Industrial Complex.
Currahee Mountain still stands as a sentinel and beckons the youth of the county with the challenge to climb its steep sides and explore its caves.
Currahee Mountain is the last mountain in the Blue Ridge chain of mountains. The name Currahee given by the Cherokee is translated "Stands alone." From almost any road leading into Stephens County the mountain can be seen as it stands alone above the horizon. Currahee rises in a conical form to a height of 900 feet. On the east it sinks to the level of the valley, but on the western side it blends with a ridge that unites it with the Allegheny chain of mountains. Most of the mountain is a part of the Chattahoochee National Forest where wild game roam through the forest protected by the State and Federal Game Commissions. There were numerous mines dug by Indians and early settlers. Rubies, garnet, silver, some gold was found. Many of the caves were used during the "Civil War" as a place of refuge for people who didn't want to go to war, and later by Indians who didn't want to follow, "The Trail of Tears." The two most famous of the caves "The Ron's Den" on the west side of Currahee and "The Silver Mine" on the east side of Currahee.
During the Indian Wars the famous Indian fighter, Andrew Jackson, engaged the Indians at Fort Hill which was near Currahee Mountain. Fort Hill was an outpost of Wofford's Settlement and many of the local men aided General Jackson in the skirmish with the Indians. This was the Battle of Currahee.
During World War 11 the mountain again became a part of a War. The U.S. Army selected Currahee as the site for its first Parachute Infantry Training Center to be named Camp Toccoa. The training from this camp differed from parachute jumpers trained in other camps in that their shout as they jumped was "Currahee" instead of "Geronimo" which was commonly used. At the end of the war, the government turned the camp facilities over to the county. In 1972 the area was being used as an Industrial Complex.
Currahee Mountain still stands as a sentinel and beckons the youth of the county with the challenge to climb its steep sides and explore its caves.