History of the properties
Cherokee Nation
The area north of Ellijay has long been called Turniptown, named after the wild turnips that grow here. Artifacts found on the property indicate a community of Cherokee lived on the banks of Little Turniptown Creek near the red barn. Chief Whitepath was the most well-known of the local Cherokee leaders. His house was located less than a mile north of the property. Whitepath and the other Cherokee that lived in the Turniptown area left on the “Trail of Tears” in 1838.
The pre-Cherokee tribes that lived here were likely the ones who made the arrowheads from the Quartz found around the property. It is unknown who constructed the stone wall at the entrance that resembles a miniature version of Fort Mountain. Was it built by the Cherokee, another tribe or the gold miners to defend their claim?
Georgia Land Lottery of 1832
Gilmer county was founded in 1832. The land was divided into 160 acre parcels and sold by the land lottery of 1832. 1941 Old Northcutt road is the southern half of district 10, land lot 306. 2151 Old Northcutt Road is the entire original land lot 307. In 1988, The land was surveyed and discovered that land lot 307 only included 127.62 acres.
Gold Mine
The first gold rush in the USA was in north Georgia and it included Gilmer county. The property was mined for gold in the 1830s to 1840s. Many original rock walls constructed by the miners remain on the property. In the 1870s, a man named Freeman purchased a considerable amount of the land around the properties. To supply the amount of water he needed for his Hydraulic water hoses and stamp mine, He constructed “Freeman’s ditch” that ran from Turniptown Creek around a mountain, and through 3 tunnels get to the gold on the property around Little Turniptown creek. Here is an old article from the Gilmer Time Courier.
The south property - 2151 Old Northcutt
Holt sisters
The properties changed hands several times until Lula and Hanna Holt (sisters) purchased and lived on the 2151 Old Northcutt property from 1909 until 1959 when Lula died. They constructed the original log house (gone) and other structures around the property. The garden shed was likely a chicken house and is the only remaining structure.
The Jacksons
The Jacksons purchased the property in the 1970s and owned it until they sold it in 2015. Many of the original structures were still standing when they purchased it, including the original log cabin. The cabin was destroyed by fire in the 1970s. Guests who were staying there were instructed not to use the fireplace, but decided to build a fire anyway because it was very cold. The original steps and front walkway are all that remain. The current log house was constructed by the Jacksons in 1985. The barn in the field was originally a stage that was built as the centerpiece of a “music venue”. There were several concerts held there with the most notable hosting Robbie Kreiger of the Doors in 2001.
The Lowes
The Lowes purchased the property in 2015 and completely renovated the current log house, the guest house and converted the stage to a storage barn.
The North property – 1941 Old Northcutt
The Sailors
W.H. Sailors purchased the 1941 Old Northcutt property in the 1940s and built the lake and the two cabins that stood near the spring and small pond. It is recorded that he “improved” the property significantly but never actually lived here. The 5 acre lake is named after this family.
Shreiner Academy
Schreiner Academy school in Atlanta purchased the property in 1995 from the Sailors. They converted the property into a summer camp and called the property "Laurel Lake". They built the current house in 2000 and used it as the camp headquarters and barracks. The school sold the property in 2004 to another family who once again used the property as a second home.
The Lowes
In 2017, the Lowes purchased the property, completely renovated the house turning it from a school camp headquarters into a home and became it the first full time residence on the property in almost 100 years.
