Before it was Big Canoe-It was the Wolfscratch Wilderness
Wolfscratch Wilderness
Spring has sprung up here in the Big Canoe Community and it looks like it’s going to be a fruitful year with all the rain filling the lakes and feeding the trees. Spring cleaning isn’t really up my alley but I always seem to take on some sort of side project this time of year to keep my brain moving. After living here for nearly 5 years I thought it was about time to dig a little deeper into the history of this area. Nearly every home in Big Canoe has a copy of Wolfscratch Wilderness: A Backward Walk in Time in an Old North Georgia Settlement written by Charlene Terrell, but with the business and the children my non-picture book reading time is limited to about 15 minutes per day. Last week I took the kids to the Pickens County Library and decided to check out a copy to learn a little more about the area and the families that live here before Big Canoe was even a little canoe!
After flipping through and getting my feet wet in this 667 page recollection I was pleased to see that there were several pictures. Many pictures were of local familiar places. My children wanted to look through it too and saw many places that they recognized. So now, my personal reading choice has taken on a whole new persona and I was happy to have an audience, even if they sometimes fall asleep when I read to them. At this point I’m chapter hopping and nowhere near through with it, but the history is pretty fascinating. There are notes on the mysterious stone cairns that you can find throughout the area and even view some in the Indian Rocks Park located in the Big Canoe Community. This leads into the History of the Creek and Cherokee Tribes, early settlement, and family histories including the Tates, Disharoons, McElroys, Pettits, Blackwells, and Sanderlins to name a few. All the above mentioned families have a name connection to today’s Big Canoe.
Marble was a key factor in settlement and industrial development development in this area. From the Trail of Tears to Great Depression, the stories in this book recall the driving out of the Cherokee Nation, the rise and fall of wealth, and the family struggles and triumphs throughout these times. For now this book pauses (I won’t say ends) at the early development of Big Canoe approximately 29 years ago. For someday Big Canoe will also be a prominant part of history in these enchanted foothills. The next edition of Wolfscratch is waiting to be written! So if you stop by a local library or bookshop, pick yourself up a copy and you too may learn a little something about the rich history of this enchanting section of the North Georgia Mountains.
To all my local readers: I’d love to hear any feedback you have on this book. Please feel free to comment!
~Karin Elliott, IBA Mountain Homes
August 17th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
This book means so much to me. My grandfather was Bluford Cox, and reading about the history and hardships of my ancestors was very eye-opening. I really can’t thank Ms. Terrell enough for writing this book.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Thank you for sharing, Hope! I am always impressed wiht the history of this small area. So many of the local residents have been here for generations, and everyone knows everyone!
Karin
May 11th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
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September 23rd, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Awesome book.most of my family is in this book. Henry Fitzsimmons,Bethal Disharoon,John and Elizibeth Stegall.. I bought this book for my father ..He loves it… would like to meet some of my family in Big cannoe area …
Mark
mmeasels@gmail.com
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:54 am
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November 2nd, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Very welcome, Karin and nice to make your aquaintance. I am hoping one of these years I’ll get back to Ga and can introduce my daughter to the traditions and beauty of her heritage. Would be lovely to do so.