Welcome
Welcome to the Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society, where our passion is preserving the past, connecting the present, and enriching the future for residents of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. We invite you to learn more about the history and heritage of our city, and to contribute your stories so that future generations may appreciate all that we cherish.
Condor Family Cemetery
In
1840, John Condor purchased land in Coweta County that is now a part of Serenbe,
a community in Chattahoochee Hills. He and his wife Emily raised six children
and became a prosperous farming family. They had a cotton gin on the farm, grew
some of the first Yates apples in the area and had the first registered Jersey
herd of dairy cattle in Georgia. To read more about their family cemetery and
ruins of several outbuildings, see the Condor Family Cemetery Report.
Dot and T.E. Stephens - Oral History
Dot and T.E. Stephens are long-time residents in the Rico Community. Dot was
born in 1923 and moved to Rico in 1941. T.E. was born in 1921 and was raised on
a farm in Rico. They became life-long sweethearts at a Cake Walk community
social and were active in the Rico Civics Club for many years.
Listen to a snippet of the Oral Interview where the couple talks having fun as young adults in the Rico Community. And visit their Oral History page for the interview, audio, and photos from the project.
Journal Collection
See the Civil War Journal of Alfred Jefferson Smith and the personal Journals of Dora Minerva Smith on in our new Journals Collection.
Heritage Presentation Celebrates the Rico Community
The Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society coordinated a
presentation on the history of the Rico Community on Oct. 17, 2009, in
the second of their series, Once Upon a Time: There were Towns.
Residents displayed many artifacts including historic farming tools, baskets, pottery and other items used around the home many years ago.
During the program, historic photos where shown that illustrated day-to-day life in the Rico Community. Residents were asked to comment and share their stories about these photos.
Several guest speakers also shared their experience growing up in the area, including Rev. Tom Gullatt and Judy Smith,
See Photo Album.
From Monticello to the Hill Country
The story of Solomon & Edith Jefferson
Freed slaves of President Jefferson
Solomon
and Edith Jefferson came from Charlotte, North Carolina in a wagon train to
Atlanta in late 1866 looking for work. They stayed in Atlanta two days before
they met Capt. Levi Ballard, who brought them to Palmetto to live and work for
him.
Read the report about this family, now into their fourth generation, and view their photo album that takes you from early days at Captain Levi Ballard's plantation to the family display at the 2088 Chattahoochee Hills Birthday Bash.
Heritage Presentation Celebrates Goodes Community
Resident graphic artist Maria Hanson drew a historic map of Goodes based on an interviewed with Charles Jackson. Hanson lives on the historic property that once housed the Goodes Country Store, Post Office, Grist Mill, and Black Smith Shop.
Thirty-five residents attended the program hosted by the Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society and the Serenbe Heritage Committee.
Guest speakers included Sandra Huffmaster, chair of the CH Historical Society; Sara Ann Alford, Janice Peek,
Rev. Tom Gullatt, and Carole Harper.
Tom and Vera Gullatt - Oral History
Tom
and Vera Gullatt have deep roots in our community. Tom was born in 1920 to a
farm family in Rico; Vera grew up in nearby Fairburn. They led separate lives as
missionaries in Japan -- he for 35 years, she for 43 years -- before fate
brought them together in their golden years.
Listen to a snippet of the Oral Interview where Tom talks about growing up on a farm in Rico. And visit the Oral History page on the Gullantt's for their interview, audio, and photos.
Willie Guy Rainey - Local
Musician and Icon
Willie Guy Rainey was a blues musician from the Rico Community (in Chattahoochee Hills) who became a popular performing artist in the Atlanta area in the 1970's.
Read about "Scoot" Rainey, as the residents of Rico called him, on our Music Collection page.