Jasper County GaArchives News.....Bicentennial Bits - Frontier Passage Through Jasper County 1970's
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Suzanne Forte suzanneforte@bellsouth.net July 2, 2004, 10:06 pm

Monticello News
BICENTENNIAL BITS

BY

JOHN HARVEY

"Frontier Passage Through Jasper County"


	Two of the frontier roads that led to the settlement of the states to 
the west of Georgia, especially Texas and Arkansas, at one time passed through 
our county. 

	These were the Seven Islands Road and the Old Alabama Road.  A recently 
obtained map traces both these roads and others through our section of the 
state. 

	The map shows the Seven Islands Road as a connector road between the 
Hightower Trail and the Old Greensboro Road into sections of east and northwest 
Georgia, and the McIntosh Road and Flat Shoals Roads running out of the Griffin 
area toward southwest Georgia and Alabama. 

	The Seven Islands Road began at Parks Mill on the Oconee River in Green 
County and entered Jasper County a few miles north of Shady Dale near the 
present county line.  From there is followed the ridges to near the present 
community of Palalto in the northern part of the county. 

	It then turned south, following the ridge on which old Georgia Highway 
11 is located to Benton's pecan orchard and Sardis Church.  From there it 
follows the ridges to near Bethel and then the Ocmulgee and the Seven Islands.  
After crossing the river it proceeded to a few miles west of Indian Springs 
where it joined the McIntosh and Flat Shoals Roads. 

	THE OLD ALABAMA ROAD came out of Augusta to Warrenton to Ft. Twiggs on 
the Oconee River, and from there to Eatonton.  It passed about two miles south 
of Monticello, to the Ocmulgee River and on to Indian Springs.  About six miles 
west of Indian Springs it turned southwest to Thomaston and Columbus. 

	For many years a story persisted of a stagecoach robbery on the Old 
Alabama Road.  According to the story, just outside of Monticello a masked 
bandit with a woman accomplice held up the stage and took $5,000 in gold. 

	According to the stories the law officers were so close upon them that 
they buried their loot a short distance from the site of the robbery.  They 
escaped but were never able to recover the money.  Some of our older citizens 
used to say that as children they tried to find the gold.  But the gold - if 
any - has yet to be located. 


Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) from copies of 
articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's time frame.  
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and 
informative articles. 


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