Keithsburg, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Keithsburg is a small unincorporated town
in Cherokee County
, Georgia
, United States
. It was established in the mid nineteenth-century along the railroad northeast of Canton
. The community was named after the local Keith family and its Keith Plantation, one of the oldest plantations in Cherokee County. During the Civil War
, the Keith family buried its valuables and suspended its food in trees in order to hide it from the approaching Union Army
. The soldiers found the food and, as vengeance for the family's deception, burned their house and hanged the family patriarch from a tree. However, his life was spared by the knot in the rope getting caught and failing to break his neck. The Keith house was rebuilt in 1865 from kiln-dried bricks made of clay from the nearby Etowah River
. Today, the Keith property is in shambles, with kudzu
covering what remains of the house and barns. The County of Cherokee or the city of Canton has no interest in saving this property. This is really sad because remains of Slave quarters and an Indian Burial ground exists on this property.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was established in the mid nineteenth-century along the railroad northeast of Canton
Canton, Georgia
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958.-Geography:Canton is located at ....
. The community was named after the local Keith family and its Keith Plantation, one of the oldest plantations in Cherokee County. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the Keith family buried its valuables and suspended its food in trees in order to hide it from the approaching Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. The soldiers found the food and, as vengeance for the family's deception, burned their house and hanged the family patriarch from a tree. However, his life was spared by the knot in the rope getting caught and failing to break his neck. The Keith house was rebuilt in 1865 from kiln-dried bricks made of clay from the nearby Etowah River
Etowah River
The Etowah River is a waterway that rises northwest of Dahlonega, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Its name is the Cherokee version of the original Muskogee word Etalwa, which means a "trail crossing". On Matthew Carey's 1795 map the river was labeled "High Town River"...
. Today, the Keith property is in shambles, with kudzu
Kudzu
Kudzu is a plant in the genus Pueraria in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is a climbing, coiling, and trailing vine native to southern Japan and southeast China. Its name comes from the Japanese name for the plant, . It is a weed that climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so...
covering what remains of the house and barns. The County of Cherokee or the city of Canton has no interest in saving this property. This is really sad because remains of Slave quarters and an Indian Burial ground exists on this property.