Vickery Creek
Encyclopedia
Big Creek is a 26.5 miles (42.6 km) stream
in Forsyth
and Fulton
counties in Georgia
. The creek mouth (34.005°N 84.349°W) into the Chattahoochee River
is located at the southern border of Roswell
where State Route 9 crosses the river. Its source (34.190°N 84.142°W) is located just north of the intersection of Georgia State Route 9
and Georgia State Route 20
, in Forsyth County, about 1 mile directly south of downtown Cumming
.
Much of the land east of the creek and west of Grimes Bridge Road in Roswell forms the Vickery Creek unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
.
Vickery Creek is named after a Cherokee woman named Sharlot Vickery that lived in present-day Roswell and owned much of the land around the creek. The creek was originally called Cedar Creek; however, the name was changed to Vickery some time after the arrival of Roswell King
and family in 1834.
The creek also became known as Big Creek at some point after the American Civil War
.
Upstream of the covered bridge and Ivy Mill is a man-made waterfall, where some people come to swim and play. There are paths that lead upriver, including one that leads to a rock formation that has become a popular jumping spot.
Unfortunately, there have been several accidents, including slipping from the dam and otherwise hitting rocks, particularly from the rope swing that was set up. Due to this, signs are posted and the rope swing was cut down, but people continue to come to enjoy the river.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
in Forsyth
Forsyth County, Georgia
Forsyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The county seat is Cumming, Georgia. Forsyth County is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
and Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
counties in 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...
. The creek mouth (34.005°N 84.349°W) into the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
is located at the southern border of Roswell
Roswell, Georgia
Roswell is a city located in northern Fulton County; it is a suburb of northern Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The 2010 Census population was 88,346. It is the eighth largest city in Georgia...
where State Route 9 crosses the river. Its source (34.190°N 84.142°W) is located just north of the intersection of Georgia State Route 9
Georgia State Route 9
State Route 9 is a north–south highway running from Atlanta to just north of Dahlonega. It overlaps U.S. 19 from along 14th Street, in northwest Atlanta, to Roswell Road at I-285, in Sandy Springs. It is also concurrent with U.S. 19 from Dahlonega to its northern terminus at US 129...
and Georgia State Route 20
Georgia State Route 20
State Route 20 is an abnormally-oriented route in roughly the shape of a capital J rotated ninety degrees to the left. Its counterclockwise terminus is at the Alabama state line in Floyd County, and its clockwise terminus occurs in the middle of an overpass over US 19/US 41 and SR 3 in Hampton in...
, in Forsyth County, about 1 mile directly south of downtown Cumming
Cumming, Georgia
Cumming is a city in Forsyth County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,430 at the 2010 census. However, places with a Cumming mailing address have a population of around 100,000...
.
Much of the land east of the creek and west of Grimes Bridge Road in Roswell forms the Vickery Creek unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a series of sites between Atlanta in the United States and Lake Sidney Lanier along the Chattahoochee River. The 48-mile stretch of the river affords public recreation opportunities and access to historic spots...
.
Vickery Creek is named after a Cherokee woman named Sharlot Vickery that lived in present-day Roswell and owned much of the land around the creek. The creek was originally called Cedar Creek; however, the name was changed to Vickery some time after the arrival of Roswell King
Roswell King
Roswell King was an American businessman, planter and industrialist. King and his son, Barrington King, founded Roswell, Georgia in the 1830s. A son , grandson , and great-grandson of Roswell King bore the same name...
and family in 1834.
The creek also became known as Big Creek at some point after the American 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...
.
Upstream of the covered bridge and Ivy Mill is a man-made waterfall, where some people come to swim and play. There are paths that lead upriver, including one that leads to a rock formation that has become a popular jumping spot.
Unfortunately, there have been several accidents, including slipping from the dam and otherwise hitting rocks, particularly from the rope swing that was set up. Due to this, signs are posted and the rope swing was cut down, but people continue to come to enjoy the river.
Facts
- The creek has a history of flooding along the local bike path: the Greenway along Big Creek in AlpharettaAlpharetta, Georgia-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,854 people, 13,911 households, and 8,916 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,631.6 people per square mile . There were 14,670 housing units at an average density of 686.7 per square mile...
near Mansell Road. - Hog Wallow Creek is a major tributary that enters in Roswell, just north of the Chattahoochee River
- At the Greenway in Alpharetta this small river is known as Big Creek, and by Riverside Road in Roswell, where the major stream begins, it is known as Vickery Creek.