#ChattoogaCountyHistoricalSociety

September 21, 2026

From Lamplight To Long Distance: How Electricity And Telephones Changed Chattooga County

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Telephone operators at the Summerville Telephone Company on the final day of operator-assisted telephone service in 1960. Direct dialing began the following day. (Photo courtesy of Ben Bridges/Chattooga Photo History)

For people living in Chattooga County today, flipping a light switch or making a telephone call is so ordinary that little thought is given to either one.

But a little more than a century ago, both represented technologies that were beginning to fundamentally change everyday life.

There was a time when darkness meant lighting an oil lamp, when many homes drew their water from wells, and when making a long-distance telephone call in Chattooga County meant traveling into Summerville and going inside a local store.

The arrival of electricity and the telephone didn’t happen everywhere at once. The technologies spread gradually through mills, businesses and towns before becoming commonplace in homes throughout the county.

And when it came to electricity, Trion was among the first places in Chattooga County to enter the electrical age.

September 14, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

From Iron Ore To Coal — Chattooga County’s Mining Past

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Long before manufacturing became a major part of Chattooga County’s economy, people looked to the mountains and ridges surrounding the county for another source of economic development — minerals buried beneath the ground.

August 24, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Whatever Happened To Sprite, Georgia?

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Long before GPS, interstate highways and modern road signs, the map of Chattooga County was dotted with small communities whose names were familiar to generations of local residents.

Some survived. Others changed names or gradually disappeared.

One of the more unusual was Sprite, Georgia.

July 19, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Historical Society Hosts Summer Meeting Today

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The Chattooga County Historical Society is inviting the public to its Summer Meeting today, featuring a firsthand account from a Chattooga County native who took part in one of the most significant military operations in American history.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m. today at the Historic Summerville Depot in downtown Summerville. Admission is free, and everyone is invited to attend.

Featured speaker Jim Lenderman will share his experiences as a U.S. Marine helicopter pilot during the 1980 Iranian hostage rescue attempt, known as Operation Eagle Claw. Lenderman will also discuss his later service flying President Ronald Reagan aboard Marine One, providing a unique perspective on both military and presidential aviation.

The Historical Society says the presentation offers a rare opportunity to hear an inspiring story from one of Chattooga County’s own while learning more about an important chapter in American history. The event is free and open to the public.

July 18, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Historical Society to Host Summer Meeting Sunday

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The Chattooga County Historical Society will welcome members and the public tomorrow afternoon for its annual summer meeting at the Historic Summerville Depot, featuring a presentation from a local veteran whose military career included some of the nation’s most historic moments.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 19, at the Historic Depot in downtown Summerville. Admission is free, and everyone is invited to attend.

Featured speaker Jim Lenderman, a fellow Chattoogan and former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot, will share firsthand accounts of his role in the 1980 Iranian hostage rescue attempt, known as Operation Eagle Claw. He will also discuss his military service flying President Ronald Reagan aboard Marine One, offering attendees a unique perspective on presidential aviation and military history.

Organizers say the program combines local history with an extraordinary personal story from one of Chattooga County’s own. The Historical Society encourages anyone with an interest in history, military service, or the community’s heritage to attend.

For more information, visit www.chattoogahistory.org.

July 16, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Historical Society Seeking Volunteers to Help Preserve Local History

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The Chattooga County Historical Society is asking residents to become involved in preserving the county’s history as the organization works to expand its archives, grow its membership and establish a permanent museum.

July 14, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Chattooga County Historical Society to Feature Local Veteran Who Took Part in Historic World Events

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The Chattooga County Historical Society invites everyone to its Summer Meeting on Sunday, July 19, at 2 p.m. at the historic Summerville Depot for a fascinating program featuring one of Chattooga County’s own whose life placed him at the center of several significant moments in American history.

February 3, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga County Historical Society Invites Public to Winter Meeting at Historic Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church

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The Chattooga County Historical Society is inviting the community to its Winter Meeting at 2:00 PM next Sunday, February 8, 2026, with a special program recognizing Black History Month.

The meeting will be held at the historic Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Gore (turn on the first road past Hunter Furniture). Featured speaker Samuel Mosteller—a Chattooga High School Class of 1977 graduate, Retired Army Major, pastor, and principal—will share research focused on the Holland/Chattoogaville area and the Finley Plantation, including history tied to the property where the house still stands today. The group also noted a historic image from the 1870 census connected to the topic.

The event is free, and all are invited to attend.

December 23, 2025

by WZQZ NEWS

Historical Society Offers Last-Minute Gift for Chattooga County History Fans

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Still looking for a Christmas gift for the history lover in your family? The Chattooga County Historical Society says a few remaining copies of Robert Baker’s “History of Chattooga County” are available as a last-minute option for local history buffs.

The book chronicles Chattooga County’s early days and follows the story of the community through much of the 1900s, making it a popular pick for longtime residents, genealogy researchers, and anyone interested in Northwest Georgia’s past.

The Historical Society says the remaining copies will be sold at Sweet Beaux for $70, while supplies last.