There was a time when the arrival of autumn in Chattooga County meant more than cooler weather and changing leaves. It meant cotton-picking season, when farmers worked long hours bringing in a crop that was once the backbone of the county’s agricultural economy.
From the early days of Chattooga County in the 1800s through much of the first half of the 20th century, cotton was one of the most important sources of income for local farm families.
According to research by the Chattooga County Historical Society, cotton dominated local agriculture from the time the county was established in 1838. By the early 1900s, agricultural agents were encouraging farmers to diversify their crops rather than depend so heavily on cotton.