Tour of Northwest Georgia Culpepper Sites

Start at Culpepper's Mill, which is in northernmost tip of Floyd County in Chattahoochee National Forest. Only the foundation remains of this mill that was once operated by Charles William Culpepper, descendant of John and Nancy Culpepper.

	To get there, from I-75 between Atlanta and Chattanooga, take Exit 133 (GA-136).
	Head west for 1.5 miles on GA-136 to the intersection with Cook Road, NW.
	Turn left (south) on Cook Road and proceed 1.0 miles until it dead-ends.
	At the dead-end, turn right (west) on Fairview Road. Proceed west on Fairview; in a couple of miles it changes name to Pocket Road.
	Continue on Pocket Road into the Chattahoochee National Forest and up a low mountain. In the mountainous part, you'll cross from Gordon County into Floyd county and the road changes name to Lake Martin Road.
	Within Floyd county, on Lake Martin Road, proceed another couple of miles to the intersection of Everett Springs Road.
	Turn left on Everett Springs Road and go another tenth of a mile or so to the bridge. Pull over and park.
	The mill remains are to the left, upstream (which is south) from the bridge. Beyond the mill is the dam for Lake Martin which is part of G.S.A. Camp Juliette Lowe.

Next stop: A section of Culpepper Road.

From the bridge, continue in the same direction and Everett Springs Road will soon turn to the south. Continue along this picturesque road for about eight miles, to the intersection of White Road.

Turn left (east) on White Road. In about two tenths of a mile you'll reach an intersection with Culpepper Road. Straight ahead is a one mile abandoned and closed section of the old Culpepper Road. It was closed a number of years ago when the bridge collapsed in Jack's Creek. (Jack's Creek is the border in this area between Floyd County, which you are still in, and Gordon County. It's a pleasant 1/2 mile walk down the closed road to the creek and the collapsed bridge. I'm still trying to verify where the Culpepper farms were, but it is my impression that one or more of them were along this stretch.

Next stop: New Hope Baptist Church, where you will see a cornerstone plaque honoring the Rev. Elam Culpepper.

	From the "Road Closed" sign, there is only one way to drive: to the right (south) down a short section of the still used part of Culpepper Road. In 0.4 mile, this dead ends back into Everett Springs Road.
	Bear left at Everett Springs Road and proceed another 0.5 mile south to a stop sign and major road (GA-156, which is also called New Rosedale Road in Floyd County).
	Turn left (east) on GA-156 and in a hundred yards or so, you'll see a church on your right at the intersection of Carpenter Road. Turn into the church parking lot and park. You'll see the prominent plaque honoring Elam Culpepper on the left front corner of the church.

Next stop: Johnston Chapel Memorial, where you will see a plaque honoring Charles William Culpepper, (among others).

	From New Hope Baptist Church parking lot, turn right (east) onto GA-156. Cross back over into Gordon County and proceed to the first road to the left.
	Turn left (northwest) onto County Rd 214 (which is also called Culpepper Road on some maps). Proceed north for 0.9 mile to the first intersection. At the intersection, to your left is the Gordon county side of the abandoned one mile stretch of Culpepper Road. The collapsed bridge is a half mile walk away (to the southwest).
	Turn right (northeast) and you will be on another section of Culpepper Road. (Curiously, at this intersection, Culpepper Road goes in all four directions!) As you head northeast on Culpepper Road, in about 1.6 miles, just before the road dead-ends, you will see a stone monument to your left.
	If you park your car and inspect the monument, you will see that the monument is actually the remains of the stone front of an old church. On the stone wall is a plaque that reads: "Johnston Chapel, Organized July 15, 1884". Below that are the names of ten men, the first of which is "C.W. Culpepper". At the bottom of the plaque: "Rev. Tyner W. Taylor, Pastor, 1942)"

Final Stop: West Union Church Cemetery. At least 20 Culpeppers are buried here, including the Coca Cola millionaire and philanthropist, Charles Emory Culpeper.

	From the Johnston Chapel Monument, proceed another hundred yards or so to the dead end.
	Turn left (northwest) on Everett Springs Road (Note. this is the Gordon County Everett Springs Road which is a different road than the Floyd county road that you were on earlier).
	In about 0.2 mile, you will find the church on your left.
	The cemetery is behind the church, and the Culpepper area is far from the church, bordering a small gravel road. Church records show many more Culpeppers buried in the cemetery than there are identifiable headstones.

Return to I-75:

	From the church parking lot, turn right (southeast) on Everett Springs Road, and proceed 2.6 miles to the dead-end.
	Turn left (northeast) on GA-156, and proceed 10-12 miles through Calhoun and to I-75 (the I-75 and GA-156 intersection is Exit 130 on I-75, three exits south of where the tour started)