Pine Log Mountain
Story:
Pine Log Mountain, a privately owned wilderness area in Bartow County, is the site of historic resources representing three significant phases of Georgia’s history: a Woodlands Era rock wall and more than two dozen burial cairns, all built by indigenous peoples; four 1840s-era stone iron furnaces used for mining before and after the Civil War; and the remains of the Sugar Hill Convict Labor Camp, where events that took place served as a catalyst for the Georgia Legislature ending its convict lease system in 1909. Remnants of complicated Southern history exist throughout Pine Log Mountain, and this space serves as a frame of reference for understanding Georgia’s history.
Threat:
Today, the historic sites that rest on Pine Log Mountain are threatened by demolition. The private property is up for sale following the end of a lease to the Department of Natural Resources. Bartow County plans to rezone much of the property from agricultural to low-density housing, high-density housing and industrial mining. Many of the historic resources have not been surveyed, and there is no preservation plan currently in place to protect these historic sites.
