Hurricane Shoals is a Jackson County landmark, not just for the beautiful rushing waters, but for the historical significance of the park.
Located in Maysville, the park is operated by the county, and is open seven days a week during the summer season.
"This area is very historic. It was originally a Creek and Cherokee holy ground, the first settlement in Jackson County, the first church, the first school were all at Hurricane Shoals," said Becky Perry, a member of the Tumbling Waters Society, a non-profit that benefits the park.
The area was a peaceful place, between Yamacutah (Tumbling Shoals) and Yamtrahoochee (Hurricane Shoals), where a "Great Spirit" once lived and where the Creek and Cherokee tribes used as neutral ground, a wandering band of Choctaw Indians told white settlers in the 1780s, according to a history on the Tumbling Waters Society website. However, conflict arose when a settler killed a bear in the neutral ground, which was a place no blood was to be shed.
A historical timeline of the shoals can be found here.
The shoals themselves are part of the North Oconee River, and the connecting park is a point of pride for the recreation enthusiast and the historic preservationist. Hurricane Shoals Park includes the shoals, a heritage village, pavilions and picnic tables with grills, a playground, a disc golf course and an 18-hole miniature golf course.
Swimming and tubing are also popular choices for park goers, just bring your own inner tube.
Perry said the heritage village is a collection of historic Jackson County buildings moved to the park after being saved from demolition.
"The original settlement, which was in the 1790s, was completely destroyed by the 100 year flood of 1840," said Perry. "We have the stones of the original grist mill, and down the curve of the river we have built a replica of the grist mill which operates during our big fundraiser, Art in the Park."
Perry said the grist mill mills corn during that fundraiser, which is then sold.
The waters could do more than mill corn, though.
"Lam Hardman bought area and had a generating plant there on the river, at the shoals," said Perry. "He sold it to Georgia Power, but Georgia Power didn't do anything. Four industrialists from Jackson County actually purchased the property and gave it to the county for a county park."
Perry said they then went in to rescue what historic elements were left, including the turbines that are still part of the shoals, and construct the pavilions, put up monuments and add other amenities over time.
The big fundraiser that helps keep the park prosperous is Art in the Park, which will be held this year on September 18 and 19. Perry said it will be the 30th anniversary.
"We'll have vendors, arts and crafts vendors, we have a 5K Mill Race, we have, of course, all kinds of festival foods," said Perry. "The historic village will be open and all the cabins will be open and there will be people there to explain a lot of the living history."
Union and Confederate Civil War reenactors will also be performing on the site, with reenactments both days, and there will be a rubber duck derby on Sunday.
A park and festival schedule, amenities, photos of the park and more about the Tumbling Waters Society can be found here.
