OTHER RESOURCES for LOCAL HISTORY

Johns Creek History Video

Historical Look at the City of Johns Creek created by Leadership Johns Creek class of 2010 (posted on You Tube)

History Markers along 141

These 4 markers were installed as a Leadership Johns Creek project in 2010. All are on the west side of 141 (Medlock Bridge Rd.)

  1. History of Sheltonville/Shakerag - near intersection of 141 and Hospital Parkway
  2. Warsaw Church and Cemetery - near intersection of 141 and Grove Pt. Road
  3. Historic communities of Johns Creek - near intersection of 141 and entrance to Johns Creek HS
  4. History of the Chattahoochee River - near intersection of 141 and Old Alabama Road

Newtown Community Nostalgia Website

Larry Garrard manages a website to collect and share written memories of life in Newtown and stories of earlier residents. Read memories collected so far or submit your own memories of Newtown when it was a rural farming community. Newtown Community Nostalgia website

Other Historical Societies

 

A BRIEF HISTORY of the JOHNS CREEK AREA

historic_1899_MiltonMap
1899 Map of old Milton Co. showing communities of Mazeppa, Sheltonville, Ocee, Alton, and Warsaw within the current Johns Creek borders.

This page has a few interesting history facts, but also visit and read about our on-going history research.

Also see our local history Q&A page where recently answered questions include "What is the origin of the name Cauley Creek" and the evolution of Technology Park - Johns Creek, Wilson's cattle barn.


The history of the area that is today's City of Johns Creek includes stories of the Cherokee, ferries, bridges and early roads, gold, slavery, a Civil War skirmish, farm families, and more.

This was Cherokee land. The Johns Creek area was part of the Cherokee Territory and Cherokee Nation until the mid-1830s when the New Echota treaty was signed. Even while the Cherokee Nation was its own sovereign nation, in 1830 Georgia imposed its state laws and established counties within the Cherokee Nation. The area that is today's City of Johns Creek fell within the following borders over the years.

  1. Cherokee Territory, 1755-1820
  2. Hickory Log District of the Cherokee Nation, 1820-1836
  3. Gwinnett County, 1830-1831
  4. Cherokee County, 1831-1832
  5. Forsyth County and Cobb County, 1832-1857
  6. Milton County, 1858-1932
  7. Fulton County (unincorporated), 1932- 2006
  8. City of Johns Creek, Fulton County, December 2006 - present

The name Johns Creek? As early as the 1830s, the name Johns Creek appears on maps indentifying the stream that still runs through our city. There are several theories of which John the stream was named for, but no documentation. It will most likely never be known.

Ocee, Shakerag, Warsaw, and Newtown are the 4 historic communities of Johns Creek most frequently mentioned; however there are other names of crossroads and post offices that appear on maps and in documents from the 1830s through the early 1900s.

Help us determine the age of the old road signs
Old road signs

Do You Remember  . . .
The old sign posts that formerly marked important local intersections?

In our rural past, these posts would have been at major road intersections in all areas of what is today's Johns Creek.  Most have disappeared as roadways moved, intersections widened, or weather and age took their toll.  Only a couple are still standing and they are badly deteriorated.  Fortunately, Tom Udell, Deputy Director of Public Works - Traffic, photographed the few he found over the years and recently the Spruill/Buice sign post was donated to the Johns Creek Historical Society as a piece of local history reminiscent of the days of dirt roads, little traffic, and rural farms.

If you can help us date these old road markers or remember where they were located, please let us know.  Our contact email is info@johnscreekhistory.org