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.

  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. Recent topics include "What is the origin of the name Cauley Creek" and the evolution of Technology Park - Johns Creek.


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

The name Johns Creek? There are several theories of its origin, but no documentation. It will most likely never be known.

Before 2006 when the present day City of Johns Creek was incorporated, there were many communities, crossroads, and post offices that sprouted up and disappeared over the years.

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

The Johns Creek area was part of the sovereign Cherokee Nation until 1836. In 1830, Georgia imposed its laws and established counties within the Cherokee Nation. The area that is today's Johns Creek fell within the following borders over the years.

  1. Hickory Log District, Cherokee Nation until 1836
  2. Gwinnett County 1830-1831
  3. Cherokee County, 1831-1832
  4. Forsyth County and Cobb County, 1832-1857
  5. Milton County, 1858-1932
  6. Fulton County, 1932- present
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