Logo Hightower Mills and Falls
near Rockmart, GA
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2013)

In 1845, Elias Dorsey Hightower purchased about 2000 acres on Euharlee Creek, near the Antioch community of Polk
County.   Expanding on an existing wooden grist mill operation, he erected a stone structure comprised of a grain mill
and carding plant.   Hightower established a cotton gin in the wood building on the creek; later a tannery and syrup mill
were added.   The mills operated into the 1930s.   In 1972, Hightower Falls Park opened to the public; it was short-lived.

The present owners preserve the beauty and history of this site, while offering private bookings for special events.


Hightower_Mill_and_Falls
Stone ruins of the cotton gin on left, Hightower Falls to right.


Hightower_Mill_Falls_Archives
A similar view from 1901.   Cotton gin on the left; grist and woolen
mill building (now gone) at right on the creek below the waterfall.
Source: Vanishing Georgia, Georgia Archives, Office of Secretary of State



Hightower_Falls
Hightower Falls


Hightower_Falls_Mill_ruins
Footbridge, with mill ruins and falls beyond...


Hightower_Falls_Mill_ruins
Approaching the ruins of the cotton gin/mill...


Mill_window
View through a window...


Door_opening
Door opening with brick arch



A variety of images taken from inside the gin/mill ruins:

Int_front_corner



Interior_window



Interior



Interior_door



Interior_left



Interior_front



Wall_joist_cavities



Int_rear_corner



Interior_window





Corner_forsythia
Forsythia next to the outside wall.   Another wall, perhaps
part of an earlier structure, is visible in the background.



Mill_ruin
A different angle on the ruin...


Hightower_Falls
Reflection of the falls in the pool...



Hightower_Falls
A view through the trees from downstream



A trail climbs the steep ridge and loops around upstream from the waterfall:

Ruins_from_ridge
Looking down on the ruins


Upper_dam
Remains of an old mill dam upstream from the top of the falls.


Upper_dam
Panorama of the ruined upper dam.   I have an old photo of another
small dam at the upper lip of the main falls, but saw no remains of it.



Upper_creek
Boulders alongside Euharlee Creek, above the falls.



Branch_dam
Coming down the ridge on the other side, behind the ruins, I spotted the
remains of another small dam on a branch that feeds into the main creek.




Back in the main gorge, I wandered around some more:

Hightower_Falls
A close-up view of Hightower Falls


Sycamore
Sycamore bark


Dam_spillway
Mill dam spillway


Tree_bloom_bridge
Footbridge and flowering tree


Camellia
Pink Camellia


Statue_garden
St. Francis in the garden


Hightower_Falls
One final view of the falls...



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All Text & Images: Copyright 2013.