Paddle the Chattahoochee River,  just south of Atlanta.

Those familiar with Atlanta’s major creeks — Peachtree, Proctor and Utoy Creeks — will enjoy experiencing where these waters go – into the Chattahoochee River, which becomes a large, classic southern River as it leaves Atlanta and flows into the lower Piedmont.

In this section of the River, just south of Atlanta, the Chattahoochee opens up to a large, gentle stream, still with a few shoals, flowing past rural farms and forests.  

Though barely noticed today, we’ll float by some of the most meaningful historic sites in our area. We’ll begin at Moore’s Bridge, the site where the 19^th century South’s most talented architect and bridge builder, Horace King, built a covered bridge over the Chattahoochee River on the old Carrolton Road. Unusual for his time, King was a successful and wealthy African American businessman, who traveled freely throughout the Deep South, keeping homes in both Alabama and Georgia before the Civil War. (See more info about Horace King below.)

From Moore’s Bridge, we’ll paddle a beautiful 3- hour section of the Chattahoochee River, taking out at the historic site where Lower Creek Chief William McIntosh built an estate called Acorn Bluff, the place where he was later killed for signing over Muscogee Creek lands to the Americans government. The City of Atlanta and most of the Atlanta metro area was built on lands ceded to the State of Georgia by Chief McIntosh. 

This section of the River an easy paddle for beginners, Chattahoochee in this section is a calm river with several small riffles. It’s an easy section for beginners, and being south of the city the river is cleaner and the banks are predominantly natural.

Cost per person: $75 single kayak, $65 tandem (2-person kayak), $55 bring your own boat (includes kayak rental, shuttle, historical program) – to register (RSVP) click HERE  •  Limit 16 • Details and directions sent to registered participants.  

 A donation of $20 or more helps sustain our programs.

More about Horace King: 

Though born into slavery with tri-racial heritage, Horace King’s exceptional talent as an architect, builder and project manager was soon recognized and he essentially went into business with his owner as a partner, and was emancipated by the 1840’s. Among the numerous bridges he built in Georgia and Alabama were the great bridge over the Chattahoochee at Columbus, that opened up the “old southwest” for settlement, and the Moore’s bridge, also crossing the Chattahoochee, on the vital road to Carrollton. In his time, Horace King was the most talented bridge-builder in the South, often using the Town Lattice Truss design. He was financially successful, keeping homes in Girard, Alabama and in Georgia near Moore’s Bridge, even supporting his former owner’s children after their father’s untimely death. King’s first wife and children collected tolls at Moore’s Bridge, and owned a nearby farm until the bridge was burned by Union troops just before General Sherman’s advance on Atlanta. For more of Horace King’s story see: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1245

More about William McIntosh: 

William McIntosh, Jr. was the son of Capt. William McIntosh from Scotland, and Senoya, a high ranking woman of the Creek Wind Clan. One of his first cousins was Georgia’s Governor Troup. McIntosh became one of the most influential figures in Georgia in the early 1800’s, working easily in both Creek and American society. He sided with the Americans against the more traditional Creeks and was arguably responsible for Andrew Jackson’s military success and subsequent rise to political power. Controversially, McIntosh benefitted personally from Creek land sessions to the Americans. He was killed at his estate at Acorn Bluff, overlooking the Chattahoochee River, for signing over Creek lands without the permission of other chiefs. For more of William McIntosh’s story see:  http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/william-mcintosh-ca-1778-1825