In the ongoing study to document the provenance of “Standing Peachtree” and South Cobb pre-historic evidences, there are many mysteries to piece together. Within the original historical record, there has been scan-to-none reference one can research as to the extent of Native American life along the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta.
50 +/- years of progressive commercial destruction, (construction if you wish), of the physical record along the Chattahoochee Piedmont has vaporized most of this Native heritage.
From the archaeological record, which speaks on behalf of the pre-historic, there is a smattering of an incomplete story suggesting that “Standing Peachtree” was a series of villages and improvements that extended over a 10 to 15 mile stretch of river bottom and creeks from (according to one professional source) ”as far north as Roswell to Sandtown below Peachtree Creek…” - now the operating theory.
The forensics of placing this study in context, given resource, is exhaustive and exhausting. But then you get a little help…
In 1821, Wilson Lumpkin, the future governor of Georgia, was responsible for addressing treaty line disputes with the Creek Indians, and proceeded to tour the disputed line, which included the future Cherokee Territory designations along the Chattahoochee River. What he wrote of then to Gov. Clark was likely one of the few, if not only, visual accounts of a river trip from Buzzard’s Roost (downstream) to Standing Peachtree. It adds significantly to the puzzle…
“From the Buzzard Roost village to the Standing Peachtree I estimate the distance at fifteen five miles – this it is computed more by the Indians. I found some difficulty in arriving this village, in determining on the correct course. For several miles on the river, you are constantly in view of Indian improvement or house; something below the center of these improvements, is the most striking appearance of a town, the buildings being more compact in this, than any other part of the settlement. But there is no appearance of Capital, Town-house, or public square about the place.
I therefore made an offset so as to embrace the whole settlement – leaving the part which had a village appearance at least one mile within the Nation – while some of the scattering settlements are near the line which I have marked out, but all included within the Nation.” (April 28, 1821, signed Wilson Lumpkin; excerpt from 12 page report)
