Rock top of a mine shaft by Ballard Road at the top of the north end of Sand Mountain
photo by Wes Schultz
Creek at top of waterfall near New Home Loop Road on Sand Mountain
photo by John Wilson
Road into Cole City gorge
photo by John Wilson
Switchback on road into Cole City gorge
photo by John Wilson
Closed mine shaft
photo by John Wilson
Cliffs at steep gorge at Cole City
photo by John Wilson
Rail juts out at top of gorge near falls
photo by John Wilson
Dam below waterfall
photo by John Wilson
Rail on the dam
photo by John Wilson
Slab foundations at the top of the gorge
photo by John Wilson
Rock wall below the falls
photo by John Wilson
Mine shaft near the falls at the top of the gorge
photo by John Wilson
Lower waterfall
photo by John Wilson
The Cole City depot was by start of spur line off the NC&STL
photo by Wes Schultz
Macedonia Baptist Church
photo by Wes Schultz
Modern bridge across Cole City Creek near the Tennessee River
photo by Wes Schultz
Headed toward Cole City
photo by Wes Schultz
View of pier for railroad's second creek crossing
photo by Wes Schultz
Wooden building was used for both a school and a church
photo by Wes Schultz
Cliffs along the valley at Cole City
photo by Wes Schultz
Steve Watson, who is shown with Dish Rag, has lived all his life at Cole City
photo by Wes Schultz
Railroad went along what is now a dirt road
photo by Wes Schultz
Headed for the coke ovens
photo by John Wilson
Rail bed goes by creek as it approaches coke ovens
photo by John Wilson
Railroad bridge support
photo by Brandon Sharp
Coke oven
photo by Brandon Sharp
Oven fire box
photo by Brandon Sharp
Creek at coke ovens
photo by Brandon Sharp
Symmetrical oven top
photo by Brandon Sharp
Portion of wall
photo by Brandon Sharp
Water drain under bridge
photo by Brandon Sharp
A seven-mile railroad that long served the coal-mining community at Cole City, Ga., was built as a spur from the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad.
The small Cole City depot was by the Tennessee River at Shellmound, Tn., near Nickajack Cave. The narrow road that today goes by Macedonia Baptist Church is built along the old line of the Nickajack Railroad.
The track soon crossed into Georgia as it trestled twice across Cole City Creek.
A portion of the old pier for the trestle can be seen at the second crossing.
At the end of the line were over 300 coke ovens, some of which are still intact in a remote hollow. Some were recently damaged by a logging operation.
Much of the mining was far above the rail line at the top of the north end of Sand Mountain. The coal was brought down by an incline (or tram). There was also a narrow-gauge railroad near the top serving the various mines.
This coal mining began before the Civil War, and, beginning in 1874, it made use of hundreds of convicts who lived in rough barracks. The brutish convict system continued until 1908.
There is no road from Cole City to the mines at the top, and it is necessary to drive many miles to reach the top via Slygo Road off Interstate 59. Slygo Road leads to New Home Road and to New Home Loop Road, where mining remnants can be seen at a gorge that features two waterfalls. An interesting stone mine shaft is by Ballard Road at the top of the mountain. Tram Road is nearby.
Cole City, Ga., was in the news when Georgia legislators were seeking to get the state line changed so the state would have access to the Tennessee River. Cole City is just a stone’s throw from the river.