"This massacre is only the signal for a ferocious Indian war, bursting upon
us like a thunderbolt."So wrote President John Adams in his diary on May 16, 1825, after learning of the murder of Chief William McIntosh. McIntosh was the son of a Scottish captain in the British Army and a full-blooded Creek Indian woman belonging to the influential Wind Clan. He ultimately became a chief aligned with the lower Creek faction and operated a backwoods plantation, tavern and ferry on the Chattahoochee River.
The Indian War Adams feared did not immediately materialize, but the controversy surrounding the death of McIntosh during the period of removal of the Creeks and Cherokees from Georgia created a crisis between the federal government and the state of Georgia.
In 1978, Carroll County acquired 527 acres of land adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. Included in this parkland is the site of McIntosh's plantation, known as Lochau Talofau, or Acorn Bluff. It was here on the morning of May 1, 1825, that Upper Creek Indian warriors, under the command of Menawa, a Redstick who had fought against McIntosh and Jackson at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, carried out the Creek National Council's orders of "Fire and Blood." They killed McIntosh and another chief, burned the plantation, destroyed what stock they could not carry off, but spared the lives of all women and children and one white man.
Today, visitors to the site can camp, hike and picnic on the ground where two diverse cultures collided, causing the death of an important historic figure. Displays and signs within the park help the public understand this violent period in our history.
McIntosh Reserve was developed as parkland by Carroll County in order to provide for the public enjoyment of this site's natural and cultural resources, while at the same time ensuring the preservation of these resources. The park combines recreation activities, preservation of cultural heritage, public education, fish and wildlife management and conservation of the Chattahoochee River Corridor.
McIntosh Reserve Park is located 35 miles southwest of Atlanta along the Chattahoochee River and can be reached via U.S. Alt. 27 from Carrollton or Newnan and GA Hwy. 5 from Douglasville. Direct access to the park is provided by a county-maintained road that connects with GA 5 two miles west of Whitesburg, Ga.
Primitive camping is available on a daily basis. Campers may pre-register and pre-pay prior to setup. For rates on camping call the park office at the number below.
Picnic shelters are available for rent for reunions, weddings, etc. Call the park office for more information.
At McIntosh Reserve, we hold the following annual events:
The Fall Festival the last week end in September
The Easter Festival the Saturday before Easter
Park Hours
Summer hours 8AM-8PM
Winter hours 8AM-7PM
Office hours are 8AM-5PM annually
CLOSED Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day
Daryl Johnson, Park Manager
1046 West McIntosh Circle
Whitesburg, GA 30185
Phone: 770-830-5879
Fax: 770-214-3124
dljohnson@carrollcountyga.com
This project has been assisted in part by a Land and Water Conservation Grant, Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, U.S. Department of Interior.