Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-26
MY RECOLLECTIONs OF STONE NOUN
TAIN

Z was said to be seven miles distant from
| where l was born in DeKalb county,
- Georgia. My earliest visits anywhere are
connected with the mountain.
1t has always been a place to go to see
as a curiosity, or sngularity, quaint
oddly.
When I can first remember about it I was
told that some of the Innery came to see
us, and as there were no railroads, and gem
orally difficult dirt roads, trip to the noun
tain meant days full undertaking, to pre-
pare q lunch, get the youngsters dressed, all
to go in vehicles drawn by horses, to spend
the day. A party assembled when I was
only three or four months old Gas often told
to me in later days). My black nanny, my
nurse, in the crowd, until good rest
ing place was picked on the mountain to sit
and hold the baby until my parents pointed
out to the visitors the particular features
of this giant rock, which erupted a some
time during the past centuries and sWelled
up many hundred feet above the sea level,
one great stone.
1t was new sight to nanny, who was
quite contented to nurse the baby, and which
slept away the most of the time.
There was a place to get fresh water
lower down on the slope, and the kinspeopIe
were delighted with the outing, and enjoyed
the lunch and I presume the baby had a
good time of her own, too.
That was in the fall of the year 1885.
How many times l was taken over the same
ground l am not able to say, but | have
distinct recollection of my first experience
after a tower was erected on the summit,
with several stories and several little sets of
stair steps. There was a big crowd present
that day. The bottom floor was quite a big
room and filled with visitors from Decatur
and regions roundabout. There were iddlers
and dancing. [ can yet see my frisky little
self held by father between his knees while
We watched the dancers. l was dee-lighted
beyond doubt My own feet itched to dance
a little. A booth was near at hand and
had been OyerjOyed to be given a white can
dy dove, white as snow, except its eyes,
which were bright black birdshot, and some
pink and black touches to decorate the bird.
[ had never seen one before made out of
candy. My father had a country store as
well as a plantation, a woodshop and black
smith shop, and knew all about stick can
dy, but the candy bird was an ornament
and a decoration until l became tired of it..
and it went
to see the tower in ruins A big storm
nearly blew it out over the mountain top
We school children were there on a picnic
occasion. Next, I remember that Mr. Aaron
Towers decided to erect another tower, for
the tourists to get some accommodations
and these tourists would come from Nash
vile to Savannah and vice versa, AMI stop
occasionally to see the giant rock, that could
have told a big story if it had not been born
speeches..
The second tower was also blown down
and never again rebuilt. The next one will
be stronger. In my girlhood days we were
in the habit of going on horseback of car
Tying our young guests to see the wonderful
Stone Mountain. 1t was a rare, strange
scene to visitors always.
The first State Agricultural fair was held