Two outdoor exhibits at the Cedartown Encampment and Removal Site explain the former removal encampment. The site was a temporary military facility in late spring and early summer 1838. Alongside this, Cherokee history, architecture, and local culture are at the heart of other historic sites in Cedartown.
Big Spring and Cherokee History
Big Spring brings together a striking natural feature and several chapters of Cherokee history. In 2011, it was recognized as a certified Trail of Tears site because Camp Cedar Town, a Cherokee removal encampment, was located there in 1838. An earlier use dates back to the beginning of the 19th century: until then, Big Spring had served the Cherokee as a ball-playing ground and ceremonial dance site. These time references distinguish the different historical chapters. The spring itself is also remarkable: it is considered the second-largest limestone spring in the South and discharges an average of 4 million gallons of water per day.
Museums, Architecture, and Local Culture
Cedartown’s downtown district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its 1890s-style architecture. The Polk County Historical Society Museum is housed in the former Southcrest Bank building on West Avenue. It features an exhibit on the Cherokee and a display about local personalities, including Sterling Holloway. The architecture reflects different approaches: the downtown district recalls the style of the 1890s, while the cinema showcases 1941 Art Deco. The museum’s former use as a bank is part of the building’s history; style and use thus emerge as distinct traces of the past.
The Cedartown Welcome Center is located in the depot directly on the Silver Comet Trail. It offers brochures and maps, restrooms, vending machines, and a bicycle repair station. Its collection includes railroad memorabilia from the depot, as well as numerous items related to Sterling Holloway in a museum dedicated to him. The West Cinema Theatre was built in the Art Deco style in 1941 and is still in operation. The Cedartown Museum of Coca-Cola Memorabilia is intended to tell the story of Coca-Cola, from its humble beginnings in 1886 to the company’s departure from Cedartown’s Main Street in 1977.
Silver Comet Trail: Cycling and Walking
The Silver Comet Trail runs through Cedartown and is suitable for leisurely bike rides and walks. The trail as a whole is free, paved, and non-motorized; it can be used by walkers, hikers, cyclists, and wheelchair users. This gives the trail a different focus from the historic sites: here, exercise and time outdoors take center stage, while exhibits and museums explore history. Visitors choosing Cedartown can weigh these different interests and shape their stay around what they enjoy.
Discover more destinations: Aragon, Rockmart.
For the overview of the wider travel area: Polk County.
