The history of this unspoiled area is as hazy as its blue peaks at nightfall, especially the origin of the “fort” in Fort Mountain. Fort Mountain was named for an 855-foot stone wall that runs east to west and stands just under the peak of Fort Mountain in North Georgia. The mysterious wall stands two feet in some places and as high as six feet in others; many agree that the wall was probably significantly higher when it was originally built. For countless years people from far and wide have tried to figure out just who, when, and why the wall was built. The mystery surrounding Fort Mountain is unsolved and shall remain that way for years to come but there are interesting theories that have the curious wanting to see it for themselves.

MOONEYES

Some believe that the wall was built to protect Welsh explorers from hostile Indians. Cherokee Indian legend refers to a race that they called “moon eyes”. The term “moon eyes” has been thought to refer to light skinned, light eye colored people. Legend says that they inhabited a portion of the North Georgia Mountains.

SUNLIGHT

More widely believed is that a tribe of Indians may have built the wall for religious reasons. The sun (and all things nature) was a religious symbol for many Indian cultures and the wall is built in a way that the sun is directly on one side of the wall at sunrise and the opposite side at sunset. No religious artifacts have ever been reported found at the site of the wall, supporting this theory, as Indians tended to take their ceremonial pieces with them when they moved on.

While the mystery remains as to who built the wall and why, scholars can agree that the wall is old.The most agreed upon date of construction is sometime around 500 A.D. making this stone wall over 1500 years old! Today’s residents and visitors regularly uncover arrowheads, making their visit even more exciting.

Can you solve the mystery of Fort Mountain in the North Georgia Mountains or will the mystery remain around for another 1500 years?