Burton, Georgia facts for kids
The town of Burton, Georgia is a place that now lies completely underwater. It's covered by Lake Burton. This town was once located where Dicks Creek and the Tallulah River met in Rabun County, Georgia. Burton started in the early 1800s because of the Georgia Gold Rush.
What Happened to Burton?
Burton was a small but important town. It grew from a gold mining camp into a busy community. But its story ended when a large lake was created.
A Town Built on Gold
The first gold in Rabun County was found near Burton. This discovery brought many people to the area. The town was named after Jeremiah Burton. He owned the local post office and general store. The Burton Post Office served the community from 1875 to 1916.
More Than Just Gold
Burton was on the main road from Clayton, Georgia to the Nacoochee Valley. It became more than just a gold mining town. It also supported mines that dug for corundum. Corundum is a very hard mineral.
Later, the logging industry became important. A railway was built to Burton. This helped transport wood from the mountains. The lumber went to a mill in Helen, Georgia. By the early 1900s, about 200 people lived in Burton. This made it the second largest town in Rabun County.
The End of Burton
In 1917, the Georgia Railway and Electric Company bought Burton. This company is now known as the Georgia Power Company. They bought the town and the land around it. They planned to build a dam to create a lake.
The dam for Lake Burton was finished on December 22, 1919. Soon after, the entire town of Burton was submerged. It disappeared beneath the waters of the new lake. Today, Burton remains a ghost town underwater.
