Etowah River facts for kids
The Etowah River is a 164-mile (264 km) long waterway in Georgia. It starts northwest of Dahlonega, which is north of Atlanta.
Long ago, on a map from 1795 by Matthew Carey, the river was called "High Town River." Later maps, like one from 1839 for Cass County (now Bartow County), called it "Hightower River." This name was often used in early records by the Cherokee people.
A large stream called Amicalola Creek joins the Etowah River near its start. This creek is famous for Amicalola Falls, a beautiful waterfall. A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one.
The Etowah River flows west and southwest through Canton, Georgia. It then forms Lake Allatoona, a large lake. After the dam at the lake, the river passes by Cartersville and the Etowah Indian Mounds. These mounds are an important archaeological site where ancient people once lived.
The river continues to Rome, Georgia. There, it meets the Oostanaula River. When two rivers meet and join, it's called a confluence. At this spot, the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers combine to form the Coosa River. The Etowah River is part of a bigger water system called the Etowah-Coosa-Alabama-Mobile Waterway. This system stretches from the mountains of north Georgia all the way to Mobile Bay in Alabama.
The Little River is the biggest stream that flows into the Etowah. Where they used to meet is now covered by Lake Allatoona. Allatoona Creek is another important stream that flows into the lake from Cobb County.
The United States Board on Geographic Names officially gave the river its current name, Etowah River, in 1897. The river ends at about 571 feet (174 meters) above sea level.
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River Life
The Etowah River is home to a special fish called the Etowah darter. This small fish is on the Endangered Species List. This means it is in danger of disappearing forever, and efforts are being made to protect it.
Etowah in Song
The country singer Jerry Reed sang about the Etowah River in his 1971 song "Ko-Ko Joe". In the song, the river is home to a character named Ko-Ko Joe, who is misunderstood. People call him the "Etowah River Swamp Rat." Even though people didn't like him, the song says he became a hero by saving a child's life. Jerry Reed was from Atlanta, and he used some made-up places like "Appaloosa County" and "Ko-Ko Ridge" in his song's story.
Streams that Join the Etowah
Many smaller streams, called tributaries, flow into the Etowah River. Here are some of them:
- Acworth Creek
- Allatoona Creek
- Amicalola River
- Big Dry Creek
- Boston Creek
- Butler Creek
- Cane Creek
- Canton Creek
- Clark Creek
- Downing Creek
- Dykes Creek
- Euharlee Creek
- Hall Creek
- Hickory Log Creek
- Illinois Creek
- Kellogg Creek
- Little Allatoona Creek
- Little River
- Long Swamp Creek
- McKaskey Creek
- Noonday Creek
- Owl Creek
- Petit Creek
- Proctor Creek
- Pumpkinvine Creek
- Raccoon Creek
- Rocky Creek
- Rubes Creek
- Shoal Creek
- Sixes Creek
- Settin Down Creek
- Stamp Creek
- Tanyard Creek
- Two Run Creek
Towns and Counties Along the Etowah
The Etowah River flows through several counties and near many towns in Georgia:
- Lumpkin County, Georgia
- Dawson County, Georgia
- Forsyth County, Georgia
- Cherokee County, Georgia
- Bartow County, Georgia
- Floyd County, Georgia
Images for kids
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Railroad Bridge across Etowah River, circa 1865
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Etowah River in Bartow County, Georgia
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