Hardy Pace facts for kids

Hardy Pace (born July 10, 1785 – died December 5, 1864) was an early American settler in Georgia. He was known for being a ferryman and a miller. His name lives on through places like Pace's Ferry and Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta.

A New Home and Busy Businesses

Hardy Pace was born in 1785 in Anson County, North Carolina. In 1809, he moved to northern Georgia. The area he settled is now called Vinings, Georgia. Back then, it was known as Pace's Crossroads.

By the 1830s, Pace started a very important business. He ran a ferry service across the Chattahoochee River. This ferry helped people travel between north Georgia and Chattanooga. His ferry business was very successful.

Pace became a major landowner in the Vinings area. He also started other businesses. These included a gristmill (Pace's Mill), a farm, and a tavern. He married Lucy Kirksey, and they had five children together.

The Civil War and Pace's Home

During the American Civil War, Pace's ferry became a battleground. On July 5, 1864, a Civil War battle took place there. The Union army won this fight.

After the battle, Union General William T. Sherman and his soldiers stayed in the Vinings area. They spent 11 days getting ready for the big Battle of Atlanta. During this time, another Union General, Oliver O. Howard, used Pace's home as his headquarters.

Sadly, Union soldiers burned down Pace's home after they left. Only the granite stairs were left standing.

Rebuilding and Lasting Memory

After the war, Pace's son, Solomon, rebuilt the family home. He built it in the same spot where the original house stood. This happened in the late 1860s or early 1870s.

Today, the Pace home is still standing. The Vinings Historic Preservation Society takes care of it. After being fixed up in the late 1990s, the home is now used for special events. In 2009, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

When Union troops took over his home, Hardy Pace and his family went to Milledgeville, Georgia. Pace died a few months later in December 1864. He is buried in the Pace family cemetery. This cemetery is at the top of Mount Wilkinson in Vinings.

Many places in the Atlanta area are named after Hardy Pace. These include Paces Ferry Road and Paces Mill Road. A bronze statue of Pace was put up in 1987. It stands in an office building on Paces Ferry Road.