Tobesofkee Creek facts for kids

Tobesofkee Creek is a river in Georgia, USA. It is about 58.9-mile-long (94.8 km). The creek starts near Barnesville. It then flows southeast through Lamar, Monroe, and Bibb counties. Finally, it joins the Ocmulgee River south of Macon. A special dam on this creek created Lake Tobesofkee.

The Creek's Story

Early History and Trading Paths

Long ago, after the year 1670, an important route crossed Tobesofkee Creek. This route was called the Lower Creek Trading Path. It connected towns where the Creek Indians lived on the Chattahoochee River. It also led to Charlestown, an English colonial town in South Carolina.

Names of the Creek

The Creek Indians spoke the Muscogee language. They had several names for this river. The very first name recorded was Togosohatchee. Later, in 1776, a traveler named William Bartram wrote down the name as Tobosochte.

What Does Tobesofkee Mean?

The exact meaning of the name Tobesofkee is not fully clear. However, it seems to include the word sofkee. Sofkee is a traditional hominy dish. It is similar to what we now call grits.

The name was first written down in the 1790s. This was done by Benjamin Hawkins. He was a United States agent who worked with the Creek Indians. He spelled the name in different ways, like Tobosaufkee and Tobesauke.

Some people have tried to explain the name. In 1905, Henry Gannett thought it meant "an Indian lost a dish of meal while crossing it." Another person, William A. Read, thought it meant "sofkee stirrer." This would come from words for a stirring tool and corn gruel. But historian John Goff said it's hard to know for sure. He felt that trying to translate it would just be guessing.

Creating Lake Tobesofkee

Between 1963 and 1967, some important projects happened. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service and the Bibb County Commission worked together. They built several dams on Tobesofkee Creek. These dams helped control floods. They also created large lakes, including Lake Tobesofkee and "Little Lake Tobosofkee."

Lake Tobesofkee Today

The Lake Tobesofkee Recreation Area opened in 1969. Over the years, many houses were built near the lake. People enjoy living by the water. By the early 2000s, Lake Tobesofkee became very popular for fishing. It is known as one of the most fished lakes in Georgia.