Ruins get revived at Sweetwater Creek State Park

LITHIA SPRINGS, Ga. - It’s located just a few minutes from downtown Atlanta, but visitors to Sweetwater Creek State Park know it’s a haven of peaceful nature and fascinating history.

Sweetwater Creek State Park is located on more than 2,500 acres in Lithia Springs, including the 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir.  The water makes the park a popular place for fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, and the award-winning visitor center is filled with interesting exhibits about the area’s history.  But speaking of history, many visitors come to Sweetwater Creek State Park to see the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, which was a textile mill that burned during the Civil War.  Although the interior of the ruins is currently closed to visitors, a three-month project is happening now to stabilize the ruins, which will once again allow visitors to take tours inside the ruins and also make the space available for small special events.

Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken spent the morning exploring the mill ruins at Sweetwater Creek State Park, and also learning more about the fall activities available there.