About Roswell Georgia

Roswell Georgia is a charming village just North of the city of Atlanta.  Located on the northern banks of the Chattahoochee River in an area the Cherokee Indians once called ‘Enchanted Land’, Roswell is known for it’s nearly 900 acres of parks, antebellum homes and rich Southern history.  No wonder roughly 82,000 people now call Roswell home.

After gold was discovered in North Georgia in 1828, a swarm of settlers flocked to the area.  It was this influx that prompted Mr. Roswell King of Darien, Georgia to investigate the sites.  Mr. King traveled on horseback, following Indian trails to the Chattahoochee River near what is now Roswell.  In following the river, he discovered forests and the rushing water of Vickery Creek – the perfect environment for a mill.

In 1838, Roswell King began work on the first cotton mill and in 1839 it was incorporated as The Roswell Manufacturing Company, just one year after the native Cherokee people were forced onto the Trail of Tears.  The company was hugely successful and during the Civil War, they were one of the leading suppliers of goods to the Confederacy.  When Union soldiers arrived in Roswell to take the river bridge, they discovered two things:  the bridge has been destroyed by Confederate troops and the mills were still in operation.  In an attempt to save the mills, Theophile Roche, a French citizen, flew a French flag over the mills to disguise their purpose.  The letters “CSA” (Confederate States of America) were found on cloth being produced.  This action angered General W.T. Sherman and he ordered the mills burned.  Some 400 mill workers, mostly women and children, since the men were fighting the war, were arrested and charged with treason and shipped North to uncertain fates.   Today, the Lost Mill Workers of Roswell monument located in Old Mill Park pays tribute to these citizens and their sacrifices.

Although the mills were burned, other private property was spared during the Civil War, including Bulloch Hall.  Major James Stephens Bulloch, grandson of Georgia’s Revolutionary Governor, Archibald Bulloch, built Bulloch Hall in 1839.  The former Mittie Bulloch married Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. in the formal dining room of the house.  They eventually had a son, Theodore, who became our Nation’s 26th President.

Also spared was Barrington Hall, one of the best examples of Greek Revival Temple Architecture in the United States.  Roswell King’s son Barrington, had this home built in the 1840’s and it took five years to construct.

Today Roswell offers not only historic and natural attractions but also shopping, gallery hopping and many dining options.  The bustling Canton Street is the heart of the antique shops, gifts and collectible boutiques as well as art galleries; all are known collectively as the Shops of Historic Roswell.

Situated in North Fulton County, Roswell offers exceptional public schools, affordable living, and an outstanding park system.  Add to your calendar all the fun-filled community events such as the Annual Roswell Arts Festival held every September, The Official Taste of Roswell and the Alive At Five series, a street party that runs throughout the summer.  Roswell is along the Georgia 400 corridor, making it easily accessible to downtown Atlanta and the North Georgia Mountains.  What better place to live!