Crabapple, Georgia
Crabapple, Georgia, is a small town in Douglas County with a population of 2,500. It was incorporated in 1871 and was named after a crab tree that grew in the area. The town is the center of commerce in the area and is home to several small businesses, restaurants, churches, and schools. It is a small Georgia town located about 60 miles north of the state’s capital. The population has hovered around 2,500 for the past several years, but the influx of new residents from Atlanta and neighboring counties means that growth is inevitable. Crabapple is a town with a special place in American history.
The town was founded in 1835 after seven families arrived in the area from Virginia and North Carolina. When they arrived, they quickly discovered how rich the Crabapple River was, but almost immediately, the families discovered that living off the land was not feasible. The families quickly learned to harvest the fruits of the river, and in 1837, the first Crabapple Post Office opened. By 1837, the first town cemetery was also established, and the first school was complete (along with several other buildings). Today, Crabapple is a thriving community with a population of over 3,000.
Crabapple is a town in Cumberland County, Georgia, just north of the city of Alpharetta. The towns’ respective boundaries touch on the northwest side of the city of Atlanta. If you live in Alpharetta, you’re as good as living in Crabapple, Georgia. That’s what the city plans to do with a new master plan that aims to transform the suburb into a walkable, transit-oriented community.
Crabapple, Georgia, was settled in 1772 by John McRee. The area is named after the crabapple trees (Malus spp.) that were prevalent in the area at the time. It is believed that this is the first settlement in Georgia to be named after a tree.
It’s one of four districts on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places that is located within the Chattahoochee National Forest, which surrounds the Chattahoochee River. The district encompasses 1,732 acres and contains 16 historic buildings and structures.
Crabapple Village is one of the oldest communities in the state. The townsite’s first families were among the settlers who moved to the area in 1832. The town contains a historic district, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The Crabapple Museum is a tribute to the crabapple tree that grows on the grounds of Crabapple Grange, a Georgia antebellum home. The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located in a restored antebellum home that once belonged to the Grange family. The home, which is open to the public, contains a museum, gift shop, and a restaurant that serves authentic southern dishes.
Crabapple was founded in 1892 as a mill town, and for most of the last century, it was a sleepy little town of about 3,000 people. That changed in 2009 when the town’s mill closed down, the population dwindled and the economy began a steady decline. According to the town’s website, Crabapple is “currently the poorest city in Georgia.” Crabapple has one school and no stores or restaurants. Almost everyone works outside the city, and “fast food is a major expense.” Crabapple is famous for two things: being the birthplace of the Appalachian Cannonball, and for the building of more than 1,000 wooden shoes for shoeshine stand operators.
The Pigeon River runs through the heart of Crabapple. The town sits on a bend of the river and thus does not have the convenience of the current of the river’s main branch. The river’s bend is the focal point of the town. Encircled by hills and surrounded by woods that can only be found in southern Georgia, Crabapple is unique and beautiful.
The Crabapple Historic Landmark was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and is the first building in Georgia to be designated a historical landmark. The house was built in 1846 by the Payne family, who were prominent figures in the early history of the county. It is located near the edge of Crabapple’s historic downtown and across from the historic courthouse.