About Cartersville

Nestled on the banks of the Etowah River just north of Atlanta, Cartersville is a vibrant city with a rich and colorful history. First inhabited in 1,000 A.D. by the Etowah Indian tribe, the Cartersville area is home to several mounds that are remnant of this Native American culture that can be explored at the Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site. The city has several other interesting attractions such as the house-museum of the famous evangelist, Reverend Sam P. Jones; the Booth Western Art Museum; the Bartow History Center; and the beautifully preserved Grand Theater.

Outdoors in Cartersville

Visitors will enjoy Cartersville’s Red Top Mountain State Park and Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site.

Named for the soil’s rich red color caused by high iron-ore content, Red Top Mountain was once an important mining area. Iron pour programs are occasionally held near the Vaughn Cabin behind the park office. The park also maintains Allatoona Pass Battlefield, a historically significant battlefield due to the well-preserved trenches and earthworks.

While best known for the 12,000 acre lake, Red Top Mountain is also a hiker’s haven. More than 15 miles of trails wind through the forested park, providing opportunities for exercise and nature photography. A short, paved trail behind the park office is suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, welcoming guests to explore a reconstructed 1860s homestead. The gravel-topped 4 mile Iron Hill Trail is open to both hikers and bikers, offering pretty views of the lake’s shoreline.

The Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site: At Etowah Mounds State Historic Site visitors can behold the historic landscape that drew the Native Americans of the Mississippian Culture to this location where they developed a high level of artistry and craftsmanship, built a ceremonial complex of ritual and burial mounds, hunted, farmed, fished, and controlled trade along the Etowah River.