Fairway Community Center offers a softball field, playground, outdoor basketball court and community room. Phone: 706-859-0916 - Location: 81 Senior Drive, Summerville, GA 30747
Willow Springs Park has Pavilion & Picnic table, .10 mile walking track, Historic natural spring,
Big Spring, Beavers Spring, Cleghorn Spring and Willow Spring. All of these names have been used for the natural fresh water spring which burst forth at this site.
Location: US 27 & First Street, Summerville, Georgia 30747
Park History to Present: Predating our recorded history, this water is part of the Know dolomite aquifer and is formed as ground water erodes through the very porous dolomite and limestone foundation of this area. Measurements have shown the water to flow at a rate of 420 gallons per minute. Due to the underground paths of such waters, local citizens relate as fact rather tan legend the story of young Cherokee Indian braves diving into the spring at this site and swimming underground to surface in a pond 1700 feet northward.
Once part of the Cherokee Nation, the lands surrounding this spring were acquired by an early pioneer, John Fluker Beavers, in the Cherokee Land Lottery of 1832. When the Georgia State Legislature formed Chattooga County out of portions of Walker and Floyd counties in 1838, the spring played an important role in locating the new county seat at this site. General Beavers offered the free use of the spring water for the people and their livestock if the justices would purchase his land and locate the county government here. For many years, the spring served the people and remained an important and scenic gathering spot.
The spring was recently restored. Though the old homes were lost long ago, the spring was again allowed to flow freely and willow trees were returned to the site which Octavia Jones Cleghorn had named after childhood home-Willow Spring
Railroad Turntable, Couey House -
Built in the early 1840’s by Andrew McSelland Couey and his sons, this log house was one of the earliest pioneer homes in Chattooga County. As the land was cleared, the house was constructed of huge logs, which were hoisted into place and carved into half dovetail ends as the house was erected. The house was restored to this site as it was considered to be a significant representative of the craftsmanship and lifestyle of early pioneers in this area of north Georgia. Also, the house was significant of its architecture as an example of the single pen house type.
Originally, the house was located nearly seven miles from this site in Dirt Town Valley near Tidings, Georgia. As the home of the family of Andrew and Fereby Couey, the house was once surrounded by a profitable 400-acre farm, which produced corn, cotton and livestock. As with many southern homes, the War Between the States brought much hardship and loss as Union soldiers passed through the area and depleted the supplies.
Also known as the Couey-Owings-Knowles House, this historic structure was the home of Andrew Couey until his death in 1882 and later in 1904 became the home of Couey’s grand daughter, Flora Couey who married William H. Owings. After the farm was subdivided and sold over the following decades, the house was last owned by Billy Knowles prior to being acquired by the Georgia Department of Transportation. Due to the widening of U.S. Highway 27, the original site of the Couey House was needed. The relocation to Dowdy Park in Summerville was begun in 1995. Though modern additions had been added to the house, only the original log structure was moved and restored. In 1998, the house was given to the City of Summerville for the enjoyment and education of this and future generations
Summerville Railroad Turntable
Summerville’s railroad engine turntable is a landmark that will hopefully grace Dowdy Park for a century or more to come.
Location: US 27 & University Street, Summerville, Georgia 30747
