Walking A New Path: Tea Time in Talking Rock

North Georgia in the Fall

We had a errand to take care of down in Calhoun, so, on a beautiful Fall November Friday, after doing our business, we decided the Jasper area was calling our names. Carolyn had lately been in a texting conversation with a niece in a small town in that area, Talking Rock, and another driving adventure seemed our lot.

The niece was not going to be home that day, but we went anyway. We were intrigued by the name of the town, and it just sounded like fun.

The town made us welcome.

The City Park was open, and a swing near the creek (Talking Rock Creek) was just right.

Wikipedia said the town took its name from the creek, and the residents that we spoke with thought that sounded right although they were not sure. Carolyn said the rocks spoke to her as the water flowed over them. Decide for yourself...

The town was incorporated in 1883 when the railroad came through, and the 1890 census showed 141 folks.

How many churches does a town need when the 2010 census reported that 64 people lived there?

A sign in town pointed the way to the First Baptist Church of Talking Rock, so we went. Church was constructed in 1974, but the sign revealed that the church was founded in 1839.

Was there an older building around?

We found a white church just a stone's throw away on another road. Check the sign above the front door.

Now compare that to the cornerstone on the brick church. Same founding date, but now the newer church had added First to its name.

Sounded like a church split to us. When we went back down the hill, we stopped by one of the three antique stores in that little village and asked. The lady proprietor told us it was a split, but she didn't know what caused it. How many worshipped in the new church and how many were left at the older? Information needed for sure on that.

But we did get another town story from a man who sorta attached himself to us as we walked the 3 store town. He pointed to a big rock at the corner of the intersection of Route 136.

He told us that a girl grew up in the house we were standing in front of. She loved to go down to the creek which ran over by the railroad track across the street, and sunbathe on this big rock. The boy that lived across the side street from her home, also like to go down to the creek and fish. In time they married.

The year was 1958.

For an anniversary present, this boy, now man, got a friend to help him make a road down to the creek, dig up that rock, haul it back to town, had a monument company chisel an inscription on it. It was their 40th anniversary, and the wording is:

"Talking Rock

incorporated 1883

This rock removed from creek

and placed here Augusr 23, 1998"

I'm left wondering how she liked her unique gift?

When we visit older towns, we like to walk through cemeteries that sit next to old church buildings. Thinking and trying to piece together the lives of those resting there.

There seemed to be so many small kids buried in that place. One family plot had two smaller stones, one for each child that had died on their first day in this world.

Another plot held the remains of a man and wife along with 6 stones, designating the 6 children in their family that had died, each before reaching 2 years of age. Times were hard for the Keel family.

By the time we had finished the cemetery, it was way past lunch. Back to town, 3 stores all antique, no food anywhere, except the bag lunches carried by a few in the city park.

Our lunch was a bottle of water and...