Native American spearpoint

Before there was Peachtree Street, there was Peachtree Creek.

Its waters formed the spine of human community where Atlanta began.

The South Fork of Peachtree Creek, flowing from Tucker, Georgia to I-85 at GA 400, was once a beautiful stream, providing drinking water for the Muscogee Indians living along its banks and also providing passage for trade and travel.  Where the South and North Forks converge – near today’s intersection at Lindbergh and Piedmont – beaver and otter swam in the water, migrating birds took shelter, and an Indian settlement flourished.  

Pottery shards found at Peachtree Creek

Pottery shards found at Peachtree Creek

This video shows archeological finds from Native Americans which have been found along Peachtree Creek. The South Fork Conservancy is working to restore and conserve the South and North Forks of Peachtree Creek.

Native American owl sculpture found in the South Fork

Recommended Reading

Peachtree Creek: A Natural and Unnatural History of Atlanta's Watershed

In 1990, SFC supporter Dave Kaufman decided to explore Peachtree Creek from its headwaters to the Chattahoochee River. For 13 years he paddled the creek, photographed it and researched its history as the Atlanta area's major watershed. The result is Peachtree Creek: A Natural And Unnatural History of Atlanta's Watershed, a compelling mix of urban travelogue, local history, and call for conservation. Click here for more information.