Ball Ground, Georgia

Ball Ground is a city in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 1,433.

History

Some records indicate Ball Ground was originally named Battle Ground on early maps. The town is located near fields that the Cherokee people used to play stick ball, a rough game similar to modern lacrosse. The large fields and abundance of freshwater streams made Ball Ground an alluring place for the large gatherings of Native Americans because the ball game required large, flat fields, and there were plenty of natural resources to support large groups of people. When settlers entered the area, the streams and fields attracted farmers, who dammed up creeks to create numerous man-made ponds and lakes. Most ponds and lakes still exist today, and Ball Ground still has a predominantly agriculture-based economy.

The community was incorporated on January 1, 1882, the same year that the railroad came through. Before that date, the community consisted of two country stores and a few dwellings. After the railroad's arrival, the town grew as a result of the marble-working industry.