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14 Visit West Georgia, Spring 2017
Y
ou’re standing on a wooden platform high above
the trees, then you purposefully step off into the
open air.
But not to worry; you’re attached to a small set of
wheels that ride a long, thin steel cable that stretches
far off into the distance. As you pick up speed, those
wheels start to whine like a jet engine – a noise you
can barely hear as the wind whips past your ears.
The snug harness from which you hang tugs around
your ribs as you bounce about, zooming over the
trees, soaring over the creek as you head for your
friends, waiting ahead.
Welcome to the zip lines at
Historic Banning
Mills
! This is one of the most unique attractions in
all of west Georgia, a combination Nature preserve,
thrill ride and conference center, all rolled into one.
The Screaming Eagle canopy tour is certified by
Guinness World Records as the largest and best
such zipline course, with six levels to choose from
and which let you zoom for almost 10 miles above
the trees.
Here you will find challenges that are safe for kids
and others that are for extreme-minded adults.
Each level involves several sky bridges that link
many lines of course, each presenting a different
type of adventure for one and all. All the levels are
led by certified and expert guides, and the zip line
equipment is constantly checked so that the most
fastest, most extreme tour is done in complete
safety.
Located in the Snake Creek Gorge, this family resort
is surrounded by beautiful scenery. The country
inn is perfect for a family retreat or romantic
getaway. It’s located on the site of a once flourishing
manufacturing community that was founded in 1846
by the Bowen brothers.
The textile mill in the community contained 500
yarn producing spindles. The mills and town that
developed in the community was originally known
as Bowensville. The textile mill, known as the Amis
Mill, operated throughout most of the Civil War.
During the war, federal troops were ordered to
find and burn mills like this, but by the time they
discovered Amis Mill, most of the equipment had
been shipped to South Carolina.
In 1878, Arthur Hutcheson acquired the textile
mill and U.B. Wilkinson acquired a paper mill also
located on site. By 1882, the textile mill, known as
Hutcheson Manufacturing Company, had 2,000
spindles and 14 cards which manufactured warp and
bunchy yarn. It was at this time that the name of the
Banning Mill
205 Horseshoe Dam Rd, Whitesburg