Talk:Sope Creek

Cleanup?
Does this still need cleanup? Tamarkot 20:26, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

Still needs many internal links
This article is large and there are many names, places, etc. that need internal links. Noles1984 15:58, 2 December 2006 (UTC)

Origin of the name
Basic structure is description of OR, in 1st person. At best it needs a complete rewrite, at worst it should all be thrown away. The most logical way to search for a topic in this day and age is by name. The name “Sope Creek” led to a small number of hits on a wide array of search engines. I knew that there was Civil War significance to Sope Creek, but I could not find any reference as such. The idea arose that spelling was a higher art in the 19th century, so the search was expanded to “Soap Creek.” This led to a great deal of hits, many of which were from the Civil War era.

There seems to be at least one other “Soap Creek” in Georgia history, possibly two. The first is located in what is now Lincoln County, Georgia. It starts in Wilkes County and used to run 15 miles (24 km) to the Savannah River. Today, much of the old creek is now an inlet. It has shortened considerably since the damming of the Savannah River at J. Strom Thurmond Dam.

The second is now called Sofkee Creek. Sofkee Creek is a tributary of Tired Creek which runs into the Ochlockonee River approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of Tallahassee, Florida. According to a book written by amateur historian Ken Krakow, at one point Sofkee Creek might have been called Sope, Soap, or Sofka Creek. While the origin of the name is uncertain, Krakow asserts that Sofkee Creek was the home of the Cherokee Chief, “Old Sope”. The problem with Krakow’s assertion is that the Sofkee Creek is located in Grady County, which is on the southern border of Georgia. It is unlikely, although not out of the question, that a Cherokee settled that far south. If the idea of a Native American is correct, it is more likely to be a Creek or Seminole than a Cherokee.

Further contradictory evidence is given to Krakow’s claim, that the old Cherokee was located in southern Georgia, just two years before the publishing of his book. In 1973, the Georgia Historical Commission (GHC) prepared a report to the United States Department of the Interior’s National Park Service. The goal of this report was for the Paper Mill ruins at Sope Creek to gain acceptance to the National Register of Historic Places inventory. In that report, the GHC alluded to previous Native American occupation. According to the GHC, the area along the Sope Creek (Cobb) riverbanks showed “definite indications of Indian occupation prior to the white industrial development of the area in the 19th century”. Additionally, the GHC said that the explanation for the spelling of S-O-P-E, instead of S-O-A-P, was “that the Creek is named for a Cherokee Indian called “Old Sope” who lived in the area perhaps even after the Removal.” Old Sope was said to teach his ways to the children of settlers. It has been told that when troops came to force him to leave on the Trail of Tears, local settlers protected Old Sope and told the Georgia Guard to leave. The old chief is said to be buried in near by Sewell's Cemetery.

As of 1973, no archaeological investigations were made, and no evidence was present of any made after 1973. Given the extensive buildup of residential properties and the construction of an interceptor sewer in the mid 1970s, it is quite possible any evidence of Old Sope’s home is either lost or on private property. Currently, only the west bank of Sope Creek between Paper Mill Road and Columns Drive is directly unaffected by development. What can be said of Old Sope was taken by the GHC from an 1836 federal valuation of Cherokee property. According to the GHC, the valuation says that Old Sope possessed “a cabin” and “some peach and apple trees.” --Jerzy•t 05:43, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

The little ferry that didn’t
This also reeks of OR, and what the locals remember is not part of the notable aspects  of the topic, but there are a few clear (if undocumented) facts. The Atlanta metro area is lined with street and road names that conjure images of the 19th century. Names like Powers Ferry, Johnson Ferry, Howell Mill, Collier Mill, and Paces Ferry are all part of the Atlanta lexicon. At many of these old ferry locations, roads and bridges have been built. But the journey to see what locals knew about their local history, not a single patron mentioned Isom’s Ferry. In 1851, James Isom founded a ferry that crossed the Chattahoochee at the mouth of Sope Creek. Today, there is hardly any record of Isom’s Ferry. During the 1850s, Isom amassed sizable wealth for the time, owning a great deal of land and three slaves. He died in 1866, and his son-in-law John Heard took over the operations. Heard ran the ferry until 1890. The main reason for the lack of knowledge of James Isom is the fact that after he died, his son-in-law changed the name of the ferry. Heard’s Ferry has some minor name recognition, but mainly on the Fulton County side of the river. Changes for new version:
 * The Atlanta metro area is lined with street and road names that conjure images of the 19th century. Names like Powers Ferry, Johnson Ferry, Howell Mill, Collier Mill, and Paces Ferry are all part of the Atlanta lexicon.  At many of these old ferry locations, roads and bridges have been built.  But the journey to see what locals knew about their local history, not a single patron mentioned Isom’s Ferry.  	 In 1851, James Isom founded a ferry that crossed the Chattahoochee at the mouth of Sope Creek .  Today, there is hardly any record of Isom’s Ferry., and, 	  D during  the 1850s, Isom amassed sizable wealth for the time, came to own ing a great deal of land and three  slave  s, and to be considered wealthy. He died in 1866, and his son-in-law John Heard took over the operations .  Heard ran , running the ferry as  Heard’s Ferry until 1890. 	  The main reason for the lack of knowledge of James Isom is the fact that after he died, his son-in-law changed the name of the ferry. Heard’s Ferry has some minor name recognition, but mainly on the Fulton County side of the river.

--Jerzy•t 05:43, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Overall scope
An encyclopedia is designed to "teach all things". As is a formal education lasting thru the ages from 5 or 6 to 22 or 24. The difference between them is that the latter takes up a third or quarter of your life, while the former is supposed to take (except in exceptional cases) 2 to 20 minutes; it accomplishes that by being divided into "articles" that collectively have a scope similar to the nearly 18-year-long process, but individually stay short by each letting the others set the stage for them rather than doing it themselves as an essay or book does. This article needs to, for instance, lk to the Sherman's March article, while reducing
 * The largest body of water between Chattanooga where Sherman started, and Atlanta, was the Chattahoochee River. If there was any time in which the one portion of the Army of the Mississippi could become separated, and therefore vulnerable, crossing the Chattahoochee was it.

to something like
 * The crossing of the Chattahoochee presented Johnston with the best opportunity to divide and damage the Army of the Mississippi.

--Jerzy•t 05:43, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Sope Creek Headwaters
I reside in the Church Street/Cherokee Street Historic District of Marietta, in a home built in 1900. Since purchasing my home in 2008, I have been interested in learning as much as I can about my house and the property upon which it sits - formerly a Pecan Grove for Ivy Grove Plantation, which is located 400 yards to the north. Behind my home is a little stream, which serves as the rear property line of my lot (as well as the homes to the north and south of me). As I began to clear a path to the stream and have endeavored to clean it up a bit, I became curious about where the stream goes and if/what its name might be? After researching that question, I was surprised and excited to learn that my little babbling brook is in reality the headwaters (which originate a mere 100 yards or so to the north) of Sope Creek - A well-known tributary to the Chattahoochee River and which enters the river near where I grew up on Riverside Drive (on the Fulton County east bank) as a boy! I am very familiar with the last couple of miles of Sope Creek, as it descends to the Chattahoochee, but quite excited to know that I live with it's tame little headwaters, literally, in my own backyard. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rwilliamleeiii (talk • contribs) 18:17, 3 May 2012 (UTC)

Union Army information
May 4, 1864 is one of many start dates of the Atlanta Campaign. Sherman had already been promoted.

Randy Golden (talk) 19:27, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 2 one external links on Sope Creek. Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20121221105223/http://www.nps.gov:80/chat/planyourvisit/sopecreek.htm to http://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/sopecreek.htm
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20140102194232/http://static-71-126-182-50.washdc.fios.verizon.net/marker.asp?marker=53527 to http://static-71-126-182-50.washdc.fios.verizon.net/marker.asp?marker=53527

When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true to let others know.

Cheers.—cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 07:42, 11 January 2016 (UTC)