Ball Ground Minute

The City of Ball Ground Past, Present, and Future

By Karen Jordan

The City of Ball Ground is rich in history, and recently, many came together to celebrate it. Ball Ground Historical Society President Nancy Sosebee Madden kicked off the festivities with, Happy birthday Ball Ground!

Mayor Rick Roberts expressed his excitement about Ball Grounds progress after years of somewhat limited growth and change. Ball Ground has become a very desirable destination for new residents, visitors, and businesses. The City receives many positive comments about our ability to simultaneously maintain growth and our unique sense of place and no one ever mentions rocks anymore which is a great change!

Attendees spent the afternoon reminiscing with old friends about the good ol days while looking through historical pictures and documents from local churches, families that once owned and operated a business in Ball Ground, and local civic organizations.

Did you know long before Regions Bank came to Ball Ground there was a Citizens Bank? Lifelong resident and former Citizens Bank Vice President Jennie Byers displayed many interesting newspaper articles along with the original bank charter issued by the Secretary of State on September 28, 1826. Founding bank board members were H.H. Hardin, A.P. Roberts, M.G. Hendrix, W.M. Aaron, W.W. Groover, J. Wheeler, and C.T. McWhorter. Citizens Bank was located downtown until it outgrew its small building and relocated to its present-day location on Canton Highway 5.

The Frosty Bar, owned by Nora and Ollie Nix, was a popular hangout and dating site for young and old alike for 32 years. Noras daughter, Kay Fowler, displayed the old milkshake machine along with a bar stool, car hop tray, and other items that brought back fond memories of this popular site.

Richard Haithcock and Doug Dabbs displayed pictures of the Ball Ground Masonic Lodge #261, which was chartered in 1866. This organization was and is an important part of Ball Ground.

Ball Ground First Baptist, Sharp Mountain Baptist, Mica Baptist, and Ball Ground United Methodist Churches displayed pictures and other items related to their individual histories. Ball Ground First Baptist was established at the same time as the City of Ball Ground. Each of these churches have great respect for their history and in maintaining their historical records.

As we get older, we often gain an increased respect for history and its preservation. While every picture, newspaper clipping, or magazine article cant be saved, we can strive to save the important ones. People like Jennie Byers, Kay Nix, Tony Stancil, Anna Rainey Ballew, and many others have done just that. If they had not, so much of Ball Grounds past would be lost, and this event would never have taken place.

The celebration of Ball Grounds 135th birthday was a day to remember. It was a day of sharing stories of good times passed and wondering what the future holds for the place we all hold near and dear to our hearts.