Arabia Mountain

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Arabia Mountain
View from Arabia Mountain, Sept 2017.jpg
View from the summit of Arabia Mountain
Highest point
Elevation 955 ft (291 m)
Prominence 172 ft (52 m)
Coordinates 33°39′54″N84°7′6″W / 33.66500°N 84.11833°W / 33.66500; -84.11833
Geography
Location DeKalb County, Georgia
Climbing
First ascent unknown
Easiest route Hike
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
USA Georgia location map.svg
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Usa edcp location map.svg
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LocationSoutheast of Atlanta, Georgia
Nearest city Lithonia, Georgia
Coordinates 33°39′54″N84°7′6″W / 33.66500°N 84.11833°W / 33.66500; -84.11833
Established2006
Governing bodyArabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance

Arabia Mountain, a part of Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, is the northern of two peaks in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. A low saddle separates it from Bradley Mountain, several hundred feet to its south. The two form a monadnock. The peak is 955 feet (290 m) above sea level, rising 172 feet (52 m) above Arabia Lake reservoir. Bradley Mountain is closer to the visitor trails than Arabia Mountain and is often misidentified by visitors as Arabia Mountain.

Contents

The mountain is also in a namesake National Heritage Area [1] in the U.S. state of Georgia that encompasses natural, cultural, and historical elements to form a cohesive, nationally significant landscape. [2] The area is due east of Atlanta and spans 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) reaching from the historic commercial center of Lithonia to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, including a number of sites in between, including Panola Mountain State Park, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, the historic Flat Rock Community with the Flat Rock Archives, and more. The National Heritage Area was established in 2006 and is coordinated by the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Alliance, which includes board members, representatives from the community and local organizations, and staff.

Additionally, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve includes 2,550 acres in DeKalb County, Georgia with a multi-use bike path, hiking trails, and lakes for fishing. The park features large exposed granite formations, wetlands, pine forest, oak forest, streams habitat and two lakes. Plant species include the rare red diamorpha in the winter and yellow daises in the fall. The area included rock quarries and abandoned structures from the mining operations. [3]

History

Although there is little historical evidence about what existed in the lands that currently make up the National Heritage Area, by the time of Anglo-American settlement in the early 19th century, the area was sparsely populated by Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee Tribes. It is believed that the area was a buffer between the two nations, used as a trade and transportation corridor. The land was ceded to the State of Georgia by the Muscogee in 1821. The land was then distributed to settlers via the Georgia Land Lotteries. Throughout the rest of the 19th and most of the 20th centuries, the area remained very sparsely populated, with many of the roads remaining unpaved until the mid-1900s. [4] The railroad connecting Atlanta and Augusta runs through the area. This railroad helped historically supported Lithonia's quarry industry, which was fed by the granite gneiss of numerous area quarries, including Arabia Mountain. [5] Otherwise, much of the surrounding land was used for small-scale farming. The remains of the agricultural landscape are still visible in the National Heritage Area, including at the Lyon Farm, [6] Vaughters Farm, [7] and Parker House. [8] Small settlements developed along crossroads, the South River (Upper Ocmulgee River [4] [9] ), and the railroad, such as the Klondike National Historic District, Flat Rock Community, and downtown Lithonia, Georgia. [9]

The existence of the Atlanta Augusta Railroad allowed the granite quarrying industry in the area to flourish in the late 1800s. [10] Remnants of this industry can be seen throughout the Heritage Area in the form of quarry office ruins, rock ledges, and drill holes on the rock. Unlike Arabia, Panola Mountain was never quarried because of its geologic qualities such as softer texture and veining. [11]

Like Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain was quarried for decades before the property was turned over to the DeKalb park system. Structures and excavations from the quarry operations can be seen throughout the park. The stone quarried from Arabia Mountain, officially called "Tidal Grey", was prized for its high structural density and compressive strength as well as its "swirl" pattern. Tidal Grey Arabia Mountain can be seen in the construction of buildings for the U.S. Naval Academy, the Brooklyn Bridge, and street curbing in Atlanta as well as many other Georgia cities. [12] Prior to 1880, the stone was hand quarried but starting in 1879, workers used drills, dynamite and air compressors to "raise a ledge" or sever a large block of stone from the mass. That allowed more control over the size of the stone and large stones could be used for dimensional or building construction. The proximity to the railroad meant that the Tidal Grey could be easily transported across the country.

Another advancement to the quarrying industry at Arabia Mountain was the discovery that adding granite grit to chicken feed helped with the birds' digestion. The Davidson family, which owned several quarries in the area, became the largest supplier of poultry grit in the world. They claimed that the sparkling particles of mica in the Stonemo grit attracted the eye and helped the chicken's gizzard break down food. The company was so successful in distributing their feed additive, a Time magazine article from 1941 reported the U.S. government allowed them to continue to operate during WWII in the name of national defense. In 1949, the Lithonia district produced nearly 1.5 million tons of granite valued at the time at $3 million. [13]

The proximity of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area to Atlanta, the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country during the 2000s [10] leaves it vulnerable to overdevelopment. This threat of encroaching sprawl was recognized after nearly a decade, as the area was determined to be a significant part of national history and earned congressional designation as a National Heritage Area in 2006.

Geology

A quarry at Arabia Mountain, c. 1910 Bulletin 426 Plate XXVII B Arabia Mountain Quarry.jpg
A quarry at Arabia Mountain, c. 1910

The defining feature that gives the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area its significance at the national level is its granite outcroppings, called monadnocks. These monadnocks are composed of a granitoid rock and are interspersed with islands of plant life. [14] The Metro-Atlanta area has multiple monadnocks, including Stone Mountain, Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain. [10] Arabia and Panola Mountains are located within the Heritage Area. [15]

The monadnocks were formed when erosion resistant rock is exposed after softer rock is eroded over time. The individual characteristics of the monadnock are determined by the individual processes that formed the granite. For example, Arabia Mountain features a unique "swirl" pattern due to the heat and pressure that caused Arabia Mountain to have a taffy-like consistency when it was cooling over 400 million years ago. Bands of different minerals folded and twisted, creating the "tidal swirl" pattern seen today . By contrast, Panola Mountain has a flakier rock with less compressive strength due to differences in cooling rates. Panola Mountain also has a darker colored rock and different mineral grains. Differences in mineral composition between Panola and Stone Mountains indicated different magma sources at the time of formation. [11]

Arabia Mountain appears to be composed of granite. Although made of metamorphic rock, the mountain is actually composed of migmatite, metamorphosed at higher temperatures than gneiss but not sufficiently melted to become granite. The resulting swirl pattern made the rock a popular building stone and many buildings in the region were constructed with stone quarried from the Lithonia district quarries. [16]

Botany and endangered plants

The seemingly barren landscape of Arabia Mountain is teeming with plant life specially adapted to live in the mountain's harsh environment. Arabia Mountain is one of five locations in the US where black-spored quillwort ( Isoetes melanospora ) is found. It is one of 44 locations in the US where little amphianthus ( Amphianthus pusillus ) is found. These are endangered species protected by Georgia and federal law. The largest and most important population of black-spored quillwort and one of the largest Amphianthus populations occur here. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's five-year review of these species, completed in 2008, states that "enforcement to protect sensitive areas needs improvement" in the Arabia Mountain area." [17]

Arabia Mountain is one of a small number of locations in the southeastern United States where Small's stonecrop ( Diamorpha smallii ) thrives (this plant is not listed as an endangered species in Georgia [18] or the US, but is in Tennessee [19] ). When granite and similar stone outcrops are exposed to erosion, over time, small depressions, called solution pools, form where weaker rock wears away faster than surrounding rock (often assisted by lichen). Over time, these depressions fill with sand washed down from higher locations, which accumulates a small amount of organic content from decaying dead leaves and other detritus, as well as rain water. Small's stonecrop then takes hold in these sandy hollows.

Primary Succession:

It took thousands of years for plants and trees to grow in the granite outcroppings. The first plants on the mountains were lichens, which draw nutrients from dust and rainwater. Acids from these lichens and mosses gradually formed pits in the rock, called chemical erosion. This allowed shallow amounts of soil to accumulate, providing a place for more plant life to take root. This process is called Primary Succession as a succession of plants colonize the rock from lichen, to mosses, to diamorpha and larger plants, then gradually accumulating enough soil to support shrubs and trees. [20]

Physical Weathering:

Not only does plant matter such as moss erode the rock and help to build soil levels in the pits, but the stone is also weathered by non-chemical factors. Wind, freeze-thaw cycles, and even lightning strikes cause the rock to fragment and breakdown. Cracks can form, giving another foothold to plant life, and the rock is broken into particles that add to the shallow soil.

The Edge Effect:

Due to the variety of eco-systems within the Heritage Area, the "edge effect" allows for greater biodiversity where two or more ecosystems intersect. For example, where the rock outcroppings border forests, the shallow soil retains more moisture due to runoff and can support the species of both the rock outcropping and the forest. [21]

Preservation

In the 1970s, the Davidson family donated over 500 acres including Arabia Mountain and surrounding lands to DeKalb County as a nature preserve for local residents to enjoy. Since then, the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve has been expanded several times and now includes 2,550 acres, several granite outcrops and two lakes.

On October 12, 2006, the mountain and Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve were designated as nationally significant as a part of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area [22] in recognition of its cultural, historical and natural features. [23]

Bicycle trail

The PATH Foundation has completed more than 30 miles of a 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) concrete road for pedestrian and bicycle use running from downtown Lithonia to Stonecrest Mall and thence through the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve to Panola Mountain State Park, ending at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. This includes a spur to a parking area on Klondike Road and a spur to the DeKalb County School System's Murphey Candler Elementary School and Arabia Mountain High School. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeKalb County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United states

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lithonia, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redan, Georgia</span> CDP in Georgia, United States

Redan is a census-designated place (CDP) in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a total population of 31,749. It is a predominantly African American community in eastern DeKalb County, and is a suburb of Atlanta.

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The Atlanta, Stone Mountain and Lithonia Railway (ASM&L) was a rock quarry railroad that began operations in 1909. A "common carrier" railroad it had lines connecting to the Georgia Railroad and primarily served granite and gneiss quarries at Lithonia and at Stone Mountain in DeKalb County. It operated 4 miles of track from Lithonia, Georgia, to a quarry near Rock Chapel, Georgia.

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The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is a school district headquartered at 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, near Stone Mountain and in the Atlanta metropolitan area. DCSD operates public schools in areas of DeKalb County that are not within the city limits of Atlanta and Decatur. It will serve a portion of Atlanta annexed by that city in 2018 until 2024, when that portion will be re-assigned to Atlanta Public Schools (APS).

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Isoetes melanospora, commonly known as black-spored quillwort or black-spored Merlin's grass, is a rare and endangered aquatic lycophyte endemic to the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina. It grows exclusively in shallow, temporary pools on granite outcrops, often with only 2 cm of soil. 11 populations are known to exist in Georgia, while only one has been recorded in South Carolina, though this population is believed to be extirpated. The number of sites has dropped from 18 following its discovery due to habitat destruction caused by quarrying, trash dumping and trampling. New leaves quickly sprout after fall and winter rains, but during the dry summer months these typically shrivel.

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The Arabia Mountain Path (AMP) is a paved biking and hiking trail connecting sites within the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, built by the PATH Foundation. The trail covers more than 30 linear miles and features hills, sections of boardwalk, a serpentine bridge, and access to 13 free trail head parking areas. The AMP connects a number of visitor destinations and recreational areas including Panola Mountain State Park, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, the Mall at Stonecrest, and historic Lithonia, Georgia.

Flat Rock is a historic African American community in DeKalb County, Georgia. It is located within the city of Stonecrest, as well as the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Flat Rock is believed to be one of the oldest African American settlements in DeKalb County. In 1820, the area rested along the border of Creek and Cherokee Nation hunting grounds when it was settled during the Georgia Land Lottery. In 1865, after the end of the Civil War, the era of reconstruction provided opportunity for former enslaved people to stay in the area to build schools, churches, and civic organizations and create the tight knit African American Flat Rock Community. The community has continued to live in the area and have experienced the Black Codes, Jim Crow and the Great Migration. The area currently houses the Flat Rock Archives, which specialize in preserving African American rural history in Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonecrest, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Stonecrest is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The boundaries of the city generally lie in the far southeastern corner of the county, and a smaller portion just north of Interstate 20. The city borders the existing municipality of Lithonia, as well as Rockdale and Henry counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Seminary (Lithonia, Georgia)</span> Historic house in Georgia, United States

The Seminary is a historic building at 6886 Main Street in Lithonia, Georgia. Originally constructed as a school in 1895, over the years it has also served as a hotel and a private home. It is currently used as a multi-tenant office building. It was entered into the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on November 15, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heggie's Rock</span>

Heggie's Rock is a large granite outcropping in Columbia County, Georgia, United States. Declared a National Natural Landmark in 1980, the property was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flat Rock Archives</span> Archives in Stonecrest, Georgia, USA

The Flat Rock Archives is an African American historical museum located in the city of Stonecrest, Georgia. The mission of the archive is to preserve rural African American history in Georgia. The archive is located in a historic home built by T.A. Bryant, Sr., and was donated in 2005, by Rev. T.A. Bryant, Jr. and his sister, Zudia Guthrie, to preserve and store all the Flat Rock records and documents. It was established as a museum and resource to genealogical and historic research, as well as a heritage tourism site. The Flat Rock Archives consists of a variety of historic sites including the Flat Rock African American Historic Cemetery. All of these sites are located within the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. See Flat Rock, Georgia to learn more about the history of this area.

References

  1. ↑ "Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Heritage Areas, National Park Service, Frequently Asked Questions." National Park Service. Accessed February 10, 2015. http://www.nps.gov/heritageareas/FAQ/.
  3. ↑ Arabia Alliance
  4. 1 2 "OVERVIEW". South River Watershed Alliance. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Arabia Past: Discover the Davidson Quarry". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. October 10, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Lyon Farm". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Vaughters' Barn". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Parker House". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Ocmulgee River". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 "Management Plan". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  11. 1 2 Pamela J.W. Gore and William Witherspoon,Roadside Geology of Georgia, (Missoula, MO: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2013)
  12. ↑ arabiaalliance.org
  13. ↑ "Granite & Technology".
  14. ↑ Leslie Edwards, Jonathan Ambrose, and L. Kathrine Kirkman, The Natural Communities of Georgia, (Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2013)
  15. ↑ "Visitor Guide". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area", Granite & Technology.
  17. ↑ US Fish and Wildlife Service. "Three Granite Outcrop Plants – 5-year Review" (PDF). Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  18. ↑ US Fish and Wildlife Service. "Federally Threatened and Endangered Plants found in Georgia". Archived from the original on June 5, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  19. ↑ Division of Natural Areas, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. "Tennessee Natural Heritage Program Rare Planet List" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  20. ↑ Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Interpretive Panel, C-1
  21. ↑ Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Interpretive Panel, B-2
  22. ↑ Government Printing Office. "Public Law 109-338" . Retrieved May 23, 2007.
  23. ↑ "What is a National Heritage Area?". Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Arabia Mountain Alliance. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  24. ↑ PATH Foundation. "The Arabia Mountain Trail". Archived from the original on July 25, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
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