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Memories of Frog Rock and the Springs

I was born in Lithia Springs, Georgia on what is now known as Groovers Lake Road, 94 years ago June 26th, 1915. There have been many changes in Lithia Springs, but not Frog Rock. It is still standing after being threatened to be demolished.

As a kid, that was a favorite place to go and play. I tried to climb to the top but could never make it. It was a hangout for all the kids in the community. There was a swimming pool and later a skating rink across Bankhead Highway from the Rock, so it was a good place for us kids to go. I have an original picture of the rock that I treasure very much. It was made by Mr. & Mrs. J.L. Causey that lived on the property and took care of the place for several years.

Many years ago very prominent people came from faraway places to get the water to drink, as it was told to be good to cure diseases of many kinds. They would stay at famous hotels, one in Lithia Springs and one in Austell, GA. Also they had a small train that they could ride to and from the hotels.

The water of Lithia Springs was shipped all over the nation. My father-in-law helped load the water to be shipped out. Lithia Springs was a famous place for quite a long time. After the hotel burned in Lithia Springs, it became many things.

The Brannon brothers had a dance hall and meeting places for awhile. Mr. Spiller, the manager of the “Atlanta Cracker Baseball Team” moved to Lithia Springs in 1950 and built a motel on the prop-erty and that lasted for several years. His son-in-law, Johnny Suggs, a member of the Crackers, moved here to take over the motel, but even-tually it was demolished. He then built a golf course in a circle that crossed Bankhead Highway. That was a big thing for Lithia Springs! He, his wife and two children, Raele and Louise ran the golf course for a long time. My father-in-law and sons worked on the course and greens keeping the grass mowed. It was a very popular place.

Louise, Johnny Suggs’ daughter became a very famous woman golfer. She is the only female inductee into the “Golf Hall of Fame.” Austell claims her, but she lived in Lithia Springs. We have heard that there will be a memorial placed on Lithia Springs Property to honor her.

After I married, we lived in places near the springs, first on Dum-my Train Line in 1930 and now on Causey Road (from 1955) that adjoins the golf course. We had a dog that would hear the golf balls hit the Green, then run over and steal the balls before the player could get up the hill to the Green.

During this time you could still buy the water for 5 cents a gallon. Later the golf course went out of business, Lithia Springs changed and old Dr. Garrett’s medical office was moved from its original site to Lithia Springs and saved as a museum where they started shipping the water out again.

A shopping center has been built with several businesses and an Arby’s fast food restaurant in the place where the old golf course was. But my favorite place, “Frog Rock” still stands though it is hard to see since Bankhead Highway has been built up to stop the flood waters from coming across the highway.

Submitted by Clara Belcher

� HIPP MAGAZINE Fall 2009

Photo by Larry Hunter, Sweetwater Camera Club. Portrait of Clara Belcher and her daughter Betty Lee Bird. Not pictured is Clara’s daughter Frances Weaver.

FrogRockPictured left is Gleda James

standing next to Frog Rock many

years ago. Right is Frog Rock today.