The Farm House Heritage Park will receive a $1.9 million facelift from Hasbun Construction. Located at the northeast corner of Ga. 400 and Old Milton Parkway, the park will mark a site that many consider the first settlement in Alpharetta.
The settlement at the Farm House site predates Alpharetta’s 1858 charter and once included a grist mill, sawmill, cotton gin, post office and general store. A dam was constructed to provide power to operate the mills and cotton gin. The grist mill operated as late as the 1920s. Its dam created a backwater, which was used as a swimming hole into the 1950s.
Historical documents show the site served as a thriving commercial center that straddled an important trade route between 1834 to 1858.
Mike Buchanan, author and co-creator of the documentary “Saving Farm House,” says he is pleased the city is taking measures to preserve its history. Alpharetta may have undergone momentous changes since, but the city’s sense of community has persevered.
“We need Farm House to be in our history. Therefore, Farm House needs us,” Buchanan says. "History, like natural resources, must be preserved lest they be lost forever."
The park will include a 12-foot boardwalk path, overlook, historical markers, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant accessibility and entrance plaza. Construction is expected to take less than a year.
The area also is uniquely situated with other recreational facilities with connectivity to the Alpha Loop and the Big Creek Greenway. Situated at the midpoint, it will serve as a natural anchor between the two trails.
Voters approved the project as part of the $29.5 million parks bond passed in 2021.