The above photos are of the second White Cliff Springs Hotel. It its heyday it was widely know for its healing waters and enjoyed an elite clientele. Even though President Roosevelt most often visited Georgia he once was on the guest list at White Cliff.
The motel was first constructed on the north/western side of Starr Mountain in 1860 but crude cabins were built in the early 1850's which were used as summer residences. Some of the families there were those of John Crawford Vaughn, Dr. Upton, the Stakely's and Benjamin Pettit. (The property had originally been granted to the Lasley brothers circa 1820, could also have been pronounced as Leslie.) The owners prided themselves on a hotel that was "well arranged and so thoroughly attended to that any guest within its walls knew nothing like discomfort". The original hotel burned sometime before 1871.
In May, 1871 Mr. Harvey Magill opened a new hotel that was three stories high, had wide verandas, massive columns with stairways and mantles made from native hardwood off the mountain. Under Mr. Magill's ownership the hotel became known as a resort. Hunter's had located a mineral spring near the hotel which contained magnesia, bicarbonate and chlorine. It even had a full time physician on staff through each season.
Visitors traveled by rail via Niota, Etowah (town formed in 1906), Tellico Junction (now Englewood) and Madisonville then by horse or buggy up the side of the mountain to the hotel.
