Historic Rockmart

Rock Mart was chartered on August 26, 1872, and Charles Taylor Parker became the first mayor. The town in northwest Georgia was incorporated under the name Rock Mart. The name was chosen because the town was truly a “Market of Rock.” On December 1, 1924, the name Rock Mart was changed to Rockmart.

The land had previously been owned by Colonel Seaborn Jones. In 1871, Colonel Jones had the area surveyed and the town was laid out along the railroad right of way. He sold lots to perspective merchants, and donated other town properties for a city park, a town square and beautiful Rose Hill to the city for a cemetery, reserving the highest lot for his family. He designed six plots for church sites, for both blacks and whites and sold them for the meager price of $1.00 to $5.00. He and his father built the Commercial Hotel in downtown between the Euharlee Creek and the new railroad. When Rockmart celebrated its Centennial in 1972, the official seal featured the hotel and the railroad.

About 1880 the slate quarries reopened and ended the decade with their most productive period. Today, many commercial buildings, churches and homes here and far away are covered with the slate from Rockmart. The Rockmart bricks have been seen on streets of London and have occasionally washed up on the beaches of Florida.

The population grew from 1,400 in 1920 to 3,264 in 1930. The increase was due mainly to the opening of the Goodyear Clearwater Mill #2 on December 12, 1929.

Rockmart became the 38th Certified City in Georgia upon its first apolication on July 13, 1976. In 1989, Rockmart was designated a Georgia Hometown Community in recognition of their dedication to the preservation and revitalization of the historic downtown area.

The Heritage of Polk County Georgia 1851-2000
Submitted by: Penny J. Bratcher, City Clerk, City of Rockmart