Editing Austell, Georgia (section)

==History==
Game hunters and trappers frequently went through the area that is now Austell on their way to the area's salt licks. These early visitors claimed the area's waters had medicinal properties. It soon became a destination for therapeutic healing, leading to the founding of a town known as Salt Springs. As immigration increased and demand for land near the spring grew, G. O. Mozely donated and subdivided {{convert|40|acre|ha}} of his land, enhancing the loose settlement with a street plan. Later, the spring was renamed Lithia Springs due to the water containing [[lithium carbonate]], and the neighboring city of [[Lithia Springs, Georgia|Lithia Springs]] was founded in 1882. In 1888, the [[Lithia water|lithia spring water]] was bottled and sold under the commercial name Bowden Lithia Spring Water.<ref>Davis, Fannie Mae Davis (1987). ''From Indian Trail to Interstate 20, Douglas County History'', US.</ref> The historic lithia spring water is still bottled and sold under the name brand [[Lithia (water brand)|Lithia Spring Water]]. The [[Georgia Pacific Railway]]{{Efn|The Georgia Pacific Railway (not to be confused with the present-day [[Georgia-Pacific]] [[pulp and paper]] company) later merged into the [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]], which is now part of [[Norfolk Southern Railway]].|name=GaPacificRailway|group=}} chose the town of Austell to be a station depot, being the dividing point for the major [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] and [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] railway lines.<ref>[http://www.austellga.gov/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={BBE77ECF-C5F5-4447-8BBC-1D6E141564BE} Austell History]</ref>

Austell was incorporated in 1885.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Candler|first1=Allen Daniel|last2=Evans|first2=Clement Anselm|title=Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=05wSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA101|year=1906|publisher=State historical association|page=101}}</ref> The town is named for General Alfred Austell (1814–1881), in recognition of his efforts to bring major railways to the South.<ref name=":0">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Alfred Austell|encyclopedia=[[New Georgia Encyclopedia]]|access-date=February 26, 2012|author=Galloway, Tammy H.|url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2909}}</ref> General Austell also founded the Atlanta National Bank (later renamed First Atlanta), which eventually became part of [[Wachovia]]<ref name=":0" /> and later [[Wells Fargo]] through various mergers and acquisitions. General Austell is buried in an elaborate [[Gothic Revival]]–style mausoleum at the highest point in Atlanta's [[Oakland Cemetery (Atlanta)|Oakland Cemetery]].

In 2009, [[Sweetwater Creek (Chattahoochee River tributary)|Sweetwater Creek]] flooded, destroying many homes and businesses in the Austell area.<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/austell-flood-victims-seek-616590.html Austell Flood Victim Seeks Answers]</ref>