Editing Ball Ground, Georgia (section)

==History==
===Early history and settlement===
The area that encompasses Ball Ground was originally inhabited by both the [[Cherokee]] and the [[Muscogee Nation|Muscogee Creek]], until the [[Battle of Taliwa]], which took place in what later became Ball Ground in 1755, between the Cherokee and the Muscogee Creek, ending with a Cherokee victory and forcing the Creek out of the territory.<ref name="taliwa">{{Cite web |title=Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee – Historical Events |url=https://georgiatribeofeasterncherokee.org/historical-events |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922221757/https://georgiatribeofeasterncherokee.org/historical-events |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |access-date=September 20, 2022 |website=[[Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Following the passing of the [[Indian Removal Act]] in 1830, the Cherokee were slowly relocated out of Cherokee County, including the Ball Ground area.<ref name="pbs">{{Cite web |title=Indian removal |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418182301/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |access-date=September 20, 2022 |website=[[PBS]]}}</ref><ref name="pcp_may1972" /> The area of Ball Ground and the surrounding Cherokee County was distributed to European-Americans via the 1832 [[Georgia Land Lotteries]], though the lands were not settled by them until the 1835 [[Treaty of New Echota]] caused the Cherokee to fully leave North Georgia and relocate west of the Mississippi River as part of the [[Cherokee removal]] out of North Georgia.<ref name="smith_lottery">{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=James F. |url=https://archive.org/details/cherokeelandlott00smit/page/n13/mode/2up |title=The Cherokee land lottery, containing a numerical list of the names of the fortunate drawers in said lottery, with an engraved map of each district |date=1838 |publisher=[[Harper (publisher)|Harper & Brothers]] |location=New York |page=Forward}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Starr |first=Emmet |url=http://archive.org/details/historyofcheroke00lcstar |title=History of the Cherokee Indians and their legends and folk lore |date=1921 |publisher=The Warden company |location=Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |pages=85–86}}</ref>

The name Ball Ground was initially given by settlers to refer to an area of land, not for the town or community.<ref name="fy2022">{{Cite web |last=Cherokee County Finance Department |date=2022 |title=Cherokee County, Georgia Fiscal Year 2022 Adopted Budget |url=https://www.cherokeega.com/Finance/_resources/Budget/Cherokee-County-GA-2022-Adopted-Budget.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051755/https://www.cherokeega.com/Finance/_resources/Budget/Cherokee-County-GA-2022-Adopted-Budget.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |access-date=September 22, 2022 |website=Cherokee County, Georgia Government |page=108}}</ref> [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] would use the area as a [[Pitch (sports field)|ballground]] to play a game similar to [[town ball]], and settlers named the town Ball Ground in reference to this.<ref name="ajc1885">{{Cite news |date=October 9, 1885 |title=Constitutionals |pages=5 |publisher=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109841300/1885-account-of-origins/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051757/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109841300/1885-account-of-origins/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Over time details were added to the story of why the town was named Ball Ground. One such story was that the site was so named because it was the location of a 1532 game of ball between Native Americans playing against [[Hernando de Soto]] and his men, in a game umpired by the owner of the [[Fountain of Youth]]. When a fight broke out during the game, the umpire was killed, taking the secret of the location of the Fountain of Youth with him.<ref name="ajc1891">{{Cite news |date=July 25, 1891 |title=Humorous account of the origin of the name of Ball Ground |pages=4 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109841463/1891-ball-ground-news-name-origin/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051759/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109841463/1891-ball-ground-news-name-origin/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Another story attested as "local folklore" by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce says that the site is named Ball Ground because of a game of [[Indigenous North American stickball|stickball]] played between the Cherokee and Creek "for the prize of a thousand square miles of land".<ref name="cherokee_coc">{{Cite web |title=Communities |url=https://cherokeechamber.com/our-community/life-in-cherokee/communities/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129225951/https://cherokeechamber.com/our-community/life-in-cherokee/communities/ |archive-date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=September 20, 2022 |website=Cherokee Chamber of Commerce}}</ref>

After acquisition from the Cherokee in the 1830s, Ball Ground was originally settled as farmland and had few people living in the area.<ref name="fy2022" /> By 1847, the Ball Ground area had a post office, which was one of ten post offices within Cherokee County.<ref name="constitutionalist1847">{{Cite news |date=September 29, 1847 |title=1847 Ball Ground Post Office |pages=1 |work=The Daily Constitutionalist and Republic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109857635/1847-ball-ground-post-office/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051759/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109857635/1847-ball-ground-post-office/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1882, just before the town was established, Ball Ground had six homes and two [[General store|country stores]].<ref name="marlin">{{Cite book |last=Marlin |first=Lloyd G. |title=The History of Cherokee County |publisher=Walter G. Brown Publishing Co. |year=1932 |location=Atlanta |pages=126–129}}</ref>

Meetings were held in 1875 in various areas including Ball Ground to discuss the possibility of a railroad being built through Ball Ground and other nearby areas.<ref name="ajc1875">{{Cite news |date=October 1, 1875 |title=Meetings in the interest of the Marietta and North Georgia railroad |pages=4 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109923738/1875-railroad/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051758/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109923738/1875-railroad/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1881 work began on a railroad to Ball Ground using [[chain gang]]s for labor and [[Grading (earthworks)|grading]] on the railroad's path was completed in Ball Ground that same year.<ref name="ajc1881">{{Cite news |date=May 18, 1881 |title=The completion of the Marietta and North Georgia railroad is now beginning to shape itself into facts. |pages=1 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109844357/ball-ground-terminus/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051826/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109844357/ball-ground-terminus/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The resulting track was part of the [[Georgia Northeastern Railroad|Marietta and North Georgia Railroad]] and was completed in 1882. Upon completion the [[Train station#Terminus|terminus]] of the railroad was the newly constructed [[Train station|depot]] in Ball Ground.<ref name="smn1882">{{Cite news |date=August 11, 1882 |title=Georgia Farmers – A Delightful Trip Over the Marietta and North Georgia Road |pages=1 |work=[[Savannah Morning News]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109927001/1882-marietta-and-north-georgia-road/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109927001/1882-marietta-and-north-georgia-road/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

A town was built around the Ball Ground depot using surrounding land that was donated by thirteen nearby landowners for the express purpose of establishing a town. The deed of transfer to the railroad company noted that “The consideration moving each of us in the establishing of this town is the enhanced value to our lands within and adjacent to the said town, and the general benefit to the country, by which we shall be benefited.”<ref name="marlin" /> The donated land was split into 200 lots and sold via an auction held in Ball Ground on April 18, 1883, along with other additional properties including a {{cvt|65|acre|ha sqmi}} farm and a nearby mill.<ref name="frierson">{{Cite news |last=Frierson |first=T.A. |date=April 8, 1883 |title=Ball Ground – 200 fine lots at auction Wednesday, April 18 |pages=5 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109824210/1883-real-estate-ad/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051759/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109824210/1883-real-estate-ad/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The next year in 1884, the town had approximately 300 residents.<ref name="ajc1884">{{Cite news |date=October 5, 1884 |title=Ball Ground |pages=2 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2045378/the-state-of-newly-incorporated-ball/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051827/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2045378/the-state-of-newly-incorporated-ball/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===Incorporation as a town===
Ball Ground was [[Incorporated town|incorporated]] as a town by [[Municipal charter|town charter]] on September 27, 1883, by an act of the [[Georgia General Assembly]]. The town limits were set as "one half mile in every direction from the present railroad crossing on the Gilmer Ferry road; that it shall be known and distinguished as the town of Ball Ground."<ref name="charter1883">{{cite act |type=Act |date=September 27, 1883 |article=401 |article-type=Municipal Corporation |legislature=Georgia General Assembly |title=To Incorporate the Town of Ball Ground, in Cherokee County |page=476–479 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCBLAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22An+act+to+incorporate+the+town+of+Ball+Ground+in+the+county+of+Cherokee%22&pg=PA476 }} {{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCBLAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22An+act+to+incorporate+the+town+of+Ball+Ground+in+the+county+of+Cherokee%22&pg=PA476 |title=Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly |date=1883 |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Acts_and_Resolutions_of_the_General_Asse/eCBLAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22An+act+to+incorporate+the+town+of+Ball+Ground+in+the+county+of+Cherokee%22&pg=PA476&printsec=frontcover |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

In January 1896 a judge approved the sale of the Marietta and North Georgia railroad to the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern railway due to nonpayment of loans by the former railroad. The property to be sold included the depots along the railroad route which included the Ball Ground depot.<ref name="ajc_jan1896">{{Cite news |date=January 7, 1896 |title=Judge Newman Confirms the Sale of the Marietta and North Georgia Road |pages=9 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109962797/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109962797/the-atlanta-constitution/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The plaintiffs in the case were those owed money by the railroad and gave loans that were taken out to charter the railroad,<ref name="tmn_march1896">{{Cite news |date=March 1, 1896 |title=May Delay the Bondholders – A New Feature in the M. and N. Ga. Litigation |pages=8 |work=The Morning News (of Savannah, Georgia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109962245/may-delay-the-bondholders/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109962245/may-delay-the-bondholders/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> but the scheduled April 1896 sale of the railroad was subsequently delayed through the courts by order of the same judge that initially approved the sale.<ref name="tmn_april1896_2">{{Cite news |date=April 23, 1896 |title=Marietta and North Georgia – The Sale of the Property Ordered Postponed |pages=2 |work=The Morning News (of Savannah, Georgia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109963241/sale-postponed/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109963241/sale-postponed/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022}}</ref> That same month the Marietta and North Georgia railroad missed their payment deadline and the sale moved forward.<ref name="tmn_april1896">{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1896 |title=Marietta and North Georgia |pages=6 |work=The Morning News (of Savannah, Georgia) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109960133/marietta-and-north-georgia-payment/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109960133/marietta-and-north-georgia-payment/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> On November 1, 1896, the Marietta and North Georgia Railroad was purchased by and turned over to the Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern railway.<ref name="ajc_nov1896">{{Cite news |date=November 1, 1896 |title=In New Hands Today – Receivers of the Marietta and North Georgia Turn It Over |pages=22 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109959754/mng-becomes-akn/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109959754/mng-becomes-akn/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Atlanta, Knoxville, and Northern was sold to the [[Louisville and Nashville Railroad]] in 1902.<ref name="ajc1902">{{Cite news |date=April 9, 1902 |title=Purchase of Atlanta, Knoxville and Northern by Louisville and Nashville Means Greatly Improved Railway Facilities |pages=7 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109963642/1902-akn-sold-to-ln/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928041631/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109963642/1902-akn-sold-to-ln/ |archive-date=September 28, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

An amendment to the town's charter was passed in 1903 to change the election times, clarifying the issuance of liquor licenses and set a price for said license at "not less than $500". The amendment also clarified how [[Ad valorem tax|''ad valorem'' taxes]] were to be collected.<ref name="charter1903">{{cite act |type=Act |date=August 4, 1903 |article=273 |article-type=Municipal Corporations |legislature=Georgia General Assembly |title=Ball Ground, Charter Amended |page=438–440 |url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_zlgl_88438600 }} {{Cite web |url=https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_88438600 |title=Acts and resolutions of the General Assembly of the state of Georgia 1903 &#91;volume 1&#93; - Digital Library of Georgia |access-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051907/https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_88438600 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> A further amendment in 1905 changed the 1903 amendment's $500 liquor license fee to $5,000.<ref name="charter1905">{{cite act |type=Act |date=August 22, 1905 |article=580 |article-type=Municipal Corporations |legislature=Georgia General Assembly |title=Ball Ground, License to Sell Liquors |page=637 |url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_zlgl_92531691 }} {{Cite web |url=https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_92531691 |title=Acts and resolutions of the General Assembly of the state of Georgia 1905 &#91;volume 1&#93; - Digital Library of Georgia |access-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051909/https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_92531691 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> An updated charter passed by an act of the Georgia General Assembly in 1911 greatly expanded the powers of the municipal government, including the ability to pass municipal ordinances, and established a school district within Ball Ground.<ref name="charter1911">{{cite act |type=Act |date=August 21, 1911 |article=308 |article-type=Municipal Corporation |legislature=Georgia General Assembly |title=Ball Ground, Town of, New Charter |page=650–699 |url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_zlgl_109804493 }} {{Cite web |url=https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_109804493 |title=Acts and resolutions of the General Assembly of the state of Georgia. 1911 &#91;volume 1&#93; - Digital Library of Georgia |access-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051910/https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlgl_109804493 |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>

In 1961 a Ball Ground Improvement Association was formed to add improvements to the city including new paint, a city park, and street lights.<ref name="pcp1961">{{Cite news |date=July 13, 1961 |title=Ball Ground Moves Ahead Adding City Improvements |pages=3 |work=Pickens County Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109973682/1961-improvements/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051908/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109973682/1961-improvements/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===Revitalization===
A television documentary aired in December 1971 on North Georgia's Channel 11 that focused on the city of Ball Ground and described it as a city in decline, and interviewed Ball Grounders about "the slow deterioration of the town."<ref name="ajc1971">{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1971 |title=What is Happening to Ball Ground? |pages=T-2 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109977744/what-is-happening-to-ball-ground/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051910/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109977744/what-is-happening-to-ball-ground/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Two weeks after the broadcast of the documentary, the city's merchants announced that they had organized the Ball Ground Merchants Association to promote trade and to function as a Chamber of Commerce for the city.<ref name="pcp1971">{{Cite news |date=December 16, 1971 |title=Ball Ground merchants have organized a Merchants Association |pages=2 |work=Pickens County Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978362/ball-ground-merchants-association/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051909/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978362/ball-ground-merchants-association/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

The Ball Ground Community Association was formed in early 1972 to promote the town and to organize festivals and cultural events.<ref name="pcp_oct1972">{{Cite news |date=October 12, 1972 |title=Fall Fling A Success in Ball Ground |pages=1 |work=Pickens County Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109977801/ball-ground-fall-fling/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051909/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109977801/ball-ground-fall-fling/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022}}</ref> The first event the association organized was the May 1972 spring festival and parade, which included a delegation from the Cherokee Nation. This marked the first time the Cherokee returned to the area in any official capacity since they were removed from the area during the 1830s.<ref name="pcp_may1972">{{Cite news |date=March 16, 1972 |title=Ball Ground Plans Spring Festival |pages=1 |work=Pickens County Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978010/cherokee-return-to-ball-ground/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051909/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978010/cherokee-return-to-ball-ground/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> As part of the festival, two Cherokee teams played a game of stickball against one another, and then-Lieutenant Governor [[Lester Maddox]] served as the parade's [[Parade#Parade grand marshals|grand marshal]].<ref name="mn1972">{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1972 |title=Indian Stickball Part of Festival |pages=B-1 |work=The Macon News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109980599/stickball-part-of-festival/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051909/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109980599/stickball-part-of-festival/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Later that year in November 1972, in part because of the festival and other improvements to the city, Ball Ground won the "1972 Stay & See Georgia" contest, which was a program designed to help highlight and expand tourism within the State of Georgia.<ref name="pcp_nov1972">{{Cite news |date=November 23, 1972 |title=Ball Ground Wins Stay & See Contest |pages=1 |work=Pickens County Progress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978187/ball-ground-wins-stay-see-contest/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051943/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109978187/ball-ground-wins-stay-see-contest/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The spring festival was held annually until 1989.<ref name="ajc1989">{{Cite news |date=May 11, 1989 |title=19th Annual Spring Festival |pages=F-10 |work=[[The Atlanta Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109987202/ball-ground-19th-annual-spring-festival/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051943/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109987202/ball-ground-19th-annual-spring-festival/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1997 developers began building new homes and communities within Ball Ground.<ref name="brice">{{Cite news |last=Brice |first=Leslie Everton |date=October 9, 1997 |title=Cherokee community gains ground |pages=IQ-10 |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019028/ball-ground-development/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051943/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019028/ball-ground-development/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Because of the growth of the city, residents and city officials began discussing the need for an improved sewer system to help modernize the septic systems of older homes and to attract new growth for the city.<ref name="bennett_feb1998">{{Cite news |last=Bennett |first=D.L. |date=February 19, 1998 |title=Ball Ground considers adding sewage service |pages=IQ-4 |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019275/ball-ground-considers-sewage-service/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051945/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019275/ball-ground-considers-sewage-service/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1998 a plan was put in place to begin work on a $2.8 million sewage system.<ref name="bennett_dec1998">{{Cite news |last=Bennett |first=D.L. |date=December 24, 1998 |title=Sewage system set for Ball Ground |pages=IQ-4 |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019406/1998-sewage-plans/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051943/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019406/1998-sewage-plans/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The sewage system was completed in Fall 2003 amid ongoing development in and around Ball Ground.<ref name="quinn_may2003">{{Cite news |last=Quinn |first=Christopher |date=May 22, 2003 |title='Diamond in rough' Ball Ground on a roll |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019648/diamond-1/ J1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019686/diamond-2/ J6] |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019648/diamond-1/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051944/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019648/diamond-1/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name="brice_march2003">{{Cite news |last=Brice |first=Leslie Everton |date=March 13, 2003 |title=Ball Ground boasts of vintage growth |pages=JQ-3 |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019970/vintage-growth/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923051944/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110019970/vintage-growth/ |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>