Editing Lithia Springs, Georgia (section)

==History==
[[File:Lithia spring 1888 poster.jpg|thumb|left|Vintage Lithia Spring Water poster, 1888]]

The history of the community began with Lithia Springs, a natural [[lithia water]] spring. So popular were the curative waters that flowed from Lithia Springs that people came for miles to drink it. The neighboring city of [[Austell, Georgia|Austell]] was also founded due to the spring's popularity.

In 1887 Judge Bowden bought the springs with a group of investors and started bottling and selling Bowden lithia spring water. That same year the Sweet Water Hotel, a 300-room luxury health resort, opened in Lithia Springs.<ref name="Davis, Fannie Mae Davis 1987">Davis, Fannie Mae (1987). ''From Indian Trail to Interstate 20'', Douglas County History.</ref> The hotel and its famous lithia spring water were so popular that [[Mark Twain]], members of the [[Vanderbilt family]], and Presidents [[Grover Cleveland|Cleveland]], [[William Howard Taft|Taft]], [[William McKinley|McKinley]] and [[Theodore Roosevelt]] all enjoyed the many amenities of the resort, which included the world-famous Lithia Vapor Baths.<ref name="Davis, Fannie Mae Davis 1987"/>

In 1888, the Piedmont [[Chautauqua]]<ref>Bowden, Lithia Springs Co. (1891). ''The American Carlsbad and its Famous Medicinal Waters'', Bowden Lithia Spring Company.</ref> Institute opened in Lithia Springs. [[Henry W. Grady]], [[Managing editor|editor]] of the ''[[Atlanta Constitution]]'', was the founder and gave the institute the motto "Enlightenment of the People". In 1888, over 30,000 tourists, sightseers, and health-seekers visited Lithia Springs.

The only remnants of this time that have survived are the natural springs and its historic lithia water under the name brand [[Lithia (water brand)|Lithia]], which is still bottled and sold in restaurants and health food stores.