About

Pre-1820

The First Stewards

Long before Rabun County’s founding in 1820, these mountains and valleys belonged to the Cherokee Nation and to the Native peoples who came before them. For centuries, they shaped the land — fishing the Tallulah and Chattahoochee rivers, hunting the forested ridges, and gathering in the fertile valleys below. The Sautee Nacoochee Mound, a sacred burial site just miles from Burton, stands as a powerful reminder of the civilization that thrived here for over a thousand years. Their reverence for this land — its waters, its mountains, its rhythms — is a legacy that Burton is honored to carry forward.

Sautee Nacoochee Indian Mound at Hardman Farm

c. 1880

A Town Takes Its Name

In the mid 1800’s, the lush mountains and valleys along the Tallulah River began a new chapter of European settlers moving into the area as part of the great westward expansion, fueled by a search for gold and the logging industry. By 1880, the town of Burton — named for settler Jeremiah Burton, cousin of the new Burton community’s developer, Bill Lynch — was becoming more inhabited. Families like the Burtons carved lives from the rich mountain soil, establishing a community bound by the rhythms of the land.

The John Marion Burton Family

c. 1900

The Heart of a Mountain Town

The general store stood as the center of daily life in Burton — a place to trade, gather, and share news. In 1900, the stewards of our land site, the LaPrade family, purchased land from the Stonecypher family that would forever change the North Georgia experience.

General Store, Town of Burton, ca. 1900

c. 1914

Industry & Community

The logging industry brought the railroad deep into the mountains, and with it came growth. A schoolhouse served the children of Burton, and the town hummed with the energy of a community building something that would endure — though not in the way anyone expected.

Burton School before the lake, circa 1914

c. 1915

Iron & Timber

The railroad pushed further into the Tallulah River valley, connecting the remote mountain community to the wider world. Crews carved rail lines through the rugged terrain, transporting the vast timber resources that drew settlers to these ancient mountains.

Railroad crew, North Georgia mountains

c. 1920

A Town Beneath the Water

Following the sale of lands to Georgia Power, Lake Burton was born — recently celebrating its 100th centennial year as Georgia's premier lake. The original town of Burton was submerged below the paradise we enjoy today, its streets and structures resting quietly beneath still waters.

Lake Burton, 1920

c. 1925

A Legacy on the Shore

The LaPrade family established LaPrade's Marina and Fish Camp, which has been a mainstay for Lake Burton residents and visitors ever since. Their stewardship of this land set the foundation for the community that would one day rise along these very shores.

John LaPrade, circa early 1950s

c. 1950s

The Dinner Bell Rings

For decades, the sound of Buford LaPrade's dinner bell echoed across the lake, calling guests and neighbors to the table. LaPrade's became more than a fish camp — it was a gathering place, a tradition, and the soul of Lake Burton.

Buford LaPrade Rings the Dinner Bell

c. 1959

Celebrating a History of Hospitality

In 1945, Verner Kastner — son-in-law of original land owner and marina founder John LaPrade — opened Verner's Place at the present-day entrance to our community near Wildcat Creek. After the original store burned in 1959, it moved across 197 and reopened as the Kastner Store, operating as a beloved community staple for another 42 years under the care of Mrs. Mary Lee (Kastner) Clark, famous for its legendary fried chicken and candy that children would walk great distances to enjoy. Today, we honor that heritage with our community Boathouse, built on the store's original foundation.

Verner Kastner, circa Late 1950s

A New Chapter Begins

Just over one hundred years later, a newly imagined community of Burton unveils its next chapter — connecting residents and visitors on foot to a unique Rabun County experience, embracing lake, mountains and national forest, trout streams and ponds, along with dining, wellness and entertainment amenities unparalleled in the area.

The Lost Town of Burton