The Chattahoochee National Forest takes its name from the Chattahoochee River whose headwaters begin in the North Georgia mountains.
The River and the area were given the name by the English settlers who took the name from the Indians living here.
The Cherokee and Creek Indians inhabited North Georgia.
In one dialect of the Muskogean languages, Chatta means stone; ho chee, marked or flowered.
These marked or flowered stones were in the Chattahoochee River at a settlement near Columbus, Georgia.

In 1911, the United States Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres (125 km²) of land in Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin and Union Counties from the Gennett family for $7 per acre.
This land was the beginning of what would become the Chattahoochee National Forest.
 The initial land purchases became a part of the Cherokee National Forest on June 14, 1920.

Ranger Roscoe Nicholson, who was the first forest ranger in Georgia and had advised the Forest Service in its initial land purchases, continued the growth of the Chattahoochee by negotiating the purchase of most of the Forest Service land in what is now the Chattooga River Ranger District.
The Coleman River Scenic Area near Clayton, Georgia was dedicated to "Ranger Nick", as he was called, in honor of his promotion of conservation ideals.

Ranger Arthur Woody also promoted conservation and was a key figure in the early development of the Chattahoochee.
Unwise land and resource use had caused the deer and trout populations to virtually disappear in the North Georgia mountains and Woody brought trout and deer back to the area.
The trout were shipped to Gainesville, hauled across the narrow, dirt, mountain roads and eventually released in the streams.
Woody also purchased fawns with his own money, and fed them until they could be released on what became the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area.
Many landmarks in the Chattahoochee bear Ranger Woody’s name in tribute to his work.
Sosebee Cove, a 175 acres (0.7 km²) tract of prize hardwood along GA 180 is set aside as a memorial to Woody, who negotiated its purchase for the Forest Service.

Woody also helped build a school, in Suches GA, where he was born, which was later named after him, Woody Gap School,  the smallest public school in Georgia.
current enrollment is around 60 students total, K-12.

On July 9, 1936, the Forest Service was reorganized to follow state boundaries and President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the Chattahoochee a separate National Forest.
In 1936, the Chattahoochee was organized into two Ranger Districts, the Blue Ridge and the Tallulah.

In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed 96,000 acres (388 km²) of federal lands in central Georgia as the Oconee National Forest.
 The Oconee then joined the Chattahoochee to become the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forests of today.

The Chattooga River was designated a Wild and Scenic River during the 1970s.
The Chattooga remains one of the few free-flowing streams in the Southeast and is known for its white water rafting and scenery.
The movie Deliverance was filmed on the Chattooga River, which became the fictional Cahulawassee River in the movie.
The Chattahoochee National Forest takes its name from the Chattahoochee River whose headwaters begin in the North Georgia mountains. The River and the area were given the name by the English settlers who took the name from the Indians living here. The Cherokee and Creek Indians inhabited North Georgia. In one dialect of the Muskogean languages, Chatta means stone; ho chee, marked or flowered. These marked or flowered stones were in the Chattahoochee River at a settlement near Columbus, Georgia.
In 1911, the United States Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres (125 km²) of land in Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin and Union Counties from the Gennett family for $7 per acre. This land was the beginning of what would become the Chattahoochee National Forest.  The initial land purchases became a part of the Cherokee National Forest on June 14, 1920.
Ranger Roscoe Nicholson, who was the first forest ranger in Georgia and had advised the Forest Service in its initial land purchases, continued the growth of the Chattahoochee by negotiating the purchase of most of the Forest Service land in what is now the Chattooga River Ranger District. The Coleman River Scenic Area near Clayton, Georgia was dedicated to "Ranger Nick", as he was called, in honor of his promotion of conservation ideals.
Ranger Arthur Woody also promoted conservation and was a key figure in the early development of the Chattahoochee. Unwise land and resource use had caused the deer and trout populations to virtually disappear in the North Georgia mountains and Woody brought trout and deer back to the area. The trout were shipped to Gainesville, hauled across the narrow, dirt, mountain roads and eventually released in the streams. Woody also purchased fawns with his own money, and fed them until they could be released on what became the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area. Many landmarks in the Chattahoochee bear Ranger Woody’s name in tribute to his work. Sosebee Cove, a 175 acres (0.7 km²) tract of prize hardwood along GA 180 is set aside as a memorial to Woody, who negotiated its purchase for the Forest Service.
Woody also helped build a school, in Suches GA, where he was born, which was later named after him, Woody Gap School,  the smallest public school in Georgia. current enrollment is around 60 students total, K-12.
On July 9, 1936, the Forest Service was reorganized to follow state boundaries and President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the Chattahoochee a separate National Forest. In 1936, the Chattahoochee was organized into two Ranger Districts, the Blue Ridge and the Tallulah.
In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed 96,000 acres (388 km²) of federal lands in central Georgia as the Oconee National Forest.  The Oconee then joined the Chattahoochee to become the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forests of today.
The Chattooga River was designated a Wild and Scenic River during the 1970s. The Chattooga remains one of the few free-flowing streams in the Southeast and is known for its white water rafting and scenery. The movie Deliverance was filmed on the Chattooga River, which became the fictional Cahulawassee River in the movie.
Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest