Named for the beautiful natural springs that bubble in the city, Sandy Springs, Georgia has a rich history. The city quickly became a popular destination in the 1800s for Native Americans that enjoyed the fresh water from the springs. It wasn’t long before settlers began to build a community around the springs, and the area began to grow.
There are three major constructions erected in the mid-1800s and early 1900s that really began to shape what Sandy Springs is today. The oldest house in the city was built on today’s Johnson Ferry Road and is known as the Austin-Johnson House. It was built in 1842. Less than a decade later in 1851, Sandy Springs United Methodist Church was built close by to the natural springs that brought so many to the area. It sits on 5 acres of land that was donated by Wilson Spruill. History buffs will appreciate the church’s historic cemetery. In 1905, the Hammond School was planned and erected on what is now known as Mt. Vernon Highway.
Sandy Springs had a half-century long battle to become incorporated and hold its own government. Multiple attempts were made by the city of Atlanta to annex rural Sandy Springs over the years, but to no avail. In 2005, that all changed when a high majority of voters checked the ticket to incorporate. Since then, the city has thrived under its Public Private Partnership style of government, and even inspired other local areas to do the same.