Powder Springs, originally known as Springville, was incorporated back in 1838 on land once home to two Cherokee chiefs, Chief Nose and Chief Ana Kanasta (also known as Sweetwater). Settlers flocked to the area hoping to strike gold, especially around Lost Mountain and Brownsville Road, but their efforts didn’t pan out as much as they’d hoped. Around this time, the Cherokee people were tragically forced from their land and marched to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears, where over 4,000 lost their lives. In 1859, Springville became Powder Springs, named after the seven springs within the city limits. The water from these springs contains 26 different minerals that turn the sand black, resembling gunpowder—earning it the name Gunpowder Springs.