|
Lewis Family Farm.
We invite you to tour the Chatt Hills Barn Quilt Trail and learn more about the rich rural heritage of beautiful Chattahoochee Hills. Visitors are welcome to take photos from the public road, and are invited to shop in the local businesses.
|
|
|
Star Sampler (#39)
7240 Capps Ferry Rd 
|
Living the Country Dream in Chatt Hills
Phil Lewis was ready to sample country living when it came time to build his family home 40 years ago. His search brought him to Chattahoochee Hills and 228 acres of prime farmland, where he envisioned raising his family and a few farm animals, and enjoying his hobbies of hunting, fishing, & painting.
While it was above his pay grade to purchase the large parcel at the time, his wife's uncle shared his dream -- and the land. The uncle purchased the property and sold Phil's family 16 acres. When Phil selected a barn quilt, he chose a Star Sampler pattern with colors that resembled the setting sun over his country pastures. |
Phil's Picture-Perfect Family Farm
Lewis Family Farm
|
Phil and Bert, his show bull.
|
Phil's landscape painting
|
Phil grew up in and around Atlanta and settled in the small town of Lithia Springs after finishing college and starting his family. While shades of the city had colored his life, he was a country boy at heart -- he raised Nubian goats, enjoyed hunting and fishing on the weekends, and embraced his love of art by painting rural landscapes.
When Phil first laid eyes on the property that would become his forever home, it was love at first sight. The undeveloped parcel featured old-growth trees and rich top soil, evidence that the property hadn't previously been farmed. Without existing buildings or clear-cut pastures, the property was like a blank canvas, primed for Phil to create the family farm he had always envisioned.
Over time, Phil's dream began to take shape. He built a family home with the country charm he had always admired, added a number of outbuildings and a large barn, and did some gentle contouring of the land to make a lake.
As for farm animals, Phil started small then went big, really BIG! He bought an English Springer Spaniel puppy as a family pet, and before he knew it, he was raising its first litter. He later switched to breeding blood hounds and currently breeds basset hounds. Neighbors and visitors get a kick out of watching the floppy-eared dogs run across the tall grass, baying their welcome to all who pass.
After living on his farm for a few years, Phil was motivated to add more farm animals to the mix. When he saw his property tax bill more than triple, he put his land in Conservation, which significantly dropped his taxes by thousands of dollars in exchange for raising animals or timber on the land. Phil had planned to add more animals to his farm anyway, so he raised chickens, hogs, and cows, including his gentle giant, Burt the Bull.
Today, visitors who wander off the beaten path and onto Capps Ferry Rd understand why Phil and his family love it here in Chatt Hills. As the gravel road slows their frantic city pace down to a relaxed 30 mph, they round a gentle curve in the road and often stop in their tracks to enjoy the breath-taking view that is the Lewis Family Farm.
When Phil first laid eyes on the property that would become his forever home, it was love at first sight. The undeveloped parcel featured old-growth trees and rich top soil, evidence that the property hadn't previously been farmed. Without existing buildings or clear-cut pastures, the property was like a blank canvas, primed for Phil to create the family farm he had always envisioned.
Over time, Phil's dream began to take shape. He built a family home with the country charm he had always admired, added a number of outbuildings and a large barn, and did some gentle contouring of the land to make a lake.
As for farm animals, Phil started small then went big, really BIG! He bought an English Springer Spaniel puppy as a family pet, and before he knew it, he was raising its first litter. He later switched to breeding blood hounds and currently breeds basset hounds. Neighbors and visitors get a kick out of watching the floppy-eared dogs run across the tall grass, baying their welcome to all who pass.
After living on his farm for a few years, Phil was motivated to add more farm animals to the mix. When he saw his property tax bill more than triple, he put his land in Conservation, which significantly dropped his taxes by thousands of dollars in exchange for raising animals or timber on the land. Phil had planned to add more animals to his farm anyway, so he raised chickens, hogs, and cows, including his gentle giant, Burt the Bull.
Today, visitors who wander off the beaten path and onto Capps Ferry Rd understand why Phil and his family love it here in Chatt Hills. As the gravel road slows their frantic city pace down to a relaxed 30 mph, they round a gentle curve in the road and often stop in their tracks to enjoy the breath-taking view that is the Lewis Family Farm.
Heritage story . . . Capps Ferry Rd
Early settlements in (the area that is now) Chattahoochee Hills was predominantly located along the Chattahoochee River. Although no bridges were built to span the Chattahoochee, a number of ferry crossings were established along the river in order to connect the communities of Rivertown, County Line and Campbellton, to towns and settlements located in the western part of the county.
Early roads were typically named after the nearby family farms, mills or ferry operations that they serviced. Such was the case with Capps Ferry Rd. Additional research is needed to identify the heritage of Capps Ferry and its namesake family.
According to the Atlanta Confederate Map dated 1864, Capps Ferry was not listed at that time. And according to Fulton County records, the County built the existing concrete bridge in 1971.
Looking at heritage records on chatthillshistory.com, the following members of the Capps Family lived in this area during that time: John H. Capps (1873-1920), his wife Laura Moates (1868-1928), and children Robert Lee (1891-1957), Mary Frances (1896-1971), Lovie Lucy (1904-1991), and Lora E. (1906-1946.
Early roads were typically named after the nearby family farms, mills or ferry operations that they serviced. Such was the case with Capps Ferry Rd. Additional research is needed to identify the heritage of Capps Ferry and its namesake family.
According to the Atlanta Confederate Map dated 1864, Capps Ferry was not listed at that time. And according to Fulton County records, the County built the existing concrete bridge in 1971.
Looking at heritage records on chatthillshistory.com, the following members of the Capps Family lived in this area during that time: John H. Capps (1873-1920), his wife Laura Moates (1868-1928), and children Robert Lee (1891-1957), Mary Frances (1896-1971), Lovie Lucy (1904-1991), and Lora E. (1906-1946.