Connolly's Grist and Saw mills at East Point, Georgia
Joseph Connolly migrated to NW Georgia in Dekalb county in the mid-1830s from his native Ireland. He gained lands that were once owned by the Creek (Muscogian) Indians. In 1837 the local government changed to Fulton County as Dekalb County was carved up. Mr. Connolly established two mills along the tributaries of Utoy Creek. The first a Grist mill, on the Connolly family plantation farm supported local formers will a means to grind dried corn into meal and grits. The Mill was mentioned in the reports of Lowery's Confederate Brigade, Major General Patrick Cleburne's Infantry Division of Hardees Confederate Army Corps which was posted along the ridge adjacent to the mill.
The Saw mill was 3/4 of a mile away on the main branch of South Utoy Creek. (Now in the middle of GA Hwy 166) A large mill pond supported the local lumber business. During the American Civil War, the millpond was noted as an obstacle to US (Union) Forces of the XXIII Army Corps, Hascall's division who attempted to break the line near the Connolly Grist Mill there on 18 August 1864. The local Hopewell Church was destroyed by Artillery fire of this engagement by the Union Army, the spire was targeted as an aiming point.
The two mills were in operation until 1910-1911 when the US Army discovery that malaria carried by mosquitoes, led to the draining of the millponds. Flash floods generated great water power that three times prior destroyed the Conolly Grist Mill.
A third Connolly mill was established on a smaller tributary of Utoy Creek adjacent to the current Headland road in the "Frog Hollar" Community. It was also destroyed by a flash flood and never rebuilt.