Route Information, History, Photo and Termini Gallery

A scenic highway, GA 190 is built entirely along the top of Pine Mountain, a long linear ridge located on an inactive fault line (thus the warm springs nearby), near where the Piedmont Plateau drops off to level out into the Coastal Plain. In terms of hills and mountains, this ridge is the furthest south in Georgia, but other than great views, this is not really a mountain by any definition. The route is still very scenic and has a grade separation at GA 354 that features a natural stone arch. Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park and the Pine Mounain Trail both are found along the route and incredible long-distance views can be seen from the ridge due to the level terrain on either side.

GA 190 is 18.0 miles long and passes through three counties: Harris, Meriwether and Talbot. Along much of this route, the road straddles the county lines of all three counties. As most numbered highways also have names, the road is mostly known as the Pine Mountain Scenic Highway though part of it in Manchester is also known as "Scenic Heights". GA 190 also is located near several significant tourist attractions in Georgia including Callaway Gardens, Warm Springs and the Little White House as well as two state parks.

History

GA 190 was originally conceived as a CCC project to connect Pine Mountain with Thomaston by following the ridge of the Pine Mountain range. The western part of the route is the route of today, but the eastern part into Upson and Pike Counties was later abandoned because of the end of the Depression (1).

After WWII, the project was revived. The routes was to cross Sprewell Bluff, which today is the site of a recently developed state park. Sprewell Bluff is a very scenic area where the Flint River cuts through the Pine Mountain Ridge as it flows south from Atlanta. This gorge was the perfect location for a dam, and during the early 1970's, there was indeed a huge dam project planned around the bluffs. This project was championed by former US Congressman Jack Flynt of Griffin. Though there was some muted local opposition, the project was cancelled by Jimmy Carter when he was governor in the early 1970s. Respectively, the cancellation of this project upset some local people (2)

1977 GDOT map showing the present-day and never-built portion. Note the now decommissioned spur of GA 190 east of Manchester. Where the proposed route here crosses the Flint River is the location today of Sprewell Bluff State Park.

With the cancellation of the dam project, the extension of GA 190 eastward to US 19 was also cancelled. However, the proposed route still remained on maps for several more years. Though this project never broke ground and was apparently dead, a spur of GA 190 that was to be included in the route remained east of Manchester along present-day Chalybeate Springs Road to end at the Talbot County line 3.8 miles east of Manchester. This spur was connected to the existing route via an overlap with then GA 85E through Manchester. Also, at the county line is where the roadway crosses a gap in the mountain, and the unbuilt road was to extend northeast from that point through Sprewell Bluffs to end at US 19 north of Thomaston. Though Chalybeate Springs Road continues to GA 36, there is no evidence on the official maps that this was ever part of GA 190, though the route is near state quality and may have been shown on some maps to be part of the route.

Whether or not the project was still being considered after the early 1970's, GA 190 east of Manchester remained until the early 1980's. It was likely cancelled in the Great Decommissioning of 1982, but it may have possibly lasted as late as 1986.

Sources:

(1) S.E.B. "Georgia Highway 190." Email. 28 May 2004

(2) S.E.B. "Re: Georgia Highway 190." Email. 10 Jun 2004.

Georgia 190 Photo Gallery

These photos were taken along the route by J.T. Legg on April 11, 2005.
GA 190 at US 27 Alt and GA 85 Alt. Originally, this route was simply GA 85W. All route signage here is the increasingly rare older style with u-channel posts, old-style route signs and brackets joining route signs.
Stone arch bridge where GA 190 crosses GA 354. The view here is looking south on GA 354.
The two highways are joined by a short connector road on the northwest corner of the intersection.
Close-up of the stone arch bridge. The stone arch bridge was a WPA project in the 1940's, which adds a very picturesque touch to the intersection.
Looking at the top of the bridge with signage for the connection to GA 354.
Close-up of the top of the bridge over GA 354.
Georgia 190 Termini Gallery

Photos below by S.E.B. and J.T. Legg.

Western Terminus: U.S. 27/GA 1 south of the town of Pine Mountain

Westbound end signage (photo 1) and first reassurance shield (photo 3) eastbound by S.E.B. taken July 11, 2004. Directional assembly (photo 2) and junction assembly (photo 4) by J.T. Legg taken April 11, 2005.
Eastern Terminus: GA 41/85 south of Manchester
End signage looking east, directional assembly on northbound GA 41/85 and first reassurance signage westbound. Photos by J.T. Legg taken April 11, 2005.
Related Links

Here are links related to sites and information on or near GA 190.
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