24 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 51 buildings between them. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1967 on, and the census since 1880.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1840.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Cave Spring’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Cave Spring is more historic than 88% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Cave Spring’s overall grade.
Georgia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Georgia town has 10.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Cave Spring’s 704 sits above most of its state (93% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 76 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.1 points). Two sources give 1832.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Cave Spring’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The town of Cave Spring dates to 1832, but the community is much older. Historically, indigenous peoples of the area (both Cherokee and the earlier Mississippian culture) used the site for drinking water, tribal meetings, and games, according to legend.
The town was founded in 1832 by Baptists who were among its early settlers. It takes its name from a clear water spring which still serves as the main source of drinking water for Cave Spring and nearby communities. The water is now delivered by a modern pumping system and has won awards for purity and taste.
Passages that mention Cave Spring, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America1922 · page 213Read the page →
Read the text
David Vann, the sub-chief, was the most powerful member of his tribe around Cave Spring, and Vann's Valley was named after him. On July 28, 1850, he was living temporarily at the Lake House, Cave Spring. He was very well educated and wrote a pleasing hand with occasional mis-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America1922 · page 365Read the page →
Read the text
"Cave Spring and its surroundings is one of the most picturesque and pleasant spots in the woi'ld. It is a spot where nature has lavished her deftest charms with captivating wealth, and is, like Auburn of old, the fairest village of all the plain. Its natural attractiveness is almost peerless.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Cave Spring, decade by decade
3 decades in the archive, from the 1900s to the 1980s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1832, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Cave Spring’s post office opened in 1840, and the census of 1880 counted 835 people here.
How does Cave Spring rank for history?
Cave Spring is more historic than 88% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Cave Spring?
24 listings: 20 buildings and 4 historic districts with 51 contributing buildings. 76 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Cave Spring?
15% of Cave Spring’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.1 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1970.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (4), the National Register of Historic Places (24), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1925
1925
1980
1980
