The Old River Road was one of Colonial Georgia's leading thoroughfares and the first highway to connect Savannah and Augusta. It was initially opened as a horse path by direction of General Oglethorpe in the 1730's. During the early years of the Province this route was the longest white man's way in Georgia. Eventually the trace became one of the King's Roads of the Colony. In this section and in several other areas substantial stretches of the old course are now abandoned.