From its beginning as a tourist destination in the pre-Civil War era, Tallulah Falls has drawn large numbers of travelers and adventurers. The earliest written account of Tallulah, published in 1819 in the Georgia Journal, stated, "the cataract of Niagara and its great whirlpool and banks, is the only superior natural curiosity to the Rapids of Tallulah, that I have ever seen." Soon tourists were flocking to the area, and by the 1840s, groups of visitors were common. With the arrival of the railroad in 1882, hotels and businesses sprang up, leading to an increase in the number of visitors. Quite naturally, photographers have long been drawn to the lush natural beauty of the area, as well as the wealthy tourists and the hotels that catered to them.