In response to growing suburban sprawl in the mid-1980s, Smyrna’s mayor and City Council opted to rebuild the downtown area to create a family-friendly environment and community gathering space. This led to Smyrna’s “Village Green,” which includes a library, community center, private housing, retail and office space, a public safety facility and a 22,000-square-foot City Hall.
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Make the 1.3 mile trek or ride the sky lift up Stone Mountain. With more than 3,300 acres of natural beauty, a variety of outdoor attractions, entertainment and recreation, Stone Mountain is the most visited attraction in Georgia. Visitors can now climb to new heights on Sky Hike, a quarter of a mile course that allows visitors to trek through the treetops by mastering wooden bridges, balancing on a single rope suspended in the air and climbing to the top of vertical net bridges.
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After Atlanta fell, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood began marching toward Nashville, Tenn., hoping to break Sherman’s supply line. Hood attacked at Union troops positioned at a railroad pass southeast of Cartersville. The Battle of Allatoona Pass on Oct. 5, 1864, is among the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, and roughly 1,600 soldiers on both sides died. The railroad has been rerouted, but the battle site now sits on the edge of Lake Allatoona and is part of Red Top Mountain State Park.
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A Coca-Cola syrup salesman named James Couden painted a sign advertising the soda on the side of Young Brothers Pharmacy (known as Young Bros Drug Company at the time). It turns out he made history with his work of art as this was the first Coca-Cola painted wall sign in the world. The pharmacy celebrates the advertisement with a display of Coke memorabilia and collectibles. Interestingly, the Coca-Cola Co. regularly repainted the sign until the late 1970s, but underneath all those paint jobs was the original sign, which was restored in 1989.
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The Allatoona Lake Visitor’s Center offers a brief look into the history of the lake and the local area. Among the many educational displays are subjects covering Native American history, the local mining industry, wild life, recreation, hydropower, the Battle of Allatoona Pass and much more.
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Coopers Furnace Day Use Park is open seasonally and is situated along the north bank of the Etowah River. The park has lots of single-car parking, and no trailers are allowed. This park also allows a great view of the dam from downstream. Cooper’s Iron Works is the last remaining remnant of the 19th century town of Etowah. Jacob Stroup established the works in the 1830s, and Mark Anthony Cooper purchased the ironworks in the 1840s. In 1862, Cooper sold the iron works. The Confederate States of America subsequently purchased the works, and federal soldiers, on May 22, 1864, destroyed the ironworks and mill, bringing about an end to the city’s livelihood. Following the Civil War, the town never again returned to its antebellum prominence. A smokestack is all that remains of the ironworks.
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There are different theories about this unknown soldier buried near Allatoona Pass. Perhaps, he died during the Battle of Allatoona Pass and was buried where he fell. Or, he died elsewhere, and his body was shipped back to his hometown of Allatoona. Western & Atlantic Railroad workers apparently rediscovered his grave in 1880 and placed a headstone that reads, “He died for the cause he thought was right.” The railroad relocated the grave to its current location in about 1950.
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Trahlyta was a Cherokee who lived in the North Georgia Mountains near what is today Dahlonega. According to legend, she drank from a nearby Fountain of Youth to maintain her renowned beauty. A warrior named Wahsega courted her, bus she rejected him. Upset by this, Wahsega kidnapped and imprisoned Trahlyta. Longing to see her home again, Trahlyta eventually died. Her last wish was to be buried in the mountain forests near her home. Today. a five-foot-tall pile of stones marks her grave. According to the historical marker at the site of her supposed grave, “custom arose among the Indians and later the Whites to drop stones, one for each passerby, on her grave for good fortune.” Highway department workers apparently twice tried to move the pile of rocks as part of road projects. But, both times at least one person was killed in the process.
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The Dillard House is perhaps best-known for its seemingly endless southern cuisine and hospitality. Formerly a boarding house, the restaurant touts itself as one of the original farm-to-table restaurants in Georgia. The Dillard House continues to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner family-style daily. Its cuisine is adapted from recipes handed down from Dillard family members and chefs. Family owned and operated, The Dillard House offers 90 hotel rooms, four cottages and 20 rental cabins at Chalet Village.
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The Athens Music Walk of Fame, unveiled in 2020 in downtown Athens, highlights the artists, organizations and locations that helped make the Classic City’s music scene legendary. The Walk of Fame is located downtown near some of Athens’ most famous music venues, including the Georgia Theatre and the 40 Watt Club. In 2020, the Athens Music Walk of Fame inducted ten people in downtown Athens, and the Athens Music Walk of Fame Committee selects five inductees each year. The Athens Music Walk of Fame Committee, appointed by the mayor, considers artists’ contributions, historical significance, career span, musical style, and diversity representation. Local designer Allen Sutton designed the plaque. The walk is funded by the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission and supported by the Athens Downtown Development Authority, Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Arts Division, and Athens-Clarke County Transportation and Public Works Streets & Drainage Division.
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