community spotlight
Feeling at Home in Habersham County
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s everyone travels for the Spring and Summer, shouldn’t you feel welcomed and experience the comforts of home in a beautiful and friendly area? Habersham County encompasses many “Feel Right at Home” communities within it’s broad 270 plus miles of pastureland, mountains, river and streams that include the Chattahoochee National Forest. Explore the towns of Clarkesville, Cornelia, and Demorest for a variety of lodging including hotels, cabins, and B&B’s. Lake Russell and Tallulah Falls State Recreational areas invite camping and RV sites. Walking friendly brick lined streets in these towns invite you to see shops, restaurants, galleries, and antique stores to experience that small town atmosphere. Habersham County takes pride in it’s community by preserving history and natural resources of outdoor recreational parks. Long ago, the Cherokee and Creek Indian tribes made these foothills their homeland as settlers came to the area. Habersham County was officially chartered in 1818 and named for Joseph Habersham, a Revolutionary War hero and the first Postmaster General under President John Quincy Adams.
6 | vACATION GUIDE in the Mountains
Clarkesville was named after General John C. Clarke, governor of Georgia in 1819 – 1821. It was chartered in 1823 as the county seat of Habersham County and was the first of the major resort towns with wealthy families escaping the heat of the coasts of South Carolina & Georgia. Visitors are welcome in the middle of May in the downtown square to enjoy the Mountain Laurel Festival that include activities for the whole family. Northeast Georgia’s Oldest Arts & Crafts event has a parade, duck race, live music, and food. Historical sites in downtown Clarkesville usually start with the Mauldin House, at the corner of E. Waters & Jefferson St. It services as the Clarkesville’s Welcome Center and is the beginning of the towns walking tour of the Greek, Gothic, Victorian, and Plantation style homes in this beautiful historical district. Neighboring Sam Pitts Park located by the beautiful Soque River offers a place for walking trails and picnics. Travel down the road on Scenic Hwy. 197 that follows the river for trout fishing and the small community that feature many regional handmade arts and crafts. Just South of Clarkesville is Demorest, home of Piedmont College which founding roots date back www.mountainlakeguide.com | Spring 2021
