Catoosa County
Staff Photo by Tim Barber
CATOOSA COUNTY. Members of Rolling Thunder, Tennessee 2, retire an American flag at the end of the Veterans Day ceremony at the Catoosa Citizens' and Veterans' Memorial at the Benton Place Complex."The people are friendly. I like the area because it's convenient to just about everything. You can be in Dalton in 15 minutes and Chattanooga in 15 minutes."
- Carolyn Rhinehart, Ringgold
County seat: Ringgold
Other major towns: Fort Oglethorpe
Population: 62,825 (95.7 percent white, 1.3 percent black, 0.8 percent American Indian, 0.7 percent Asian, 1.2 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $45,685
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: Billed as the "Gateway to Georgia," Catoosa County is 167.2 square miles of foothills and mountains, including parts of White Oak Mountain and Taylor Ridge. It is bisected by Interstate 75, which enters Georgia at Catoosa County. Waterways include Peavine Creek, West Chickamauga Creek, South Chickamauga Creek, Little Chickamauga Creek and Tiger Creek. Major highways are Interstate-75, U.S. Highway 41 and state Highways 151 and 2.
Points of interest: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park; historic district that includes the buildings and remains of the Army Post at Fort Oglethorpe (1902-1946) and 6th Cavalry Museum on Barnhardt Circle; Ringgold Railroad Depot; Old Stone Church. Museum, "The General" marker on state Highway 151 denoting the "Great Locomotive Chase" where Andrews' Raiders were captured with the stolen locomotive. The Georgia Winery is noted for its muscadine wines. Gen. Patrick Cleburn statue at Ringgold Gap.
Outdoor recreation: Cycling, hiking, horseback riding and touring in Chickamauga Battlefield; camping, fishing and hiking in Chattahoochee National Forest; horseback riding instruction at Mystery Dog Ranch off U.S. Highway 41; Lake Winnepesaukah family amusement park; Jack Mattox Recreation Center; Chattahoochee National Forest; Northwest Georgia Bank Amphitheatre at Benton Place Campus.
Annual events: Ringgold's 1890s Days Festival in May; Labor Day at the Post in Fort Oglethorpe; Patriotism at the Post July 3 in Fort Oglethorpe; Chickamauga Battlefield Run
Top employers: Hutcheson Medical Center, Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park, Propex Inc., Shaw Industries, Walmart.
Notable residents: Musician James Rogers; Randall Franks, a fiddler from Tunnel Hill who appeared in the TV series "In the Heat of the Night"; historian Bill Clark; longtime civic leader Leonard Fant; John Gray, who built the Western and Atlantic Railroad from Dalton through his land at Graysville and on to Chattanooga; Chief Richard Taylor, chief of the Chickamauga District of the Cherokee Nation; Rick Honeycutt, pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers; T. Grady Head, former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court; Maude Saunders, former clerk of the Georgia Supreme Court; Jim Callaway, former major league baseball player with the Washington Senators.
Looking back: Catoosa County's rapid growth over the past two decades has changed some of its rural atmosphere to more suburban. In the last decade the county developed the Benton Place campus on Highway 2. New facilities include a civic center with performing arts theater, library, learning center, senior center and health center.
Looking ahead: A satellite campus of Northwestern Technical College, offering higher education to a student body of 6,000 students, is slated to open in 2012. Elected leaders are strengthening ties between the cities and county to create a united front for economic development, including recruiting companies that will relocate to be near the $1 billion VW assembly plant in Chattanooga. The county is developing an industrial park off Highway 151. Costco Wholesale plans to open a warehouse club on Cloud Springs Road in Fort Oglethorpe by August.
Tourism contact: Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, 706-965-5201 or www.catoosa chamberofcommerce.com.
Chattooga County
"It's not in the hustle and bustle. Life here's a whole lot more laid-back. I feel a whole lot safer here than I would in any of the big cities."
- Charles Black, Summerville resident
County seat: Summerville
Other major towns: Lyerly, Menlo and Trion
Population: 26,801 (88.4 percent white, 10.2 percent black, 0.1 percent American Indian, 0.4 percent Asian, 3.2 percent Hispanic or Latino)
Median household income: $31,284
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 313.8 square miles; Taylor Ridge, Lookout Mountain and Johns Mountain are among its most prominent features. About 19,400 acres of the Armuchee Ranger District, a 65,000-acre section of the Chattahoochee National Forest, lie within the county. Major highways include U.S. Highway 27 and state routes 1, 48, 100, 157 and 357.
Points of interest: Chattahoochee National Forest, the courthouse and Dowdy Park in Summerville, Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens folk art museum in Pennville, Camp Julliette Low, Valley View Ranch equestrian camp, Summerville Depot.
Outdoor recreation: Hiking, bicycling, fishing, hunting and horseback riding. James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park, Georgia Pinhoti Trail.
Annual events: Patriotic Celebration in summer and Sum-Nelly (crafts) Festival in fall, both at Dowdy Park in Summerville; Twisted Ankle Marathon at "Sloppy" Floyd State Park; Victorian Christmas in Summerville; Northwest Georgia Balloon Festival in May in Menlo; Finsterfest in May at Paradise Gardens; World's Longest Yard Sale along Highway 27.
Top employers: Mount Vernon Mills, Mohawk Industries, Chattooga County Board of Education, Hays State Prison, Best Manufacturing.
Notable residents: George Guest (Sequoyah), Cherokee leader credited with developing the Cherokee alphabet; Bobby Lee Cook, trial lawyer and model for television's "Matlock"; the Rev. Howard Finster, internationally known folk artist.
Looking back: Settled by the "moundbuilders" culture, the region has a few small mounds throughout the Alpine and Menlo areas. The county was home first to the Creek Indians and later the Cherokee Indians. When European settlers came after gold was discovered in northern Georgia, the federal government forcibly removed the Cherokees to Oklahoma in the early 1830s. Chattooga County was formed from parts of Walker and Floyd counties and is named for the Chattooga River. Several military engagements were fought in the area, most notably the Battle of Trion Factory on Sept. 14, 1863.
Looking ahead: Officials hope to use a tax credit available for attracting new jobs to entice new industry. County and city leaders are marketing three industrial sites in hopes of luring a supplier for Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant. A major fiber-optic line between Miami and Chicago runs through the county, which officials say companies could use to patch into the high-speed communications grid. The county also plans to add water lines and infrastructure - updating the courthouse, building a new jail and reworking several bridges.
Tourism contact: Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce, 706-857-4033 or www.chattooga-chamber.org.
Dade County
Staff Photo by Dan Henry
DADE COUNTY. The Dade County Courthouse in Trenton, Ga."It has small-town hospitality but easy access to a larger city. It's really beautiful; we're surrounded with mountains. I feel really safe in this area."
- Meshell Foshee, five-year resident
County seat: Trenton
Other communities: New Salem, Rising Fawn and Wildwood
Population: 16,142 (97.5 percent white, 0.6 percent black, 0.5 percent American Indian, 0.4 percent Asian, 0.9 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $35,259
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 174 square miles; Lookout Mountain is along the eastern border, and the western boundary is the Georgia-Alabama state line, atop Sand Mountain. Lookout Creek flows through the county and U.S. Highway 11 and interstates 24 and 59 pass through it. Fox Mountain rises up from the floor of Lookout Valley between Lookout and Sand mountains.
Points of interest: Cloudland Canyon State Park, Lula Lake, Covenant College, Lookout Mountain Flight Park.
Outdoor recreation: Lookout Mountain Flight Park offers hang gliding. Lookout Creek can be paddled by canoe or kayak. The Wilderness Outdoor Movie Theater, the "world's largest outdoor theater," with two screens, is located on Slygo Road.
Annual events: U.S. Highway 11 Antique Alley and Yard Sale, May 13-16; State of Dade Heritage Festival, May 21-22; World's Longest Yard Sale each August; New Salem Mountain Festival, at New Salem Community Center each October; Pumpkin Patch Parade each October; Christmas Parade and Christmas in the Park each December.
Top employers: Dade County Schools, Covenant College, Gill Industries, Bull Moose Tube Co. Accellent Cardiology, National Boiler.
Notable residents: Kathy, June, Kim and Christy Forester, who comprise the country music group the Forester Sisters; bluegrass musicians Norman and Nancy Blake; gospel musician Calvin Newton; potter Charles Counts; artist Fannie Mennen, singer/songwriter Mark Gray; NFL official Lee Dyer; Navy Master Chief Rick D. West; U.S. Army Gen. Bob Woods; Ashley Houts, UGA basketball; Country Music Hall of Famers Chester and Lester Buchanan.
Looking back: Founded in 1837, the county was named for Maj. Francis Langhorne Dade from Virginia, who was killed with his men by Seminole Indians in the 1835 Dade Massacre. The county's nickname, "Independent State of Dade," came from a local politician who threatened to secede from Georgia if the state did not secede from the Union before the Civil War. The county did not officially rejoin the Union until 1945.
Looking ahead: Hard hit by the closure of its largest employer, Shaw Industries, Dade County is focused on improving the quality of life. The county has been named one of the "Top 10 Entrepreneurial Friendly" in Georgia. Private and public groups are working on a trail system to connect Cloudland Canyon State Park to Lula Lake, Chattanooga's Riverwalk and eventually the Cumberland Trail. Work is under way on a new county courthouse and civic center in Trenton.
Tourism contact: www.dadechamber.com.
Fannin County
Staff Photo by Angela Lewis
FANNIN COUNTY. Shops line Main Street in Blue Ridge, Ga."Everything is just different here. All of our conversations are real here. Our life is real. Everything seems more real here. You're more connected with everything - the people, the Earth, your child, your life."
- Shannen Oyster, co-owner,Oyster Fine Bamboo Fly Rods,Blue Ridge, Ga.
County Seat: Blue Ridge
Other towns: McCaysville and Morganton
Population: 22,618 (95.6 percent white, 1.1 percent black, 0.5 percent American Indian, 0.4 Asian, 1.6 Hispanic)
Median household income: $35,710
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: Forty percent of the county is contained in the Chattahoochee National Forest, which amounts to about 106,000 acres. The county is 90 miles north of Atlanta and 85 miles east of Chattanooga.
Points of interest: One of the best ways to see the area is by scenic railway, which can be boarded in McCaysville. Local orchards are a big draw: Cherries are harvested in May, peaches and blueberries in June, July and August. July is when apple season starts. The peak for apple harvesting is in October.
Outdoor recreation: Mountain views as well as the fishing in Lake Blue Ridge; trout fishing in the Toccoa River.
Annual events: Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race; Arts in the Park, Blue Ridge City Park on Memorial Day weekend; Old Timers Day, which takes place each Saturday closest to July 4 in Downtown Blue Ridge; Miners' Homecoming and July 4 celebration, McCaysville-Copperhill; Fourth of July fireworks at Lake Blue Ridge; Wildlife Festival of the Arts, each September at Downtown Blue Ridge Park; Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, weekends March through December, and daily in the months of June and October.
Notable residents: Country musician Mark Wills; and David Ralston, current speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives.
Top employers: Fannin County government and school system, Fannin Regional Hospital, Home Depot.
Looking back: The area traces its earliest roots to the Cherokee Indians. The first white settlers came from the North in the 1790s. Fannin County was created in 1854 from portions of Union and Gilmer counties, with Morganton as the first county seat. Col. James Fannin, for whom the county is named, was a hero in the Texas War for Independence.
Looking ahead: There have been numerous efforts lately to improve the downtown area in Blue Ridge. Fannin County is working to establish a water and sewer authority, and the Fannin County Development Authority is working to recruit new businesses.
Tourism contact: Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, 706-632-5680, 800-899-6867 or blueridgemountains.com.
Floyd County
Staff Photo by Angela Lewis
FLOYD COUNTY. Animal Companion Rescue Foundation has bought Zion Farms, a 310-acre equestrian guest estate in Rome, Ga., to turn it into an animal sanctuary."I moved to Rome 10 years ago to open the Landmark Restaurant. I love the close community feel of Rome to raise our family. Many customers have become our friends over the years."
- Panagiota Castro, owner, Landmark Restaurant
County seat: Rome
Other major towns: Cave Spring, Armuchee
Population: 95,980 (83.6 percent white; 13.3 percent black; 0.3 percent American Indian; 1.5 percent Asian; 8.1 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $42,685
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 513.3 square miles. Seven rivers run through Floyd County, which also has Rolater Park, the world's largest natural springs swimming pool.
Points of interest: The county was formed in 1832 from part of Cherokee County and named for Gen. John Floyd, a South Carolina Indian fighter and U.S. congressman. The two county courthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is Myrtle Hill Cemetery, where Ellen Axson Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson, is buried. Other historic sites: Rome's City Clock, built in 1872; and the Capitoline Wolf, a 1,500-pound sculpture given to Rome by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1929.
Outdoor recreation: Between the Rivers Historic District, East Rome Historic District, Heritage Park, Turkey Mountain Recreation Center, camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming, boating and fishing.
Annual events: River Days, April 17-24
Top employers: Floyd Healthcare Management Inc.; Floyd County Schools; Harbin Clinic, LLC; Mohawk Industries; Redmond Regional Medical Center.
Notable residents: Martha Berry, educator and founder of the Berry School, now Berry College; Medora Field Perkerson, author of the "Marie Rose" newspaper column; and Dr. Elizur and Esther Butler, missionaries to the Cherokee Indians; Major Ridge and John Ross, leaders in the Cherokee Indians nation.
Looking back: The original county seat was designated as Livingston in 1833, but the county seat was moved to Rome in 1834.
Looking ahead: Rome continues to work a five-year plan to improve low-income sections of the city. Floyd County will complete the west leg of the South Rome bypass, as well as a $12 million road and bridge across the Oostanaula River to State Mutual Stadium and to Old Summerville Road. The city of Rome, Floyd County, Berry College, Coosa Valley Tennis Association, and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce are working together to plan the building of the Tennis Center of Georgia, the largest tennis center in the country.
Tourism contact: Downtown Rome Visitor Center, 800-444-1834, 706-295-5576 or www.romega.us/index.
Gilmer County
Photo by Randall Higgins
GILMER COUNTY. Paddle Georgia participants drift down the Coosawattee River in Gilmer County."I've lived here all my life, and I like the community because they're just country folks."
- Andy Futch, owner, R&A Orchards
County seat: Ellijay
Other towns: East Ellijay and Cherry Log
Population: 28,537 (96.9 percent white; 0.9 percent black; 0.9 American Indian; 0.2 Asian, 9.9 Hispanic)
Median household income: $39,902
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 427 square miles, 54.9 people per square mile. State Highway 515 bisects East Ellijay. The two cities are connected by state Highway 52 and Industrial Boulevard. The county is bordered by the Cherokee National Forest. Within the community, the Ellijay and Cartecay rivers come together to form the Coosawattee River.
Points of interest: The big draw is the county's agriculture industry, which principally grows apples. The Georgia Apple Festival, Gilmer County's big community event, takes place during the second and third weekends in October. The you-pick season, when visitors can take to the orchards and harvest their own apples, begins in June and runs through November. Some farms grow as many as 80 varieties of apples.
Outdoor recreation: Gilmer County is close to two state parks, Amicalola and Fort Mountain. The Appalachian Trail also starts in Gilmer County, and the county has been designated the Mountain Biking Capital of Georgia by the state Legislature.
Annual events: Georgia Apple Festival, Oct. 9-10 and 16-17, in Ellijay.
Top employers: Pilgrim's Pride, Gilmer County Schools, Sunlink Health Systems, Gilmer County government, Appalachian Community Bank.
Looking back: First settled by Cherokee Indians, named for George Rockingham Gilmer, a state legislator, member of Congress and Georgia governor. In its early days, Gilmer County had a thriving mill that was partially destroyed during the Civil War. A significant copper mining industry developed, but by the end of the war, the county's economy was mostly agricultural. Apples were introduced in the early 1900s.
Looking ahead: Designated as Georgia's Apple Capital and Mountain Biking Capital, Gilmer County has hiking, biking, tubing, shopping and relaxing.
Tourism contact: Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce, 706-635-7400 or www.gilmerchamber.com.
Gordon County
Photo by Randall Higgins
GORDON COUNTY. Eric Lindberg, of Rome, Ga., paddles on the Coosawattee River in Gordon County."There is an incredible spirit of resurgence in this community. Unlike many small towns that grew around a single industry, Calhoun continues to reinvent itself to remain a vital modern place to live and work while retaining its own unique identity."
- Cindy Tucker, president, Sunrise Printing
County seat: Calhoun
Other major towns: Fairmount, Plainville, Resaca
Population: 52,800 (94.0 percent white; 3.6 black; 0.4 percent American Indian; 0.9 percent Asian; 14.2 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $42,769
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 356 square miles. Located along I-75 in Northwest Georgia, 45 minutes south of Chattanooga and an hour north of Atlanta.
Points of interest: Civil War Battle of Resaca annual re-enactment and the Resaca Confederate Cemetery. Oakleigh, a restored antebellum home that was used as Union Gen. William T. Sherman's headquarters during the Civil War, is home to the Gordon County Historical Society.
Outdoor recreation: A large portion of the acreage in the western part of Gordon County is Chattahoochee National Forest land. The Coosawattee and Conasauga rivers join to form the Oostanaula River, and there also is Salacoa Creek Park, a 343-acre park with a 126-acre lake. Located off Georgia Highway 156, Salacoa Creek Park offers camping, fishing and hiking trails. In summer, the beach there is open for swimming. John's Mountain Wildlife Management Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest has streams and hiking trails. New Echota State Historical Site, which was the last capital of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia in the 1800s, has a museum and restored buildings.
Annual events: International String Band Festival, April 24; Calhoun's Got Talent, January/February; Battle of Resaca Re-enactment, May 14-16 on the battlefield; Dixie Highway Yard Sale, June 4-6; Northwest Georgia Regional Fair, Sept. 10-18; Frontier Day, Oct. 16 at New Echota; New Echota Christmas Candlelight Tour, Dec. 4 at the state historic site.
Top employers: Mohawk Industries, Shaw Industries, Gordon County Schools, Gordon Hospital, Mannington Carpet
Notable residents: Roland Hayes, the first black tenor to gain international recognition.
Looking back: Created in 1850, the county was named for William Washington Gordon of Savannah, the first president of the Central of Georgia Railroad and the first Georgian to graduate from West Point Military Academy.
Looking ahead: The Gordon County Courthouse was set to get a new $350,000 roof this year, with a scheduled completion of February 2010. Work is continuing on a tourist information center at Resaca Battlefield Historic Site, scheduled to open early in 2011. The 7,100-square-foot information center at the intersection of state Route 136 and Interstate-75 will include a museum and theater dedicated to the history of the Civil War battle. Gordon County officials also are working on a tourism site at Fort Wayne, a 65-acre tract that was once a Confederate fort and is now publicly owned.
Tourism contact: Gordon County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-887-3811 or exploregordoncounty.com.
Murray County
Staff Photo by Tim Barber
MURRAY COUNTY. The Murray County courthouse is located in Chatsworth, Ga."It's a beautiful, scenic area (and) a great place to raise kids. There's low crime, and you get to see the mountains every day. I'll probably be here the rest of my life."
- Katrina Massengale, teller, Appalachian Community Bank
County seat: Chatsworth
Other major towns: Eton, Spring Place
Population: 40,304 (85.7 percent white, 1.6 percent black, 0.3 percent American Indian, 0.3 percent Asian, 11.8 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $35,817
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: The county is 347 square miles, a major portion of which lie in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It is accessible from Gordon County or from Cleveland, Tenn., along U.S. Highway 411. It is also accessible from Georgia Highway 52, which runs from Dalton to Chatsworth.
Points of interest: Fort Mountain State Park; the Chief Vann House in Spring Place; the Murray County Courthouse; Cohutta Springs Conference Center in Crandall; Cohutta Springs Vineyard and Winery in Crandall, Wright Hotel in downtown Chatsworth.
Outdoor recreation: Fort Mountain State Park in the Cohutta Wilderness Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest offers hiking on mountain trails, camping and other outdoor activities. The national forest is home to trout-fishing streams. Lake Conasauga atop Grassy Mountain is 3,150 feet above sea level and the highest lake in Georgia. Carter's Lake measures 425 feet deep at the dam and is the deepest lake in Georgia. The Course at Indian Trace is an 18-hole golf course near the home of Cherokee Chief James Vann. There's also Spring Lakes Golf Course in Spring Place. The 245-mile Pinhoti Trail passes through the county.
Annual events: Appalachian Wagon Train, North Georgia Mountain Christmas Parade, Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt at Cohutta Springs Conference Center, Fall for Chatsworth Festival in October.
Top employers: Beaulieu of America, Mohawk Industries, Shaw Industries, Murray County School System, Murray Medical Center.
Notable residents: Former NASCAR driver Jody Ridley, Cherokee Chief James Vann.
Looking back: Murray County was once home to leaders of the Cherokee Nation, Chief James Vann and son Joseph Vann, whose home at Spring Place is now a state historic site. Spring Place was once the seat of county government. The county was part of the Trail of Tears when the Cherokees were removed to Oklahoma in 1831.
Looking ahead: County officials are working to complete a new recreation facility on Hyden Tyler Road. With four outdoor fields and two gyms already there, the facility will feature a new Veterans Memorial Park and four more outdoor fields. Leaders are working to develop a community plan that includes a vision for economic development, including education, developing infrastructure and pursuing retail growth. The Chamber of Commerce will unveil a new Web site this year.
Tourism contact: Chatsworth-Murray County Chamber of Commerce, 800-969-9490 or murraycountychamber.org.
Walker County
Staff Photo by Patrick Smith
WALKER COUNTY. Visitors enter the Marsh House, which the city of LaFayette, Ga., restored to circa 1836 condition."I like the down-home feeling - the closeness. Everything is close together. I guess the peacefulness really sums it up."
- Blake Hise, lifelong resident
County seat: LaFayette
Other major towns: Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Rossville
Population: 64,799 (94.4 percent white, 3.8 percent black; 0.3 percent American Indian, 0.3 percent Asian, 0.9 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $32,406
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 447 square miles. U.S. Highway 27 bisects the county. The western boundary is atop Lookout Mountain. Pigeon Mountain contains Ellis Cave, one of the deepest vertical pit caves in the United States.
Points of interest: Rock City Gardens; Chickamauga Battlefield; Lee & Gordon's Mills; the Gordon-Lee Mansion; Chattooga Academy; Fort Cumming Trail of Tears site; Chief John Ross House; the Marsh House; Villanow General Store; Martin Davis House.
Outdoor recreation: Chattahoochee National Forest; Lookout Mountain, including Rock City; fishing, camping, hiking, caving, horseback riding and bicycle riding in Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the county's rural countryside. LaFayette recently renovated the city-owned 18-hole public golf course. Bouldering and rock climbing at Rock Town. Spelunking at Ellis Cave and other caves.
Annual events: Down Home Days in May in Chickamauga; LaFayette Freedom Festival in July; U.S. Highway 27 Yard Sale, tied to the U.S. 127 Yard Sale each August; War Between the States Day in September in Chickamauga; Heritage Day at the Marsh House in October; Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights, mid-November through December; candlelight tours of Gordon-Lee Mansion and the Marsh House in December; Balloons and Tunes Festival in September; Pops in the Park in July at the Battlefield; Barwick Fly-in at the Barwick-LaFayette Airport in September, Shamrock City in March; Enchanted Maze at Rock City in October.
Top employers: Blue Bird of North Georgia, Roper, Lookout Mountain Community Services, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Shaw Industries, Walker County Department of Education.
Notable residents: Chief John Ross, for 40 years the principal chief of the Cherokees; Garnet Carter, inventor of miniature golf courses and developer of Rock City; Bobby Scott, quarterback at the University of Tennessee and 10-year veteran of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
Looking back: Walker County is known for its agriculture and rich Civil War history. Farm land is giving way to subdivision developments and historical sites are becoming tourist attractions. The county's industrial sector, which consists mainly of textiles and manufacturing mills, has grown to include brake-parts manufacturing, and the area is recruiting suppliers for Volkswagen's soon-to-be-built factory in Chattanooga.
Looking ahead: County officials hope to capitalize on Civil War heritage as the 150th anniversary of its beginning draws near. Renovation of historic urban sites in LaFayette and Chickamauga is ongoing. One of the Southeast's most "biologically significant" areas has been preserved in perpetuity with 20,000 acres of contiguous conservation area that links the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management area, Mountain Cove Farm and the Zahnd Natural Area of Lookout Mountain. Developing U.S. Highway 27 as a tourist and development corridor is part of a statewide initiative. The county is home to Georgia Northwestern Technical College. A major fiber-optic line from Miami to Chicago runs through the county, which officials say companies could use to patch into the high-speed communications grid.
Tourism contact: Walker County Chamber of Commerce, 706-375-7702 or www.walkercochamber.com.
Whitfield County
Staff Photo by John Rawlston
WHITFIELD COUNTY. Brooke Massey, left, and Holly Caputi cross Crawford Street as they walk along Hamilton Avenue in downtown Dalton."We enjoy the community. It's a thriving community and still is. We need to find other industries to come in and continue the growth of Whitfield County."
- Jim Reich, Dalton resident since 1959
County seat: Dalton
Other major towns: Cohutta, Tunnel Hill, Varnell
Population: 93,835 (63.7 percent white, 3.6 percent black, 0.5 percent American Indian, 1.3 percent Asian, 0.1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 30.7 percent Hispanic)
Median household income: $43,408
Time zone: Eastern
Geographic features: 295 square miles, which encompasses 941 miles of paved roads, easily accessible by Interstate 75. Other features: Conasauga River, Dug Gap Mountain, Rocky Face Ridge.
Points of interest: The county has a number of Civil War sites, including Rocky Face Ridge, Dug Gap Battle park, a Civil War cemetery and the Western and Atlantic Tunnel in Tunnel Hill. The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society hosts tours of historic buildings by appointment, including Crown Gardens and Archives and Hamilton House Museum (now undergoing renovations), the Blunt House and Prater's Mill. Downtown Dalton offers restaurants, shopping and theater performances at Dalton Little Theatre. The Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center offers a variety of shows and exhibits.
Outdoor recreation: Nob North municipal golf course, Cohutta National Fish Hatchery, Spring Creek Preserve, Chattahoochee National Forest, the 245-mile Pinhoti Trail passes through the county, tours of the historic Tunnel Hill tunnel, Edwards and Heritage Point parks.
Annual events: Prater's Mill Country Fair held each fall, Civil War re-enactment at Clisby Austin house in Tunnel Hill, adjacent to Western and Atlantic Tunnel, The Liberty Tree Festival, held in Dalton one weekend in October.
Top employers: Shaw Industries, Mohawk Industries, Beaulieu of America, Whitfield County Schools and Hamilton Medical Center.
Notable residents: National TV anchorwoman Deborah Norville, former pro cyclist Saul Raisin, Donald Trump's ex-wife Marla Maples, TV soap actor and motivational speaker J.R. Martinez, bodybuilder Peter Putnam, major league pitcher Mitchell Boggs.
Looking back: The city of Dalton and Whitfield County received recognition during the Civil War for fending off Union Gen. William T. Sherman's invasion in his Atlanta campaign. Gen. Sherman was forced to go around Dalton through Snake Creek Gap. Dalton was once known as Peacock Alley due to the efforts of Catherine Evans Whitener, who made tufted bedspreads, which were hung alongside busy U.S. Highway 41 to lure sales from North-South travelers. The tufting industry eventually evolved into the carpet industry. Today, Dalton is known as the Carpet Capital of the World.
Looking ahead: Community leaders are focused on diversifying the local economy following the recession's impact on the local carpet industry. Whitfield County leaders recently purchased land for the Carbondale Business Park and will begin selling lots this spring. Officials also are working to expand sewer to Tunnel Hill and the northern part of the county. Leaders recently recruited IVC US Inc., a vinyl floor manufacturer that plans to begin operations in the southern part of the county in 2011. Also in planning is a new Westside Park that will feature a Miracle Field for disabled children. The Dalton Community Center is being renovated into a bigger recreation facility and one that includes space for such features as the health department's Women, Infants and Children program, a library and an arts area.
Tourism contact: Dalton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-331-3258 or daltoncvb.com.