Gainesville, Ga., is on the shores of Lake Lanier about 45 minutes north of Atlanta. It's been called the "Poultry Capital of the World" because it has so many poultry plants and chicken houses nearby. It was devastated in 1936 by a complex of tornadoes that claimed 203 lives in Gainesville and about 454 lives elsewhere, including more than 200 in Tupelo, Miss., making it one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
Gainesville is home to The Women's College of Brenau University, which has a stately campus with 19th century buildings that's listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Gainesville celebrates its early history as "Mule Camp Springs" on the second weekend of October at an annual Mule Camp Market Festival. And Lake Lanier was the site of the canoeing, kayaking and rowing competitions for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, which is commemorated at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
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LAKE LANIER“The lake is one of our biggest assets here,” says Renee Carden, of the Lake Lanier Convention and Visitors Bureau.The reservoir covering more than 38,000 acres was created in 1957 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It’s said to be the most-visited Corps-created lake in the nation.>One of the biggest attractions on Lake Lanier, says Carden, is LanierWorld at Lanier Islands, a water park which includes the South’s largest wave pool, a large collection of rides and dining and entertainment options. “There’s water slides on the beach, and boaters like to come,” Carden says. “We have a fabulous saltwater pool.”The Atlanta Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place in September, draws thousands of people to Lake Lanier Olympic Park, she adds.
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*FAST FACTSPopulation: 38,712Median housing value: $150,700Biggest private employers: Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Fieldale Farms Corp., Kubota Manufacturing of America, poultry processor Pilgrim’s and Mar-Jac Poultry Inc.Landmark: Poultry Park at Jesse Jewell Parkway and Grove Street pays homage to Gainesville’s significance in the poultry industry. A statue of a chicken sits atop a 25-foot-high marble obelisk in the park.Most famous resident: Jodi Marie Marzorati-Benson was the voice of Disney’s Princess Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” and of the character Barbie in Pixar’s “Toy Story” movies. Benson was named a Disney Legend in 2011.
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*LAKE LANIER OLYMPIC PARKSite of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games canoe/kayak/rowing events, the Olympic Tower and plaza is available for rental for special events.Learn to paddle or row during novice classes at the Olympic Park boathouse, join the team and train for competition or rent a vessel and enjoy an afternoon on the water.Lake Lanier Olympic Park has a scenic picnic area with tables, grills and great views of Lake Lanier. Enjoy free access to picnicking in the park seven days a week. Picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis.Enjoy a day at the beach at Lake Lanier Olympic Park. The picnic area has a beach shoreline with easy access to the water for swimming, paddleboarding and other non-motorized water sports. No lifeguard is on duty, so swim at your own risk. The beach is open year-round.Boaters can enjoy complimentary boat launch facilities at Lake Lanier Olympic Park. Free truck and trailer parking is available adjacent to the boat ramp. Open year-round, though closed select days for park events. Consult the calendar of events at lakelanierolympicvenue.org for closures.Lake Lanier Olympic Park offers a courtesy dock for boaters. Boaters can access the beach, picnic areas and public restroom facilities free of charge.*Source: Lake Lanier Olympic Park
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GOOD EATIN’Located just off the Gainesville square near Brenau University in a century-old renovated home is 2 Dog (317 Spring St. SE), a restaurant serving “rustic euro soul food.”For the past 15 years, 2 Dog’s owners, Tim and Tina Roberts, have offered fresh-baked bread, sauces, salad dressings and desserts, all made in-house. Since the very beginning of 2 Dog, the Robertses have used fresh seasonal produce from a local farmer in Lula, Ga. Most steaks are butchered in-house, sausage is made in-house and all smoked meats are smoked on the premises.>Menu items change with each season, as do wine and beer selections.For inspiration, the Robertses try restaurants in other places, including Chattanooga, which isn’t too bad of a drive, Tina Roberts says. “Actually, my husband and I visit Chattanooga to try places to eat and just get out of town for a little bit.”Source: 2 Dog