Super friendly and nice people here. Very fast and helpful, they were also very sweet to my…read morechildren who loved to talk to everyone.

It is a very nice building. Only issue I had was in the interview room there was profanity words…read moreetched in the table.

SMALL TOWN FLAVOR…read more Flowery Branch is a historic railroad town and continues to have several trains driving through the town each day. I discovered the town when I had traveled to the area for a seminar. It was a quiet and peaceful drive and I always thought that I would like to return and explore the downtown area. I recently did just that. The downtown area is very small but it has an antique store, a hair salon, café, bakery, candy shop and other businesses all housed in original structures. Prior to arriving at the shops, you will pass a historic caboose and depot, (built in 1890). Both have been lovingly restored and are currently being used as museums. The depot is also used for weddings, receptions and community events. It can be toured on Saturdays between 11am and 2pm. Just behind the depot you will find Depot Park which is the community green space. It is also where the large Christmas tree has been installed and on this day, additional decorations were being added. Next door to the depot, you will find the Lakeview Art Center which recently installed a mural of a Southern Crescent train on the side of its building. A similar train once ran through the town and is a now a reminder of this period of time. If you want to make the most of your visit to this town, I definitely suggest going when you can tour the caboose and depot, grab a snack from one of the local shops and take a walk down to City Park to enjoy your snack and take in the view!

This marker on the main square in Gainesville points out the history of the first private mint in…read morethe United States that dates back to the earliest post-Revolutionary days. It is easily legible. There is plenty of parking on and off the square. The marker reads, "Two hundred yards west, on the north side of Washington Street is the site of the first private mint in the United States to manufacture gold coins in dollar values. During the Georgia gold rush, trade suffered due to a shortage of sound money. There were few coins in circulation and most business was by barter. Templeton Reid (ca. 1787-1851), Milledgeville silversmith and expert machinist, saw an answer to the problem. He decided to buy raw gold, refine it and stamp coins of proven value, acceptable in any transaction. In 1830 he came to Gainesville, Georgia and opened an assay office. With machines and dies of his design and make he began to strike coins of $2.50, $5.00, and $10.00 denominations. Although questioned by many, this was legal under the U.S. Constitution. The business was not profitable and closed in 1831. The Reid gold coins minted in Gainesville are extremely rare and are eagerly sought by collectors." This is marker number HCHS-2 and it was erected in 1979 by the Hall County Historical Society. [Review 21132 overall - 703 in Georgia - 95 of 2024.]

Although I knew its exact location, I nearly drove right past it! It looks more like a shed in the…read morewoods than a bridge since the surrounding area is overgrown with brush and the creek is not immediately noticeable from the road. ~~~~~~~~~~ Please note this bridge is on private property, a little factoid I didn't discover until after my visit. Glad I didn't get shot! ~~~~~~~~~~ The bridge itself was actually in very good condition. While preparing to write this review I discovered an article about the bridge on GainesvilleTimes.com that said students from the local high school took part in a restoration project around 2007. The bridge was restored to look like the oldest historic picture they could find of the bridge. Other online pictures appear to show the bridge covered in cedar shingles and looking rather unattractive. The current look is far more appealing and in line with ALL the other covered historic bridges in the state. The students participation won them 2nd place for Future Business Leaders of America in their county... pretty awesome! The article also states there were plans in the works that included making the bridge public for all to enjoy. A portion of land was to be donated by the two properties that are divided by the creek just below the bridge. Problems arose when the county commissioner changed and support for the project seemingly dried up. ---------- HAUNTED The bridge is also said to be haunted by a blind women by the name of Suzie who used to make moonshine, rock out on her porch, and sell her goods (on occasion) by this bridge. It has been argued this is the wrong bridge, but someone thought it would be good to attach the name of Blind Suzie to this bridge as a ghost story and it seems to have stuck. Get the full details of the article about this bridge here: http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/archives/24836/ ---------- BRIDGE FACTS * Also known as Hyder Bridge and Lula Covered Bridge. * Closed to vehicular Traffic in 1969 when it was bypassed * Originally built in 1915 about a mile upriver and was relocated. * Only remaining authentic historic covered bridge in Banks County. * Shortest of the remaining Georgia Covered bridges. * TOTAL LENGTH: 34' long * TRUSS: single-span modified Kingpost truss (the only covered bridge remaining in Georgia with this truss system). ---------- FINAL THOUGHTS Whether Blind Suzie actually haunts this bridge or not, it is a valuable surviving piece of history that I hope doesn't get caught up on silly bureaucracy that results in its demise. This bridge is officially 100 years old and deserves to be preserved for 100 years more for future generations to remember and enjoy. I hope they do eventually make this bridge accessible to the public. I would think this could be a project the entire state would get behind and take pride in like Indiana and Ohio, two fine examples of states who have made restoring their historic bridges a priority. Each has created driving tours and festivals celebrating their bridges that are enjoyed by locals statewide and bridge lovers from all over... like me. Seems to me it would be a no brainer that this sort of tourism would add valuable dollars to the local economies... just sayin'

We have an ongoing pleasure of attending a networking events hosted by the Forsyth County Chamber…read moreof Commerce, and I can't express enough gratitude for the incredible support and opportunities they provide to local businesses like mine and various in the Cumming Community. From their dedicated team offering invaluable resources on economic development and community initiatives to the seamless organization of events that foster meaningful connections, the Chamber has truly been a game-changer in helping my company thrive in this vibrant area. Their commitment to promoting growth, advocating for members, and building a stronger Forsyth County community is evident in every interaction--thank you for being such an outstanding partner and champion for success!

Before there was a Nevada silver rush and a California gold rush, there was a Georgia gold rush…read more Yes, gold was discovered in North Georgia in 1832. This marker points out that history and then what happened. It reads, "Auraria, (Gold), in 1832 the scene of Georgia's first gold rush, was named by John C. Calhoun, owner of a nearby mine worked by Calhoun slaves. Auraria and Dahlonega were the two real gold towns in the U.S. before 1849. Between 1829 and 1839 about $20,000,000 in gold was mined in Georgia's Cherokee country. From Auraria in 1858 the "Russell boys", led by Green Russell, went west and established another Auraria near the mouth of Cherry Creek that later became Denver, Colo. Green Russell uncovered a fabulous lode called Russell Gulch near which was built Central City, Colo., "richest square mile on earth."" If you remember your chemistry and periodical tables, the symbol for gold is "Au" as in Gert Fröbe's excellent portrayal as the villain Auric Goldmember in the Sean Connery film of 1964. This is marker number 093-5 and it was erected in 1954 by the Georgia Historical Commission. [Review 20354 overall - 689 in Georgia - 1332 of 2023.]

Along US Highway 441 (which goes from Miami Florida, across all of Georgia and into eastern…read moreTennessee), this marker points out some of the Colonial History of the area. It's at an otherwise unassuming intersection so there is room to pull over to read the marker. It has the same text on both sides, reading "The boundary between the State of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation established by the Treaty of Augusta, May 31, 1783, ran along here. The line ran "from the top of Currahee mountain to the head, or source, of the most southern branch of the Oconee river, including all waters of the same. This boundary line was re-affirmed by the Treaty of Hopewell, Nov. 28, 1785. It was originally marked by a line of felled trees at least twenty feet wide, which became a sort of No Man's Land." The marker was erected in 1953 by the 1953 by Georgia Historical Commission and is marker number 006-1. The immediate area around it is overgrown but you can still read it here. [Review 21130 overall - 701 in Georgia - 93 of 2024.]

Located near the Braselton Town Hall, this marker points out the history of the earliest settlers…read morehere and how this started to grow into what it is today. The marker reads, "In 1876 William H. Braselton, Sr. and his wife, Susan Hosch Braselton, established a 796-acre farm in western Jackson County. The Braseltons' children, Henry, Green, John Oliver, Belle, and Lena , grew up working on the family farm, developing several support businesses such as a store and fertilizer operation. The arrival of first the railroad in 1902 and then a state highway in 1927 allowed expansion of farming operations. In 1916 the town of Braselton was incorporated. In addition to the farm, the development of a mercantile and grocery business as well as a grist and flour mill led the brothers to form Braselton Brothers, Inc. in 1921. Braselton Brothers also funded local schools, and published the monthly Four County Booster from 1912-1933. This is marker number 78-3 and it was erected in 2006 by The Georgia Historical Society and the Braselton Memorial Cemetery Foundation. There is free street parking nearby. [Review 1101 of 2024 - 758 in Georgia - 22128 overall]