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Anybody with even a passing acquaintance with NASCAR knows where America's popular sport started: Dawsonville, GA. Georgia's fondness for home-stilled spirits created a generation of fast-driving moonshine haulers who learned specialized driving skills that eventually produced some of the first Daytona winners.
Stop by the Dawsonville Pool Room, a family restaurant, and you'll see memorabilia depicting this Dawsonville contribution to classic Americana. Or visit the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, exhibiting trophies, artifacts and automobiles, in the Dawsonville City Municipal Complex.
But Dawsonville, county seat of Dawson County, is about more than stock car racing. The county was created nearly a century and a half ago, and was named for Judge William Crosby Dawson, former Congressman and U.S. Senator. Before it was established, this was Cherokee country. Settlers came in droves once the country's first gold rush started in 1828.
No more a sleepy region, Dawson County as of 2004 was the 8th fastest growing county in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With a city population of just 800, and a county population of 19,000, the area offers a fine blend of big city/small town advantages. One of them is real estate cost, with a wide range of homes available at moderate prices. Another is proximity to Atlanta, just 45 miles to the south, with its big city bustle and entertainment. Lying just off GA 400, Dawsonville enjoys a splendid location in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Lake Lanier, with its boating and recreational facilities, is nearby.
But life in Dawsonville has its own special charms and appeal, especially for families. Despite its population growth, the county retains a strong agricultural economy In 2002, the gross value of its agricultural products reached nearly $60 million. Poultry is the foundation, but other livestock--including even kangaroos!--add to the economic base.
Dawson County leads the state in pumpkin production, making a trip to Bradley's Pumpkin Patch every October a must for local families. Burt's Pumpkin Farm, one of the largest pumpkin producers in the state, and Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze contribute to the agri-tourism dollars of Dawson County, and provide entertainment for families from miles around.
Besides a growing public school system, Dawsonville has just seen the opening of Southern Catholic College, a four-year liberal arts institution planned for an enrollment of 3,000 students. A new high school also opened in 2005. This is a young population, with more than 30% of its residents under the age of 24, and half between the ages of 25 and 59. So the area is very family focused.
Dawsonville offers its residents a rich and varied cultural life. The Dawson County Arts Council, presenting classes, exhibitions and performances, is located in the Bowen Center for the Arts. Throughout the year, the center presents a lengthy program of events, from one-artist exhibitions to exhibitions of work by the members of nearby artists' groups.
Positioned in the Appalachian foothills, Dawsonville provides its residence with ready access to nature-focused recreational opportunities. Amicalola Falls, dropping a majestic 729 feet, is the pay-off of an eight-mile linking it to Springer Mountain, where the Appalachian Trail begins. Shorter hikes entertain the less adventurous, and from the parking area, a .3-mile paved trail leads to the top of the falls.
A superior family outing is a trip to the Kangaroo Conservation Center, just outside of town. Various species of 'roos are on display, some entertaining in an indoor ring, while others lay about in paddocks that guests visit while riding guided tour vehicles. This is the largest kangaroo population outside of Australia, and is known for its conservation efforts with the animals.
For shopping, visitors come from all over the state to the North Georgia Premium Outlets, where stores specialize in everything from Perry Ellis designs to Coach luggage and Mikasa tableware.
Dawsonville makes an attractive place in which to live as much because of its contemporary life as for its history. With a solid employment base and great recreational facilities, it appeals to families and young people eager to build a future.
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