The northeast Georgia mountains have been home to humankind for thousands of years. Cherokee, Creek and Catawba Native Americans greeted European explorers arriving in the 16th century. But the frontier was tough, and saw little European settlement until the middle 18th century, but didn't develop until after the turn of the 19th century. Finally Scots-Irish from North Carolina joined settlers from the Georgia coast to take advantage of the 1820 lottery and settle in these mountains. The removal of the Cherokee on the infamous "Trail of Tears" in 1836 further stimulated settlement in the region. A visit to nearby Traveler's Rest, the former inn and plantation home of Devereaux Jarrett and now a state historic site, details for the visitor just how these frontier pioneers lived.


Stephens County was created in 1905, but Toccoa, its county seat, dates to 1873. Originally named "Dry Pond," it may have served as a coaling station for the railroad. Development would have remained stagnant had the railroad not developed a rail line in 1873 that connected Toccoa to Atlanta on one end and Greenville, SC, and points beyond on the other end. The enterprising spirit of three visionaries--Dr. O.M. Doyle, B. Y Sage and Thomas Alexander--sought to design a community integrating business and industry, cultural and social life, education and religion. You'll find their names today on three of Toccoa's downtown streets.


As late as 1942 Toccoa, a Native American word meaning "the beautiful," had neither traffic lights nor bars, one movie theater and myriad churches. World War II changed much of that, as soldiers from all over the country were brought to Toccoa for training up on Currahee Mountain (meaning "stand alone" in Cherokee as it's the last mountain in the Blue Ridge chain). Protected as part of the Cherokee National Forst, Currahee today only has a couple of monuments near where the base stood to recognize the paratroopers who trained there. Actor and film producer Tom Hanks has recognized the history of the units who trained in and around Toccoa in two films, Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan.


Never strong in agriculture, except for cotton and some corn, Toccoa has become a manufacturing center with a population of 11,500. Abundant water enabled the powering of machinery, so textile mils from New England came down to take advantage of the cotton being grown. Dams and hydroelectric plants nurtured industry. Thick stands of timber supplied the raw materials for furniture manufacturers. Today, some 35% of Toccoa's employed residents work in these diverse industries. Increases in non-manufacturing jobs have led to increases in retail sales of more than $40 million annually.


Along with this growth have come first-rate medical care, and educational and cultural institutions. The Toccoa Cancer Center, with its residential atmosphere, participates in Nataional Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials. Four elementary schools, a new middle school, and a recently renovated high school provide the educational base. Toccoa Falls College, an accredited non-denominational four-year liberal arts Bible college, enrolls more than 1,000 students. Dramatic 186-foot-tall Toccoa Falls is located on its campus. Part of the state's post-secondary system, a branch of the North Georgia Technical College offers associate degrees in its new campus in Hayestone Park. Begun in 1977, the Toccoa Symphony and the Schaefer Center in downtown Toccoa are emblematic of the town's cultural vitality, which includes a lively arts community..


Surrounded by exquisite mountain vistas, the area's most prominent natural phenomenon has to be Tallulah Gorge, seen in the film Deliverance. Now a state park, the gorge has tempted a few daring souls to cross its yawning chasm. Karl Wallenda of the famous circus family accomplished the feat on July 18, 1970, crossing the 1,200-foot-deep chasm without incident.


With easy access to larger cities--Atlanta and, even closer, Greenville, SC--Toccoa has the best of many worlds. Stunning mountain scenery and contemporary comforts merge to create a unique residential environment.