Besides, it has plenty of offerings in store for its visitors. Among them are its majestic cities, where you’ll get the chance to explore some fabulous attractions. Here, we’ve listed some of the important cities you must visit while touring this American state:

1. Atlanta

The capital city of Georgia, Atlanta mostly lies in Fulton County but also cover parts of DeKalb County. It is also the state’s biggest city spread across an area of 134 square miles. It was founded in the early part of the 19th century as ‘Terminus’. This name was given to it owing to its location on the Western and Atlantic Railroad. 

It was changed to Marthasville in 1843 and then to Atlanta four years later. Atlanta is a major cultural and commercial hub of the state. It is renowned for its abundance of green spaces, which has earned it the nickname ‘City in a Forest’.

2. Athens

Athens is located to the east of Atlanta. It has deep musical roots and is home to the main campus of the University of Georgia. This city is dominated by a lively music scene and a vibrant college town culture. It is also the birthplace of many rock bands, such as Widespread Panic and R.E.M. 

If you’re a beer lover, you’ll have a wonderful time in this city. Creature Comforts Downtown Taproom and Brewery is located in the heart of this city. It serves a diverse range of ales in its brewhouse that looks like a rustic cafeteria. Among its delightful selections are the Sun Triple IPA and Koko Buni Milk Porter. 

3. Augusta

Augusta borders South Carolina and covers a large area of more than 306 square miles. Founded in 1736, it has been named after Princess Augusta, the Princess of Wales. This city is well-known for hosting The Masters, which is one of four main PGA golf tournaments. 

The city enjoys a pleasant, warm climate. This is why it has become one of the important resort towns in the state. Don’t forget to visit the August Museum of History while getting around in Augusta. It houses many exhibits on golf and James Brown, who was a famous American singer in the ‘soul’ genre.

4. Columbus

The county seat of Muscogee County, Columbus is the third-largest city of Georgia. It was founded in 1828 and named after the world-famous explorer, Christopher Columbus. The city is located on the Chattahoochee River on Georgia’s western border. 

It is among the best places in the state for tourism as it has many historical landmarks. You’ll get to explore several museums while touring Columbus. The Chattahoochee River is also a popular place among tourists to indulge in some exciting outdoor activities.

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It was recorded by Ray Charles in 1962. This genre of music witnessed a boom in the 1990s and gained massive popularity among educated and high-income audiences. Here are some of the popular country music stars from Georgia:

Trisha Yearwood

She was born Patricia Lynn Yearwood on the 19th of September 1964 in Monticello. Trisha Yearwood achieved great popularity with her debut single She’s in Love with the Boy in 1991. It went on to grab the top spot on the chart of Billboard country singles. Her success continued with a series of country music hits from early to mid-1990s.

She achieved international success with her 1997 single How Do I Live. She is a member of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. Since 2005, she has been married to Garth Brooks, who is also a country music star.

Jason Aldean

Throughout his career in music, Aldean received four Grammy Award nominations. He was born on the 28th of February 1977 as Jason Aldine Williams. He was nominated twice for the Best Country Album award. And was instrumental in bringing a lot of recognition to the city of Macon, where he was born.

Aldean has 19 chart-topping hits and his album sales have crossed over 15 million. His debut single was titled Hicktown, which was released in 2005. His album ‘My Kinda Party, which was released in 2010, has been certified quadruple-platinum by RIAA.

Jennifer Nettles

Her musical career started from singing at the local church and her high school. She was born on the 12th of September 1974 and raised as a small-town girl. Nettles graduated with a degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Agnes Scott College. While in college, she formed a country music band called ‘Soul Miner’s Daughter’ with a fellow student.

They released a couple of albums consisting of songs that were composed and written by the duo. Nettles teamed up with Kristian Bush in 2003 to form the band ‘Sugarland’. In 2006, Sugarland was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of ‘Best New Artist.

Rhett Atkins

He was born Thomas Rhett Atkins Sr. on the 13th of October 1969. In 1994, his first single What They’re Talkin’ About made it to No.35 on the Billboard country charts. This was followed by I Brake for Brunettes at No.36. His breakthrough hit was That Ain’t My Truck, which was at No.3 on the 1995 country music charts.

Fourteen singles from the albums of Atkins have been on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. They include his No.1 single Don’t Get Me Started from the year 1996. Since 2006, he has not charted a single; but has written for other country music singers. His son Thomas Rhett Atkins Jr. is also a country music artist.

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Over the past few decades, this town has undergone many changes. It used to be a quiet rural town at one point in history. Today, it plays an important role in the culture and economy of Georgia.

Origins of the town

The region was originally inhabited by Cherokee-speaking tribes. Native Cherokee communities were forcibly removed from the area by the colonial settlers. By an act of the state legislature, the Towns County was created in 1856. It was carved out of the sections of Rabun and Union counties by the state legislature’s act. 

The town was incorporated in 1870 under its original spelling of Hiwassee. According to a popular myth, this town was named after a Native American princess. However, this is not true. Hiawassee is located at the junction of foot trails, which the Native American tribes formerly used. This might’ve led to its present name.

Clearing of the forest land

Just like several other towns in the mountains of northern Georgia, this town had only a few residents. The economic activities were also carried out on a much smaller scale. The residents had practised subsistence agriculture, as the area was not suitable for staple crop farming. 

In the late 19th century, the local farmers sold off their lands to the northern timber companies. As a result, thousands of acres of north Georgia forest were cleared. The timber companies made huge profits, but the money wasn’t put back into the local economy.

Further transformation

In 1937, the Chattahoochee National Forest was created. Although this had no immediate impact, it began a gradual transformation in the area. In the decades that followed, the forest became a reason for the region’s transition to a tourism-based economy. The Tennessee Valley Authority dammed the Hiwassee River in 1941, thus creating Lake Chatuge. 

It straddles the border between North Carolina and Georgia. In those days, the creation of this lake had submerged 3,500 acres of fertile land. Hundreds of local residents got displaced. Nevertheless, the project also created much-needed jobs in this part of Georgia. When the project was completed, the town found itself on the banks of Lake Chatuge.  

Hiawassee in recent times

In the mid-20th century, a local resident known as E.N. Nicholson organized the Georgia Mountain Fair. It was an agricultural exposition, which also showcased the local arts and crafts besides agriculture. This three-day event was so successful that it got expanded into a week-long event the following year. 

It grew in popularity every year and has now become one of North Georgia’s largest annual events. The Georgia Mountain Fair brings thousands of visitors to Hiawassee and generates millions of dollars for the local economy. 

Other annual events held in this town have also gained immense popularity over the years. Among them is the Bluegrass Festival, which is held in the spring season. This part of Georgia has also become a popular stopping point for hikers and nature enthusiasts.

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