When the first European settlers reached north Georgia, it had already been inhabited by the Creek and Cherokee Indians for many cen¬turies. Today, the imprint of the Cherokee language can still be found on many place names, such as Chattahoochee - "River of the Painted Rocks", and Soque, which sounds much better than its translation: "Pig River."
The county was formally created in 1817 and included what is today White and Stephens Counties. In 1828, gold was discovered in White County, igniting the nation's first gold rush. The influx of settlers spelled the end of the Cherokee nation, and by 1838 most Cherokee had been deported to the Oklahoma territories along the infamous Trail of Tears.
The new county was named for Joseph Habersham, a leader of the American Revolution and Postmaster General under Presidents Washington and Adams. Habersham had a summer home in the area, which still stands and is one of 33 buildings in the county on the National Register of Historic Places. (Visit www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/GA/Habersh am/state.html for the complete list.)
During the early 1800s, Habersham County was still on the frontier. Early in the century, English and Canadian farmers found the area ideal for growing fruit, especially apples, and many orchards are still in operation today. The area owes so much to the apple industry that in 1925 a 5,200-pound statue of an apple was erected in downtown Cornelia, where it remains a treasured landmark.
Only one Civil War battle of consequence took place in Habersham, the Battle of the Narrows, in which Confederate troops turned back a Union army incursion. There were few casualties, and the battle spared the county homes and farmland from the destruction that befell other parts of Georgia.
By the early 1900s, Habersham was still largely agricultural, but a large part of the county's economy already relied on tourism. Residents of Atlanta and Savannah flocked to
Habersham to escape the summer¬time heat and to view the natural scenery, especially around Tallulah Gorge. The towns of Tallulah Falls, Cornelia and Mt. Airy each boasted magnificent tourist hotels.
The Depression and World War II helped put an end to the large hotels, and today Habersham County enjoys a mixed economy based on agriculture, manufacturing and tourism. With the population growth around Atlanta, Habersham is an increasingly popular destination for day and weekend trips, and the northern part of the county has seen a boom in summer home construction.
See the Links page for web sites that contain additional information and history about Habersham County.
