So,
I thought it would be nice to lay aside some of the issues of late and take a
day trip in the North Georgia Mountains.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful
area with so much to do. Even during
times where neighbors disagree and resolution may seem far away, we have a
responsibility to ourselves to turn those things off on occasion and enjoy and
be thankful for what we have. I am
always amazed at simply taking a ride through the sprawling wilderness of CRR
and seeing the beauty that surrounds us.
I am ‘one of those’ people that love to look at all the different houses
and get design ideas from others. Likewise, I also enjoy visiting some of the
quaint towns in the area and taking in their local flavor and rich southern
hospitality. I guess you could say I’m a
curious creature by nature and love to see and do different things. It truly brings about an appreciation of the
world around us.So
the weather is nice out – let’s take a day trip to the Alpine City of Helen
Georgia!Now,
let this be said. Like many destinations
in the mountains there is really NO GOOD WAY TO GET TO HELEN from
Ellijay.
When I visit I commonly make the full loop. I leave Ellijay and head East, South East on 52 and circle my way up to Helen through Cleveland. Now, if you have never stopped at the Cabbage Patch nursery in Cleveland, you really should. It is a site to behold. But, more about that [maybe] in a future post. And, I typically take the northern loop home from Helen via 76 through Blue Ridge and back south to home. Feel free to explore, but make sure you have a GPS. I’ve gotten turned around more than once and ended up driving an hour out of my way! During my last trip I made a wrong turn and ended up coming home via Young Harris north of Brasstown Bald. Oh, yeah, Brasstown Bald…..no wait, I promise, that’s another postJ
Anyway, the history of Helen dates back to 1828 when gold was found in the nearby Dukes Creek in Nacoochee Valley. Following the gold rush that occurred for almost a century came the lumber mills. The Gainesville and Northwestern Railroad line came up from the Chattahoochee River to valley area that would later be known as ‘Helen’. The valley was named in 1913 after the daughter of the railroad surveyor in charge of the project. The logging operations dessimated the valley area. The logging and sawmill operations lasted until 1931. The lumber was shipped throughout the U.S. and even to Europe.
This went on until all of the available timber was cut leaving the landscape of Helen devoid of forest. All that remained were the concrete structures of the buildings that made up the town.After the devastation of the area, three local business men met in 1968 to discuss how the town could be improved. They commissioned an artist friend that had previously been stationed in Germany to present ideas for re-facing the town. His sketches emulated the Bavarian feel of the small German towns and created the Alpine feel that we know today when visiting Helen. It is truly amazing how far this small logging town has come in just 47 years. It is truly a mountain gem. Now, let’s take a look around!
When I visit I commonly make the full loop. I leave Ellijay and head East, South East on 52 and circle my way up to Helen through Cleveland. Now, if you have never stopped at the Cabbage Patch nursery in Cleveland, you really should. It is a site to behold. But, more about that [maybe] in a future post. And, I typically take the northern loop home from Helen via 76 through Blue Ridge and back south to home. Feel free to explore, but make sure you have a GPS. I’ve gotten turned around more than once and ended up driving an hour out of my way! During my last trip I made a wrong turn and ended up coming home via Young Harris north of Brasstown Bald. Oh, yeah, Brasstown Bald…..no wait, I promise, that’s another postJ
Anyway, the history of Helen dates back to 1828 when gold was found in the nearby Dukes Creek in Nacoochee Valley. Following the gold rush that occurred for almost a century came the lumber mills. The Gainesville and Northwestern Railroad line came up from the Chattahoochee River to valley area that would later be known as ‘Helen’. The valley was named in 1913 after the daughter of the railroad surveyor in charge of the project. The logging operations dessimated the valley area. The logging and sawmill operations lasted until 1931. The lumber was shipped throughout the U.S. and even to Europe.
This went on until all of the available timber was cut leaving the landscape of Helen devoid of forest. All that remained were the concrete structures of the buildings that made up the town.After the devastation of the area, three local business men met in 1968 to discuss how the town could be improved. They commissioned an artist friend that had previously been stationed in Germany to present ideas for re-facing the town. His sketches emulated the Bavarian feel of the small German towns and created the Alpine feel that we know today when visiting Helen. It is truly amazing how far this small logging town has come in just 47 years. It is truly a mountain gem. Now, let’s take a look around!
There
are two things that will quickly become evident about Helen in the summer
time. First – tubing the Upper Chattahoochee River is BIG
business in Helen! Second - there isn't much for parking! Your best bet is to
find one of the private lots on the south side of main street to park. But, be ready to pay. The majority of these lots charge $5.00 for
unlimited time parking. I am not one to
cruise town endlessly while looking for a parking space, so I always relent and
pay the fee at the private lots.You
will most likely see (if the weather is warm) the hundreds upon hundreds of
tubers on the River. One of my favorite
spots in the summer to visit is Paul’s Margarita Deck at Viele Margaritas on
the East side of town. Simply walk east
on main street until you cross the river.
Paul’s will be on the South side of the road right on the river. In the summertime you can eat lunch on the
deck and watch the tubers float by. If
people watching is something you enjoy, then I highly recommend this!
From Main Street you can see Viele Margaritas - second building from the left
View from the deck of Viele Margaritas
The next place I always visit (and shamefully
never buy anything) is Lindenhaus Imports clock shop. The selection of motion clocks is
amazing. The intricate detail and
fantastic motion is mesmerizing. I can literally spend 30 minutes in this tiny little nook of a store just watching the clocks in motion. Of
course, the downtown area is smattered with tons of shops dealing in a wide array
of tchotchkes. It is best to simply
wander if you have the time and explore the different options. There is plenty to see (and eat) in the
downtown area.
Horse lovers may also wish to hire one of the fancy cabs throughout town to take you on a tour of the side streets of Helen. The fancy cab rides are fairly inexpensive and a good way to see the outskirts of town if your feet are tired from walking the shops. Rides average $7.00 per person.
Horse lovers may also wish to hire one of the fancy cabs throughout town to take you on a tour of the side streets of Helen. The fancy cab rides are fairly inexpensive and a good way to see the outskirts of town if your feet are tired from walking the shops. Rides average $7.00 per person.
No trip to Helen is complete for me without a trip
to Anna Ruby Falls just to the west of the downtown area. The tale behind the naming of the falls has
to do with a Civil War Captain by the name of J. H. Nichols. He discovered the falls while riding on
horseback on his newly acquired property after his wife and one of his children
died. He named the twin falls after his
last surviving daughter – Anna Ruby.
Nichols owned large sums of property in the Helen area until his death
when the property was parceled off.
The main trail to the falls meanders along the river at the base of the falls and provides a gorgeous viewing of the water for the entire trip.
Anna Ruby Falls is located in the Chattahoochee
National Forest just beyond the Unicoi State Park. The fee to enter the falls park area is a
mere $3.00 per person and well worth it.
The visitor center is open from 9am to dusk. The walk to the falls is a ½ mile walk
uphill, but trail is paved so it is a great work out without having to endure
any tough terrain. Best part – it’s
downhill the entire way back! The twin
falls cascade 153 and 50 feet respectively.
While nowhere near the size of Amicalola Falls, Anna Ruby, in my
opinion, is much more scenic with better observation decks to enjoy the view.After a busy day of exploring and sightseeing I am ready to head home and enjoy all the wonders of home along the Coosawattee River.
Til next time,
Chris
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