Situated Between Chattanooga And Atlanta Is A Historic Georgia City With Art, Shops, And Outdoor Fun

While cruising by means of the scenic rolling hills of northwest Georgia alongside Interstate 75, vacationers could also be shocked to find a historic city wealthy in inventive vitality. Calhoun, Georgia, could solely have 21,000 residents, however it’s filled with area people artwork, boutique retailers, and outside enjoyable for all ages. Serving as a cultural bridge between two inventive hubs, Calhoun is situated simply over an hour north of Atlanta, identified for its personal quirky neighborhoods equivalent to Little Five Points. It’s additionally round 50 minutes south of Chattanooga, Tennessee’s “Scenic City” that boasts its personal flourishing, eclectic character.

Before changing into Calhoun, the realm was generally known as Oothcaloga Depot. It was named by the Cherokee tribe who inhabited the land the place the Coosawattee and Conasauga Rivers meet to type the Oostanaula River. In truth, a lot of Calhoun’s surrounding geography sits on Cherokee lands, which guests can study in the present day on the state park in New Echota, which grew to become the Cherokee capital in 1825. Sadly, this space additionally lent its title to the Treaty of New Echota, which led to the pressured removing on the Trail of Tears within the late 1830s.

The trendy city took its present type in 1850, when it was formally renamed as a tribute to South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun. Like many Southern cities, the railroad was Calhoun’s financial engine, with the Western and Atlantic Railroad turning the settlement right into a regional transport hub. The historic 1850s-era Calhoun Depot now operates as a non-public occasion house.

Calhoun is house to the 20,000-square-foot Harris Arts Center, set inside the previous Rooker Hotel. Here, guests can wander the artwork galleries or study extra about famed African American singer Roland Hayes at his on-site museum free of charge. The Arts Center can be house to the 200-seat Ratner Theater, which comes alive with the Georgia String Band Festival in March. This contains The Gordon County Fiddlers’ Convention, the place fiddlers, banjoists, and extra battle it out for a share of the $2,000 prize. 

Those impressed by the reside music can head to Pete’s Music City, an area fixture for half a century, to browse a number of devices, starting from banjos to keyboards, or to join a fast music lesson. The GEM Theatre, a restored Thirties Art Deco cinema, screens free basic movies and hosts reside occasions. Steps away, the quirky Pintage Antique Market was designed by native artist Pam Mills, who wished to convey the Pinterest aesthetic to a brick-and-mortar house. At this vintage store, friends can discover all the things from furnishings to distinctive paintings, and due to the ever-changing stock, Mills says, “We are never the same store twice.”

Calhoun Coffee brews specialty drinks such because the Cheesecake Delight, they usually’re generally known as a lot for his or her espresso choice as for his or her expansive menu, starting from hen and waffles to French toast and omelets. Meanwhile, El Rayo’s Authentic Mexican surprises each locals and guests with its conventional tacos, chips and queso, and frozen margaritas. Enjoying an area craft beer on the family-run Heavale Brewing Company is a becoming strategy to conclude a busy day.

Due to its location inside the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and adjoining to the Oostanaula River, Calhoun’s panorama creates a scenic backdrop for exploring North Georgia. The close by rivers are famous for his or her paddling alternatives, and the New Echota Rivers Alliance (NERA) leans into this vitality, with guided excursions throughout 47 miles from March to November. Notably, the Oostanaula, Coosawattee, and Conasauga rivers are all a part of the Paddle Georgia 2026 expedition, which takes paddlers by means of interconnected waterways over a 95-mile course. Of course, Georgia is a state stuffed with river adventures, together with the city whitewater course on the Chattahoochee.

The whimsical brainchild of native legend DeWitt “Old Dog” Boyd, The Rock Garden contains a assortment of round 50 intricate miniature buildings constructed by hand with gems, pebbles, shells, glass, and different supplies. This contains bedazzled, artsy recreations of world landmarks such because the Roman Colosseum and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The grounds of the Rock Garden additionally embody a 1-mile nature path that leads on to a tranquil creek feeding into the Oostanaula River, which vacationers cite as a peaceable place to replicate, loosen up, or pray. There isn’t any value to enter the backyard, however the Seventh Day Adventist Church that runs the backyard accepts donations.