Category Archives: History

Is Sautee Nacoochee, GA HAUNTED?

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When the crisp fall weather rolls in and the days get shorter, we know it’s time for ghost story season. So settle into a cozy chair, grab some steaming hot chocolate and get ready for things to get spooky as we share this north Georgia tale of love, heartbreak, murder, and the ghostly souls that may still inhabit the land we call home. Before white settlers arrived in the converging valleys of Sautee and Nacoochee, the land was home to the Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes, who were often warring against each other. It was during a peaceful period, though, that … Continue reading →

A Slice of History in North Georgia Mountains

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Once dubbed, “The Little Pink Cottage,” Clarkesville’s Maudlin House and Gardens is a crown jewel of north Georgia. The property, listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, was built in the late nineteenth century as a home for A.M. Maudlin and his wife. It was later passed down to Maudlin’s son Oscar, and a millinery shop was added for his wife Margaret who created and sold hats.  The property has undergone changes over the course of its history, but until 1990 it had remained occupied by the descendants of the original owners. When it was deeded to the city … Continue reading →

Georgia’s 2018 Spirit of Appalachia Food, Wine & Art Fest

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Southern Appalachia history and heritage will be celebrated in grand style during the annual Spirit of Appalachia Food, Wine & Art Festival, September 15, 2018 at the Hardman Farm Historic Site in Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia. The historic farm is located in the northeast Georgia mountains, south of Helen and just minutes from Lucille’s. It’s a beautiful site with 173 acres and dozens of historic buildings, located on what was once the Unicoi Turnpike, a main byway for travelers through the area. It’s also home to the Nacoochee Mound, an ancient Cherokee burial site. Be sure to take some time and … Continue reading →

Northeast Georgia’s WWII Curahee Military Museum

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For anyone who is interested in the service history of the Greatest Generation, the Curahee Military Museum is a gem. The small museum in Toccoa, Georgia—in the Currahee Mountains of northeast Georgia—is a treasure trove of artifacts and history. The museum is housed in the town’s renovated train station and focuses on the 5,000 men who trained at Camp Toccoa as paratroopers. During World War II, 17,000 soldiers would go through training here, known as the “Toccoa Men.” Anyone who has watched the TV series “Band of Brothers” will recognize the stories of these soldiers and many aspects of the … Continue reading →

Northeast Georgia’s SNC History Museum

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The Sautee Nacoochee Center, just a few minutes from the Inn, is home to the SNC History Museum, a treasure trove of information and artifacts that define our area. The center takes its name from the Nacoochee and Sautee Valleys, which include the mountainous region surrounding the Inn, and encompass a rich and notable past. The SNC History Museum does a terrific job of bringing together the stories of how the valleys developed, the inhabitants who lived here and the importance of both to forming the place we call home. Visitors can easily spend several hours here perusing the wealth … Continue reading →

Helen Georgia History Is Shades of Gold

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Years before visitors flocked to Helen Georgia for its Bavarian shops and restaurants, they came to get rich. It all began in 1828 when Frank Logan first discovered gold at Dukes Creek. Word spread quickly and soon the entire region, from the Nacoochee-Helen Valley west to Dahlonega, was wrapped up in the Great Georgia Gold Rush. Thousands of hopeful miners descended on our area in the early 1800’s in hopes of striking it rich—and for a while, many did. White’s County, where Lucille’s is located, was home to many of the wealthiest operations, including Loud’s Mine—reported to be the first … Continue reading →

Travelers Rest Historic Site Honors GA Mountain History

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When the Unicoi Turnpike was built in the early 1800’s, it became the major north-south route, starting in South Carolina, traveling to Clarksville, up through Helen and Hiawassee and on into Tennessee. Four stagecoach inns were located along this route, including what is now Travelers Rest Historic Site in Taccoa, Georgia, about a 35-minute drive southeast of our Inn. Built in 1815 by local plantation owner, James R. Wyly—who was also charged with opening the Unicoi Turnpike—the property was sold in 1833 to wealthy entrepreneur Devereaux Jarrett. Mr. Jarrett continued to operate the inn for many years, doubling its size. In 1955, … Continue reading →

Cherokee Ceramics at NE Georgia Folk Pottery Museum

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If you enjoy learning about the history and art of the area as much as we do here at the Inn, you’ll want to make sure to stop by the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia for its newest exhibit featuring Cherokee Ceramics. Asheville Art Museum photo: Queen and Maney Original Dancing Quails   For nearly 3,000 years, the eastern band of the Cherokee Indians, located in Western North Carolina, has been creating pottery. Theirs is one of the oldest, ongoing ceramic traditions in the world. After nearly dying out in the late Nineteenth Century, the artistry is now alive and … Continue reading →

Visit Historic Cleveland In The North Georgia Mountains

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Head south of the Inn for 15 miles, to the intersection of Highways 129 and 115 and you’ll be in Cleveland, a pretty mountain town steeped in history. Founded in 1857, it was then called Mount Yonah and occupied the area that is now Underwood Street, between Main and Church streets. It remained mostly a small farming community through the first half of the Twentieth Century, when more commercial enterprises began moving in. Soon Cleveland, the seat of White County, was the center of activity for the surrounding area, and today boasts more than 2800 inhabitants. Known as the “Gateway … Continue reading →

Hardman Farm Named North Georgia Historic Site in 2015

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Photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Visitors to Lucille’s have a new place to check out, right in our own Sautee Nacoochee neighborhood. Hardman Farm, a 173-acre farm and homestead was made a new Georgia State Historic Site in March, 2015, and it makes a great outing for those who enjoy a beautiful setting with their history. Located along the Chattahoochee River just south of Helen, Hardman Farm State Historic Site includes a house, barn and perhaps most recognizable of all, a gazebo-topped Indian mound, which is a favorite local landmark. The house was built by Captain James … Continue reading →