Helen, Georgia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Helen, Georgia

City

Downtown Helen

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

"Star of the North"

Motto(s):

"Georgia‘s Alpine village"

Location in White County and the state of Georgia

Helen, Georgia

Location in the United States

Country

United States

State

Georgia

County

White

Incorporated

August 18, 1913

Founded by

John E. Mitchell

Area

• Total

2.09 sq mi (5.43 km²)

• Land

2.09 sq mi (5.41 km²)

• Water

0.01 sq mi (0.02 km²)

Elevation

1,444 ft (440 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

531

• Density

254.19/sq mi (98.14/km²)

Time zone

UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC−04:00 (EDT)

ZIP Code

30545

Area code(s)

706

FIPS code

13-37788

GNIS feature ID

0331948

Helen is a small city in White County, Georgia, United States. It's located right along the Chattahoochee River. In 2020, about 531 people lived there. What makes Helen special is that it has been completely changed to look like an old-world Bavarian village, just like you'd find in Germany! This cool idea came from an artist named John Kollock from Atlanta.

History of Helen
Exploring Helen and Nearby Attractions
- Unicoi State Park
- Hardman Farm State Historic Site
Geography and Roads
Population
Sister City
Education
Helen in Movies and TV
Gallery
See also

History of Helen

How Helen Started

Helen was first planned out by John E. Mitchell in 1912 and 1913. When they needed a name for the new settlement, a lumber official suggested naming it after his daughter, Helen. Everyone agreed, and the city was officially created on August 18, 1913. People used to call it the "Star of the North." Helen was built along an old path called the Unicoi Turnpike. This path was used by Native Americans for over 1,000 years to travel between Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Becoming a Bavarian Village

Helen used to be a town where people worked with wood and trees, but it started to decline. To save the town, they came up with a unique plan: turn it into a copy of a Bavarian alpine town. So, instead of being in the Alps mountains, it's now in the Appalachians! This special design became a rule in 1969. This means every building, even the few big chain stores, has to look like it's from southern Germany. In 1975, a photographer named Al Stephenson took pictures of Helen before and during this amazing change.

Helen Today: A Tourist Hotspot

Today, tourism is super important for Helen's economy. Lots of visitors come from the Atlanta area for weekend trips. Many motorcyclists also love riding the roads around Helen. The town can get very busy in late October when the autumn leaves are at their most colorful.

Helen also has its own Oktoberfest celebration, which runs through September, October, and November. There are many other events and festivals all year long. One popular event is "Southern Worthersee," a big gathering for Volkswagen and Audi car fans. Plus, there's an annual hot-air balloon race held on the first weekend of June.

Exploring Helen and Nearby Attractions

The main road through Helen is Georgia 75. You can find a special water gauge (HDCG1) on its bridge over the Chattahoochee River in the middle of town. There's also a parallel road called Georgia 75 Alt. This road helps drivers avoid traffic jams in town, especially during busy times like autumn weekends.

Unicoi State Park

Just northeast of Helen, you'll find Unicoi State Park and Lodge. This park covers about 1,050 acres and has a beautiful 53-acre freshwater lake called Unicoi Lake. It's a great place for outdoor activities all year round!

You can swim at the beach.
There are streams for trout fishing.
Fishing docks are available for everyone, including those using wheelchairs.
You can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats during certain seasons.
There are seven picnic shelters with grills.
Kids can enjoy three playgrounds.
It's a good spot for birdwatching.
There are 7.5 miles of hiking trails inside the park, with more trails in the nearby Chattahoochee National Forest.
Mountain biking trails stretch for 8 miles within the park.
You can also find different types of lodging at Unicoi State Park.
The park also gives you access to Anna Ruby Falls, which is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest.

Hardman Farm State Historic Site

Another interesting place to visit near Helen is the Hardman Farm State Historic Site.

Geography and Roads

Helen is located in a beautiful area of Georgia. The main roads that go through the city are State Route 17 and State Route 75. They run together through downtown as North Main Street. These roads can take you north to Hiawassee or south to Cleveland, which is the county seat of White County.

The city covers about 2.1 square miles of land.

Population

Helen is a small city. In 2020, the population was 531 people.

Sister City

Helen has a special connection with a city in Germany! Its sister city is Füssen, which is also in Bavaria.

Education

The schools in Helen are part of the White County School District. This district includes:

Four elementary schools
One middle school
One high school

Dr. Laurie Burkett has been the Superintendent of Schools since 2018. The district has 233 full-time teachers and teaches over 3,758 students.

Helen in Movies and TV

Helen has been featured in some movies and TV shows!

The movie Smokey and the Bandit (1977) had a scene filmed just outside Helen on Chimney Mountain Road.
An episode of the TV series Atlanta called "Helen" was set here. In this episode, the characters Vanessa and Earn visit Helen for a Fastnacht celebration. Vanessa, played by Zazie Beetz, even speaks German in the episode! It aired on March 22, 2018.
The Lifetime TV movie Christmas Love Letter was filmed in Helen and shown on December 21, 2019.