Hiawassee, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hiawassee, Georgia
City
Hiawassee on Chatuge Lake Towns County Courthouse in Hiawassee
Location in Towns County and the state of Georgia
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Towns
Settled	1856
Incorporated	May 17, 1956
Area
• Total	2.077 sq mi (5.379 km2)
• Land	1.629 sq mi (4.220 km2)
• Water	0.448 sq mi (1.160 km2)
Elevation	1,969 ft (600 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	981
• Estimate  (2023)	1,002
• Density	615.0/sq mi (237.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	30546
Area code(s)	706 and 762
FIPS code	13-38124
GNIS feature ID	0328122
Sales tax	8.0%

Hiawassee is a small city in Georgia, United States. It is the main town, also known as the county seat, of Towns County. In 2020, about 981 people lived there.

The name Hiawassee comes from an old Cherokee (or possibly Creek) word, Ayuhwasi. This word means "meadow" or "valley." You might also see "Hiwassee" used for the local river and other places in the Appalachian Mountains. Hiawassee is even mentioned in the popular novel "Restart" by Gordon Korman.

History of Hiawassee

Hiawassee was built along an ancient path called the Unicoi Turnpike. This trail was used by Native Americans for over 1,000 years! In the early 1700s, people used this route to move deerskins and furs from Tennessee to big cities like Savannah and Charleston. From there, the furs were shipped all the way to Europe. Between 1807 and 1811, a special fur trade center was built in what is now Hiawassee.

Around 1820, new settlers began to arrive in Hiawassee. In 1856, it became the main town for the newly formed Towns County. It officially became a town in 1870 and then a city in 1916. The area was originally home to Cherokee communities, who were later displaced. The name Hiawassee, meaning "river" or "valley," reflects its natural beauty.

The historic Towns County Jail was built in downtown Hiawassee around 1935. This two-story stone building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. In July 1980, former President Jimmy Carter even visited Hiawassee to go trout fishing!

Geography and Location

Hiawassee is located right on the Hiwassee River. It sits at coordinates 34°56′58″N 83°45′27″W / 34.94944°N 83.75750°W / 34.94944; -83.75750.

The city covers a total area of about 2.077 square miles (5.379 square kilometers). Most of this area is land (1.629 sq mi or 4.220 sq km), and a smaller part is water (0.448 sq mi or 1.160 sq km). Hiawassee is quite high up, about 1,969 feet (600 meters) above sea level.

Population and People

Hiawassee's Population in 2020

In 2020, the census showed that 981 people lived in Hiawassee. There were 497 households and 215 families. Most of the people living in Hiawassee were White (about 92.4%). A small number of people were Black or African American (0.4%), Native American (0.3%), or Asian (0.4%). About 4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Hiawassee

Towns County schools share a unified campus east of Hiawassee

Hiawassee is part of the Towns County School District. This district includes schools for all grades, from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade. The schools share a single campus, making it easy for students to move from elementary to middle to high school.

• Towns County Elementary School
• Towns County Middle School
• Towns County High School

Local Media

The local newspaper for Hiawassee is called the Towns County Herald. It has been published every week since 1928, keeping the community informed about local news and events.

Places to Visit

Hiawassee has several interesting places to visit:

• Fred Hamilton Rhododendron Garden: A beautiful garden filled with colorful rhododendron flowers.
• Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds: A popular spot for events, especially the annual Georgia Mountain Fair.
• Lake Chatuge: A large, scenic lake perfect for boating, fishing, and other water activities.

See also

In Spanish: Hiawassee para niños