The preserve was dedicated by Gwinnett County in 2005 on land purchased from the Miller family. The preserve includes 200 acres of land to remain undisturbed for future generations. It contains a variety of wildlife including mammals, birds, . . . — — Map (db m114324) HM
History of the Park Land The land for Little Mulberry Park was purchased by Gwinnett County in three parcels from 1998 to 2001. The park officially opened in 2004. The property includes 890 acres of diverse landscape including two man-made . . . — — Map (db m114326) HM
Old Oak Tree This forest was once a pasture. This White Oak (Quercus alba) is over 100 years old and provides evidence that it occupied the edge of a formerly cleared pasture area. The other clue is the occasional piece of barbed . . . — — Map (db m114330) HM
These stone structures range from neatly stacked cubic assemblies to scattered piles of rock (that appear to formerly have been neatly stacked). Some are stacked five to six feet tall. There are hundreds of these mounds scattered in various . . . — — Map (db m114344) HM
One of the oldest surviving homes in Gwinnett County, this house was built in the 1850s. The house was originally two rooms wide and one room deep. This style is referred to as an I-house. The house is unique because of the beautiful, hand painted . . . — — Map (db m107606) HM
This house was built by Elisha Winn around 1812. In 1818, the Georgia General Assembly created Gwinnett County from Cherokee and Creek cessions and part of Jackson County. The first Gwinnett elections and sessions of the Inferior Court were held in . . . — — Map (db m16937) HM
Fort Daniel was completed in 1813 to protect the frontier from Indians aroused by the British during the War of 1812. Presumably named for General Allen Daniel, the fort was garrisoned by the 25th Regiment of Georgia Militia. To further protect the . . . — — Map (db m26485) HM
In honor of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers “Pioneers of Recorded Traditional Stringband Music” Gid Tanner lived in Dacula from 1922-1960, recording from March 1924 until March 1934. The group’s “Million Seller” . . . — — Map (db m112329) HM
Eleven charter members first met near what was known as the Hog Mountain House eight miles N.E. of Lawrenceville to organize the church. The church was organized by Elder David H. Moncrief and Elder Amos Hadaway. The first building was erected in . . . — — Map (db m19075) HM
Alice Harrell Strickland (1859-1947) and her husband Henry built this home in 1898. The Stricklands raised seven children before Henry’s death in 1917. Mrs. Strickland then became a community leader. With her service as Mayor of Duluth in 1922-23, . . . — — Map (db m21583) HM
This all-steel passenger coach was built for the Southern Railway System by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1924. It has a seating capacity of 72. Withdrawn from service in 1959 for presentation by the Southern Railway System to this rail . . . — — Map (db m113842) HM
At Fort Daniel on Hog Mountain, about 12 miles NE, began the original Peachtree Road to the village of Standing Peachtree on the Chattahoochee River. This old road was opened to haul military supplies to the river. These were to be floated . . . — — Map (db m21577) HM
Built: 1926
Builder: O.F. Jordan Company
Built For: MacDougald Construction Co.
Class: Knuckle Brace
Weight: 85,000 lbs
The Spreader was a railroad car designed to spread or shape ballast profiles as well as clear snow in winter. The . . . — — Map (db m113897) HM
Steam Locomotion at High Tide!
"Born of a railroad, Atlanta grew as its railroads grew."
Margaret Mitchell in "Gone With The Wind."
In March 1926, the 290, a Pacific type 4-6-2 steam passenger engine, was delivered to the Atlanta and . . . — — Map (db m113844) HM
Many of us can fondly recall the small train sets that operated at fairs, zoos, parks and yes, even the occasional drive in theater. Trains such as this reached their peak popularity during the 1950s & 1960s.
Several years ago, two such part . . . — — Map (db m70643) HM
[Left panel]
Black Americans in Gwinnett have a rich culture and a history of contributions to the community. After the Civil War, the Loving Aid Society (now Love & Aid Society) was founded in order to provide assistance to African . . . — — Map (db m197721) HM
The beloved Charles Henry Smith, was born here June 15, 1826. He married Mary Hutchins of Lawrenceville in 1849; began his law practice and moved to Rome in 1851. Major, Confederate Army. His Nom de plume, “Bill Arp,” was first used in 1861. . . . — — Map (db m14085) HM
The indentation in the sidewalk known as the Buggy Steps was used in the horse and buggy days to load and unload wares.
A millinery store, an important destination for women who made most of their clothes but not their hats, was located . . . — — Map (db m197703) HM
Button Gwinnett, for whom this county was named, was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1735, the son of a Church of England minister. He worked in the store of his father-in-law in Dexter for two years, then as an importer and exporter for three . . . — — Map (db m84791) HM
In remembrance
of the citizens
of Gwinnett
County who
honorably served
the Confederate
States of America
"Any people with
contempt for their
heritage have lost
faith in themselves
and no nation can long
survive without . . . — — Map (db m85724) WM
[Left panel]
Present day Northwest Georgia was a very different place in the late 1700s. Due to conflict with the region's Creek and Cherokee people, white settlers constructed small forts to protect themselves along treaty boundaries. One . . . — — Map (db m197714) HM
Welcome to Freeman's Mill, the last operating gristmill in Gwinnett County. From the late 1860s to 1986, Freeman's Mill provided wheat flour, corn meal and feed meal for the county's residents and their animals. Its pond afforded nearby Alcova . . . — — Map (db m114273) HM
[Left panel]
Gwinnett County's steadily growing, diverse population has long been a point of pride. Whether looking to settle in the suburbs or seeking a better life in America, people from near and far call Gwinnett home.
The population . . . — — Map (db m197710) HM
On July 20, 1864, Union forces under Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman, USA, were closing in on Atlanta. Hq. 2nd Cavalry Division [US], Brig. Gen. Kenner Garrard, was in Decatur, 6 miles E of Atlanta. Garrard’s three brigades were guarding bridges over the . . . — — Map (db m84574) HM
Cattle, hogs and goats were important to Lawrenceville's economy in the 1840's. Unfortunately they also created a problem for the Justices of the Inferior Court. Fences and gates could not keep the local livestock from running at large and settling . . . — — Map (db m197689) HM
Created in 1818 from Cherokee and Creek cessions, Gwinnett is an original county. Courts, elections, and sheriff sales were held, first, in the home of Elisha Winn, 1 mile east of the Appalachee River. Selected to buy a permanent site for the county . . . — — Map (db m16916) HM
[Time capsule]
In honor of the
Gwinnett Bicentennial
December 15, 2018
To be opened December 15, 2118
[Sign, left panel]
Gwinnett County: A vibrantly connected community
Gwinnett County anchors the . . . — — Map (db m197716) HM
The Georgia Legislature authorized the creation of Gwinnett County in 1818 and named it after Button Gwinnett. He was one of three Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence but never lived in the county.
The first meetings, court . . . — — Map (db m197711) HM
[Left panel]
After the Civil War, railroads came to Gwinnett County. New cities emerged along the rails, including Buford, Duluth, Norcross, and Suwanee. Confederate veteran Bonaparte Allen moved to Buford and opened a tannery that became . . . — — Map (db m197729) HM
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Gwinnett County's economy depended on cotton. Local farmers required quality mules and horses. And so Honest Alley, a row of stables and blacksmith barns behind Crogan Street, became an important trading . . . — — Map (db m197708) HM
[Left panel]
Lake Lanier is one of Gwinnett 's recreational gems and engineering feats, named in honor of Georgia poet and musician Sidney Lanier.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on Buford Dam in 1950. The dam's . . . — — Map (db m197719) HM
The first building erected on this property was completed July 31, 1838 to house the Lawrenceville Female Seminary. The Reverend John S. Wilson was elected first president of the Board of Trustees. The Seminary commenced operations on September 24, . . . — — Map (db m23490) HM
Lynching in America
Thousands of Black people were victims of lynching in the United States between 1865 and 1950. During this era, lynching emerged as the most notorious and public form of racial terrorism, used to enforce racial hierarchy and . . . — — Map (db m197693) HM
In memory of
Gwinnett Company of Mounted
Volunteers, under the command
of Capt. Hammond Garmany who
were slain by Creek Indians
9 June 1836 in a Battle at
Shepherd's Plantation in
Stewart County:
Ens. Isaac Lacy
Sgt. James E. . . . — — Map (db m85721) HM WM
Richard Dickinson Winn, a son of Elisha and Judith Cochran Winn, was born January 14, 1816. Gwinnett’s first county elections and court sessions were held at his childhood home near Hog Mountain. Winn served as a Justice of the Inferior Court of . . . — — Map (db m23541) HM
Gwinnett County remained very rural into the middle of the 20th century and the streets of downtown Lawrenceville were unpaved until the late 1920's. In those days, the businesses on Crogan St. included several general stores. Farmers would come to . . . — — Map (db m197707) HM
It was a simpler time in 1905 – even banking was easier. A Gwinnett farmer needing a loan could drop by the County Courthouse on any day and meet up with Mr. E. M. Brand who offered money to lend at his outdoor office, positioned on the steps, near . . . — — Map (db m197683) HM
Dedicated in Memory of William Carroll Jackson
(1934 - 2004)
Constructed by Miles E. Ewing in 1895, the hotel was originally three stories tall with gingerbread balconies that wrapped around the corner of the then unpaved Crogan and Perry . . . — — Map (db m197705) HM
The Atlanta Exposition of 1890 was the site of a special celebration of the wonders of King Cotton on Farmers Alliance Day. The main attraction featured the wedding of four couples, dressed in clothing made of white cotton bagging. A huge crowd of . . . — — Map (db m197682) HM
Dr. Webster Price Ezzard was one of Lawrenceville's most notable and recognized residents. A reliable and trusted country doctor, he served the community for over 60 years from his office on the town square, in the rear of the Jones Pharmacy . . . — — Map (db m197684) HM
Originally constructed in 1824 the land purchased for the building included 250 acres at a total cost of $200. This building burned in 1871 and was rebuilt in 1872, but was later torn down in 1884. The courthouse now standing was constructed in . . . — — Map (db m197688) HM
[Left panel]
Early Gwinnett and adjacent counties were home to two important U.S. Army forts: Fort Daniel on Hog Mountain and Fort Gilmer along the Chattahoochee River, more commonly called "the fort at the standing peach tree.” During the . . . — — Map (db m197723) HM
William E. Simmons, one of Gwinnett County’s foremost citizens, was born in Lawrenceville on August 26, 1839. After graduating at the top of his class from Emory College, he assumed editorship of the Lawrenceville News. In 1861, he became an officer . . . — — Map (db m16958) HM
In 1935, Jule Oakes moved his beloved wife Jewel and his
family into this house. With love and hard work, they
transformed it into a warm and inviting showplace. On any
given Saturday, the Oakes' home, kitchen, and front porch
hosted family and . . . — — Map (db m212988) HM
The state of Georgia divided land ceded by the Cherokee Nation into 250-acre lots for farming and gave them away in the Land Lottery of 1820. To be eligible, participants had to be at least 18 and a Georgia resident for three years. Lottery winners . . . — — Map (db m197713) HM
Long before Gwinnett County became today's vibrantly connected community, it was a forest. The Cherokee and Creek people lived and hunted on these ancestral lands. Early settlers grew subsistence crops like corn.
Cotton produced by slave labor . . . — — Map (db m197726) HM
“All my life I have looked out over
the Courthouse Square.”
H. Rhodes Jordan, Sr.
1918-1993
For nearly half a century Rhodes Jordan watched over the courthouse square from his upstairs office in this building. Constructed in . . . — — Map (db m197706) HM
Gwinnett County socialites in the 1820's were quick and firm in their crusade to fight the evils of corn liquor. One prominent leader was Mrs. Philadelphia Winn Maltbie, daughter of the first Justice of the Inferior Court. It is said that this . . . — — Map (db m197702) HM
As in most counties in this part of Georgia, there were a few local entrepreneurs who developed a thriving business producing a popular variety of white lightnin'. Customers came from miles around for a chance to purchase some of Gwinnett's finest . . . — — Map (db m197679) HM
[Left panel]
Quality of life in Gwinnett is unsurpassed with educational choices from Pre-K to PhD, housing variety from single-family subdivisions to downtown condos to large-tract estates, and entertainment options that include five . . . — — Map (db m197728) HM
The first courthouse was built on this site between 1823 and 1824 and there was a well on the southwest corner. People came by horse and buggy to the courthouse to conduct business and so a wooden watering trough for horses was provided near this . . . — — Map (db m85719) HM
On this site through the early teens of the last century, there was an alley used to access businesses off of main street, including Arthur Maloney's corn mill which was located in the area directly Behind these buildings. It also led to one of the . . . — — Map (db m213023) HM
Sunset Drive, originally known as Church Street, and later “Holy Row” has a long and storied past. On November 5, 1875 Norman Flavius Cooledge, an educator, bought the parcel of land (currently the site of the Summerour House) on the corner of . . . — — Map (db m44073) HM
Original site
McElroy & Nesbit
Furniture Company
Manufacturer of desks and desks; later site of a feed store operated by the Ivy family 1946 - 1972 — — Map (db m213012) HM
Original site
Will Carlyle's
Store
One of the few shops in town to sell ice in the days before refrigeration; Carlyle also served as deputy sheriff. — — Map (db m213014) HM
Original site
Norcross Masonic
Lodge 228 F&AM
During the 1950's the 1st floor was the site of the Swan Theater, operated by Raymond & Estelle Ziebell. — — Map (db m213005) HM
Original site
Offices of Rube Gant
& Claud Morton
R.A. Gant was a cotton broker & talented checker player; Morton was the local Justice of the Peace. — — Map (db m213006) HM
This American Elm tree was designated as a Georgia Champion Tree in April, 1999, by the Georgia Forestry Commission. At the time of its inclusion on the list of State Champion Trees, the circumference measured 198 inches, the height was 79 feet, and . . . — — Map (db m212995) HM
On this site in 1870, the Brunswick Hotel was constructed. The Hotel was three stories high with wide porches on the first two stories. It had 29 rooms and a restaurant. The Hotel was a destination spot for vacationing Atlantans wanting to escape . . . — — Map (db m14091) HM
On May 17, 1872, seventeen people convened in the Community House on Church Street or “Holy Row,” now called Sunset Drive, in the fledgling town of Norcross. During the meeting, this inspired group organized The Baptist Church of Christ . . . — — Map (db m16961) HM
Local landowner Milton C. Lively donated the land in the central part of today's cemetery for a burial ground around the time the city was established in 1870 and the road connecting it to the town became known as Cemetery Street.
At one time, . . . — — Map (db m213024) HM
As a pioneer for women in Norcross and Gwinnett County politics, Lillian Webb built a distinguished career that stretched nearly sixty years and spanned local, county, state, and national levels. She began her activism in 1950 as an organizer, . . . — — Map (db m212993) HM
The Norcross Historic District has been preserved as a 19th century railroad town, and its historical significance has been recognized by the U. S. Department of the Interior through its listing on the National Register of Historic Places on . . . — — Map (db m35039) HM
Norcross was founded as a railroad town in 1870 with the expansion of the Richmond-Danville Railroad out of Atlanta. It quickly became known as a resort town for vacationing Atlantans wishing to leave the city. The Train Depot was built in 1909 to . . . — — Map (db m213001) HM
Norcross was established in 1870 by John J. Thrasher, a railroad builder, entrepreneur, and one of the early pioneers who started the settlement of Marthasville, now known as Atlanta. In 1870, he headed north, bought land to build a home and founded . . . — — Map (db m214496) HM
Originally chartered in 1833 by the Fairview Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, the church was originally located at the intersection of Beaver Ruin Road and Hopkins Mill Road on land donated by Thomas H. Jones and was known as the Goshen . . . — — Map (db m23285) HM
In February 1907, the Norcross Woman's Club took on the challenge of forming a public library. The Norcross library, Gwinnett County's first, opened on July 1, 1907 In a small room in the public schoolhouse. The library's primary benefactor was Mr. . . . — — Map (db m213000) HM
On this site during the late ninteenth century, a professional-size baseball field was constructed. Known for many years as simply "the ball ground,” this park became the center of the community every summer in Norcross. From 1910-1950s Norcross . . . — — Map (db m212994) HM
In the early 1900s cotton was the main cash crop for farmers in Georgia, and to prepare their harvest for market their cotton bolls had to be run through a machine called a cotton gin to separate the fiber from the seeds. The Summerour Cotton Gin, . . . — — Map (db m212992) HM
Norcross was chartered in 1870 through its founder, J.J. "Cousin John" Thrasher, and named for his good friend, Jonathon Norcross, the fourth mayor (1851) of Atlanta. "Cousin John" purchased tracts of land which he subdivided and sold as lots along . . . — — Map (db m12880) HM
The Eastern Continental Divide is a naturally occurring high ridge in the eastern United States that separates falling water into streams and rivers that flow into either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. The ridge begins in the Allegheny . . . — — Map (db m212999) HM
Original Site
39 South Peachtree Street
Area originally served as a pass thru to Skin Alley in rear later a restaurant was added finally, the building housed City Hall
Circa 1940 — — Map (db m221158) HM
Norcross was incorporated in 1870
by John J. Thrasher, a pioneer Atlanta settler who named this town after his good friend and business associate, Jonathan Norcross. The town of Norcross was the second city in Gwinnett County, and the first . . . — — Map (db m221159) HM
In the evening hours of December 6, 1953 four F-84D jet aircraft of 128th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the Georgia Air National Guard crashed near this site. They were returning from a routine weekend training flight from the Miami area when they . . . — — Map (db m9598) HM
Remembrance
Our world can be reshaped in a single day.
September 11, 2001 was such a day.
This memorial includes a stainless steel sculpture
depicting an aerial view of Lower Manhattan,
historic timeline of the day's events, and a . . . — — Map (db m85735) HM
