VWG_spring 2017

Haralson County A place of extremes

I f all you do is pass through Haralson County while cruising along Interstate 20, you’re going to miss a lot. Apart from the rolling countryside full of rich history – not to mention some of the best barbecue you’ve ever had – Haralson is a place of extremes. Here’s a place where you can test your kayaking skills on one of the prettiest watercourses in the United States; where you can bike for miles along some of the region’s most challenging routes, and watch monster machines wallow in the mud. Haralson County, simply put, is a place of extremes: extreme sport and extreme relaxation. If you like rushing water, rushing wind and rushing adrenaline, you’ll find it here. If you like no rush at all, well, that’s here too, with quiet drives along scenic roads, restful walks through Victorian neighborhoods and hours of peaceful antiquing. Haralson is 282 square miles of land just remote enough to provide an escape from the routines of urban life. In this wide-open expanse of scenic nature, there’s something for every recreational taste Let’s start with the assumption that you are interested in some quieter, less aggressive types of leisure. Well, if you begin your search in Bremen, you’ll find what you’re looking for. Bremen (the locals pronounce it BREE-men), is a progressive town located just off Interstate 20 Exit 11. It is an important stop along the West Georgia Textile Trail , which runs from Dalton to Columbus commemorating the heritage this region owes to the textile industry, which was

Gifts, 175 Head Ave., which is also one of the houses on the tour. There are 31 different houses along the tour, ranging from the Summerlin House, 404 Bowdon St., which was built in 1880, to the nearby Castille House, built on the site where Creek Indians used to meet, and the picturesque Attaway House, 109 West Lyon St., which has a tower and a secret passage inside. Not far from Tallapoosa, you can pick one of the five paved roads that comprise the Haralson County Scenic Byway . This route was chosen for the paths they take through the undisturbed, pristine preserves of rural beauty. Perfect for afternoon and the kind of Sunday drives of days gone past, this trip through the Appalachian foothills offers picturesque views of farmland, rolling hills, valleys, woodlands, as well as farm and wildlife. These five roads – Steadman, Jacksonville, Poplar Springs, Monroe Mill and Pine Grove – do not connect as a single trail, but you can drive them together, or one at a time. They are marked by distinctive signs, blue with white trim and lettering that are posted at either end of each road. These byways are well worth return visits during each of the seasons, to enjoy the changing foliage. In the spring and summer (and even in the fall and winter), you can ride with the top down or the windows open to enjoy the fragrant, fresh air. These are all, nice easy escapes for a day or even longer. But if you’ve got a yen for something a little more exciting, Haralson County has some adventures waiting for you. ♥ VWG

the economic engine that drove Bremen and other west Georgia towns almost to the 21 st century. Virtually every long-time family in west Georgia has a connection to that history. The textile mills established in Bremen and nearby communities by the brothers Robert, Roy and Warren Sewell made this region the “Clothing Center of the South” in the 1970s and 1980s. Even before that, however, the textile mills of west Georgia brought economic stability to a region inhabited by farmers. Working at the mills freed farm families from the vagaries of seasonal harvests, enabling them to afford a better life for their children. In Bremen, you can see some of the factories that remain, before heading westward along U.S. Highway 78 to the town of Tallapoosa , which has its own unique history. Tallapoosa happens to be the site of one of the biggest land swindles in U.S. history. Speculators from the East once advertised the place as a boom town, ripe for investment. Unfortunately, the boom went bust and the investors lost millions, but not everything was a scam. Before the bust and afterward, Tallapoosa blossomed into a flourishing town. Those who built homes here during the 1890s boom period have left behind dozens of Victorian homes. While you are enjoying the shops and restaurants of this well-preserved town, why not take a walking tour of Tallapoosa’s homes ? You can pick up a guide at the West Georgia Museum of Tallapoosa (worth a visit itself) at 185 Mann St., the Peacock Perch , 102 Head Ave., or Allen’s Florist and

22 Visit West Georgia, Spring 2017