Gainesville

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Gainesville, Georgia sits halfway between the authentic Appalachian art and heritage of Georgia's mountains and the urban city center of Atlanta.

 

Established as "Mule Camp Springs" near the crossing of two Indian trails followed by settlers in the 1800s, the City of Gainesville has maintained and built upon its historical legacy as a regional transportation and trade center for almost two centuries. Less than three years after the creation of Hall County the village of Mule Camp Springs was chosen to serve as the site of government for the new county and was chartered by the Georgia Legislature on November 30, 1821. At the suggestion of Justice John Vance Cotter, it was given the name "Gainesville" in honor of General Edmund P. Gaines, a hero of the War of 1812 and a noted military surveyor and road-builder.

 

Also know as the Poultry Capital of the World, the poultry farming industry in Gainesville began to develop after World War II, when Jesse Jewell, a Gainesville feed salesman, began his business. The format he developed was to sell North Georgia farmers baby chicks and feed on credit. When the chicks were grown, Jewell would buy back the adult chickens (broilers) at a price that would cover his costs and guarantee farmers a profit. Once Jewell signed on enough farmers to produce broilers for him, he invested in his own processing plant and hatchery.

 

Gainesville City School has four elementary schools, one middle, and one high school. Gainesville located in Hall County. County schools consists of twenty-one elementary schools, six middle schools, and seven high schools. The district has 1,337 full-time teachers and over 21,730 students. In regards to higher education Gainesville has three institutions of higher education: University of North Georgia (formerly Gainesville State College), which was established January 8, 2013, as a result of the consolidation of North Georgia College and State University and Gainesville State College; Brenau University, a private, not-for-profit, undergraduate- and graduate-level higher education institution; and the Interactive College of Technology.