Gilmer County nestles
in the foothills of the vast Chattahoochee National
Forest in the Appalachian Mountain Range. Wildlife
abounds in the many forests, rivers, lakes,
and streams. Apple and peach orchards and dairy
and chicken farms provide picturesque views
through the valleys. The bright beauty of apple
blossoms and wild flowers in the spring, the
new life of young animals, the lush green of
summer crops and forest foliage, the rust, gold,
red, and green of autumn leaves and apples,
and the strength and simplicity of the winter
landscape all combine to produce an ever-changing
panorama of the land and its people.
The
439 square miles of Gilmer County, located 84.5
degrees West Longitude by 34.5 degrees North
Latitude, were once a part of the not-too-clearly
defined Spanish territory known as Florida.
It probably "became English" around
1775.
The
first white people were, in all likelihood,
the explorer DeSoto and his followers, who,
it is believed, went through Gilmer County in
their exploration of this territory. The Cherokee
Indians were the first known settlers of the
area. The present-day city of Ellijay is one
of the rare places that retains the same name
and is located on the exact site of an original
Indian settlement. The name Ellijay, means "New
Ground Place." Meaning a place which has
been newly prepared for planting. The Cherokees'
legacy to us includes many of the names of the
rivers and communities in Gilmer County.
The
county was created from original Cherokee County
on December 3, 1832, and in 1856, a portion
of Union County. It was named for George R.
Gilmer. At present, the county is bounded on
the north by Fannin County, to the east by Fannin
and Dawson Counties, to the west by Murray and
Gordon Counties, and on the south by Pickens
County.
Ellijay
became the seat of the county government in
1834. It is located on the west bank of the
Ellijay River. Within the community, the Ellijay
and Cartecay Rivers come together to form the
Coosawattee River.
There
are a number of recognized communities within
the county, such as Mountaintown, Boardtown,
Cartecay, Cherry Log, etc., which have been
population centers since early settlement days.
Several communities have built clubhouses for
community use. Boardtown, Cherry Log, New Hope,
Oakland, and Tails Creek Communities have organized
clubs which hold regular meetings and provide
activities which draw the residents into a closer
relationship. Post Offices are located in Ellijay,
East Ellijay, and Cherry Log.
