Helen, Georgia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Helen, Georgia
City of Helen
Downtown Helen
Downtown Helen
FIPS code
13-37788[3]
GNIS feature ID0331948[2]
WebsiteCityOfHelen.org

Helen is a small

2020 census. The city has now been made over, as a tourist attraction, to look like an old-world Bavarian village. This idea was suggested by John Kollock, an Atlanta
artist.

History

20th-century

Helen was laid out by John E. Mitchell of St. Louis during the years 1912 and 1913. When a name for the small settlement was being sought, a lumber official suggested the name of his daughter and there was little opposition.[4] Called the "Star of the North," Helen was incorporated on August 18, 1913.[5]

Formerly a logging town in decline, Helen resurrected itself by becoming a replica of a Bavarian

Appalachians instead of the Alps. This design is mandated through zoning first adopted in 1969, so that the classic southern German style is present on every building, even on the small number of national franchisees present. In 1975, Documerica
photographer Al Stephenson documented the life, recreation, and economy of the Helen area before and during the reconstruction of the settlement.

21st-century

Tourism is a key economic activity in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the

Atlanta area and also motorcyclists who enjoy riding the roads in Helen and its surrounding areas. Helen can be crowded in late October, when autumn leaves typically peak. It also hosts its own Oktoberfest
during September, October and November. Events and festivals are held throughout the year, including the "Southern Worthersee", which is a stateside Volkswagen and Audi event that pays tribute to the Worthersee Tour in Austria. An annual hot-air balloon race is also held here on the first weekend in June.

The main road through town is north–south

bypass route
around the town and its traffic jams in the autumn and on some weekends.

Chattahoochee National Forest, is through the park.[6]

Hardman Farm State Historic Site is located near Helen.

Geography

Helen is located at 34°42′9″N 83°43′39″W / 34.70250°N 83.72750°W / 34.70250; -83.72750 (34.702396, -83.727508).[7]

Georgia State Routes 17 and 75 are the main routes through the city, and run through the downtown area together as North Main Street. GA-17/75 lead north together 21 miles (34 km) to Hiawassee. The two highways split south of the city, with GA-17 leading southeast 15 miles (24 km) to Clarkesville and GA-75 leading south 9 miles (14 km) to Cleveland, the White County seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), all land.

Climate

Climate data for Helen, GA (1991–2020, extremes 1956–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 84
(29)
80
(27)
85
(29)
92
(33)
96
(36)
102
(39)
102
(39)
99
(37)
97
(36)
91
(33)
84
(29)
76
(24)
102
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 49.0
(9.4)
53.3
(11.8)
61.0
(16.1)
70.4
(21.3)
76.9
(24.9)
82.9
(28.3)
86.2
(30.1)
85.1
(29.5)
79.6
(26.4)
70.0
(21.1)
59.7
(15.4)
51.4
(10.8)
68.8
(20.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 39.0
(3.9)
42.0
(5.6)
48.6
(9.2)
56.9
(13.8)
64.6
(18.1)
71.9
(22.2)
75.4
(24.1)
74.5
(23.6)
68.6
(20.3)
58.1
(14.5)
47.8
(8.8)
41.5
(5.3)
57.4
(14.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 28.9
(−1.7)
30.6
(−0.8)
36.2
(2.3)
43.4
(6.3)
52.3
(11.3)
60.8
(16.0)
64.5
(18.1)
63.9
(17.7)
57.6
(14.2)
46.2
(7.9)
35.9
(2.2)
31.6
(−0.2)
46.0
(7.8)
Record low °F (°C) −12
(−24)
−1
(−18)
6
(−14)
21
(−6)
22
(−6)
36
(2)
44
(7)
44
(7)
29
(−2)
19
(−7)
10
(−12)
−6
(−21)
−12
(−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 6.78
(172)
6.03
(153)
6.75
(171)
5.82
(148)
5.56
(141)
6.29
(160)
5.63
(143)
6.63
(168)
5.33
(135)
4.94
(125)
5.98
(152)
6.97
(177)
72.71
(1,847)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3)
0.7
(1.8)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
1.5
(3.8)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.4 10.6 10.3 9.0 10.3 11.9 11.4 11.8 8.4 7.2 8.1 10.7 120.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.6
Source:
NOAA[8][9]

Transportation

Major roads

Pedestrians and cycling

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1920176
193025243.2%
1940198−21.4%
1950191−3.5%
196022718.8%
197025211.0%
19802655.2%
199030013.2%
200043043.3%
201051018.6%
20205314.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

2020 census

Helen racial composition[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White
(non-Hispanic)
469 88.32%
Black or African American
(non-Hispanic)
4 0.75%
Asian
17 3.2%
Other/Mixed
30 5.65%
Latino
11 2.07%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 531 people, 271 households, and 161 families residing in the city. The total population figure is disputed by city officials, as it is triple what it was a decade earlier. The discrepancy may be due changes in Census Bureau counting methodology.[12]

2000 census

As of the

Latino
of any race were 3.02% of the population.

There were 208 households, out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 42.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city the population was spread out, with 20.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $40,781. Males had a median income of $39,107 versus $23,750 for females. The

poverty line
, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Sister city

Education

  • Alpine Public Schools are part of the White County School District, which includes four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
  • Dr. Laurie Burkett is the Superintendent of Schools (since 2018).[14] The district has 233 full-time teachers and over 3,758 students.[15][needs update]

Film and television

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) includes a scene filmed on Chimney Mountain Rd. just outside of Helen.

In the episode "Helen" from Season 2: Robbin' Season of the television series Atlanta, main characters Vanessa and Earn visit Helen for a Fastnacht celebration.[16] The character Vanessa, played by Zazie Beetz, is fluent in German. The episode aired on March 22, 2018.

The Lifetime TV movie Christmas Love Letter was filmed in Helen and aired on December 21, 2019.[17]

Gallery

  • Office of The Helen Mountain Eagle, July 1975
    Office of The Helen Mountain Eagle, July 1975
  • Entrance to Helen, May 1975
    Entrance to Helen, May 1975
  • Dancing at Oktoberfest in Helen, 1975
    Dancing at Oktoberfest in Helen, 1975
  • Another view of Helen
    Another view of Helen
  • Various stores in Helen
    Various stores in Helen
  • Panorama of the town.
    Panorama of the town.
  • Unicoi State Park lake
  • Anna Ruby Falls
  • Nacoochee Indian Mound occupied from 1350 to 1600
    Nacoochee Indian Mound
    occupied from 1350 to 1600
  • Brasstown Bald the highest peak in Georgia
    Brasstown Bald the highest peak in Georgia

References

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Helen, Georgia
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. .
  5. ^ Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. State printer. 1913. p. 893.
  6. ^ "Unicoi State Park and Lodge". Georgia State Parks. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  9. ^ "Station: Helen, GA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  12. ^ "'Whoa, that's not right': Georgia towns lead census appeals".
  13. ^ "Helen, GA - Fussen, Bavaria, FRD - Sister City Monuments on". Waymarking.com. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  14. ^ "White County Board of ed Approves Burkett as Superintendent". July 4, 2018.
  15. ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  16. ^ "Earn and Van come to a dead end in Atlanta's oddest tourist destination". AV Club. March 23, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  17. ^ "Christmas Love Letter Movie Filmed In Helen To Air December 21st". WRWH. September 23, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2020.

External links