GEORGIA FROM A-Z

A IS FOR AGRICULTURE, APPALACHIAN TRAIL, & ARCHAEOLOGY

• The Georgia Department of AGRICULTURE services and regulates funding in the state. The state produces many fruits and vegetables, and ranks first in the production of pecans. The State Soil is tifton. The Vidalia onion is the State Vegetable. The peanut is the official State Crop. Georgia has 4-H Clubs and chapters of Future Farmers of America. The National Agriculture Statistic Service provides information about agriculture.

• The APPALACHIAN TRAIL is a footpath that goes from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. The trail follows the high eastern ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. Georgia has a variety of other trails including scenic hiking trails and horse trails. A Coastal Greenway is under construction. The Colonial Coast Trail weaves birding into historical roots of Georgia. The state celebrates National Trails Day

• ARCHAEOLOGY events and programs are held throughout the year. The Society for Georgia Archaeology sponsors Archaeology month and provides maps of archaeological sites. The Stallings Archaeological Project has undertaken several excavations in the Middle Savannah River area.

• Georgia has many beaches BEACHES along the ocean and on lakes & river. Many State Parks have beaches. One of the largest sand swimming beaches in the state is found at John Tanner State Park.

• Georgia is home to over 400 species of BIRDS. Birdwatching is popular and there are many Birding Hotspots. The Brown Thrasher is the official State Bird. The Bobwhite Quail is the official State Game Bird. The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the largest natural bird refuges in the country.

• The Georgia Office of Bridge Design designs BRIDGES, walls, and culverts. The state has many historic Covered Bridges and 4 Suspension Bridges. The Watson Mill Bridge is the longest covered bridge in the state. Construction of a concrete bridge is being considered.

• Georgia has several Scenic Byways and Scenic Drives. The Okefenokee Scenic Drive circles the Okefenokee Swamp which is the largest and most ecologically intact swamp in the country. Roadside Attractions include the World of Coco-Cola Pavillion and The Uncle Remus Museum.

• Various cities have served as the CAPITAL of Georgia. Atlanta is the present capital. The dome of the Capitol building is gold leaf. Dalton is called the Carpet Capital of the world. Cordele claims to be the Watermelon Capital of the world. Brunswick is called the Shrimp Capital of the World. Elberton is known as the "Granite Capital of the World". Gainsville is considered to be the Chicken Capital of the World, and hosts the largest poultry convention in the world. The International Poultry Exposition is held in Atlanta.

• Georgia has all forms of COMMUNICATION including radio, television, magazines, newspapers, telephone, and internet. Georgia has 8 telephone Area Codes. Internet Service Providers and Webcamsare located throughout the state.

• There are over 159 COUNTIES in Georgia. Ware County is the largest in size and Clarke County is the smallest. Fulton County has the largest population and Taliaferro County has the smallest. Many counties were named for governors. The term county is used in 48 of the 50 states for the level of government below the state government.

• Georgia has 7 DAMS. The Buford Dam is designed to control and utilize the headwater of the Chattahochee River. The Tallulah Gorge was tamed by a series of Hydroelectric Dams. Geothermal Power is being used in Georgia and Solar Power and Wind Power are being investigated.

• The remains of DINOSAURS from the late Cretaceous Period have been found in Georgia. The Atlanta Fernbank Museum of Natural History features dinosaurs and has self-guided tours. A variety of Fossils have been found in Georgia and the State Fossil is Sharks Teeth.

• The first EARTHQUAKES reported in Georgia were in the great New Madrid Series that were felt all over the eastern part of the country.

• EDUCATION in Georgia is free from pre-kindergarten thru high school and is mandatory from ages 6 to 16. It was the first state to offer a voluntary pre-kindergarten program to 4 year olds. The Department of Education provides information about schools. More information about schools in Georgia is provided by SchoolBug and GreatSchools.

• Georgia also has a variety of EVENTS during the year including festivals and Fairs. The State Fair is held in Macon. Georgia has Scottish Games and festivals. Savannah has an Irish Festival. Georgia celebrates National Public Holidays and other special days.

• Georgia has a variety of FISH, and fishing is a popular activity. The State Fish is the largemouth bass. There are 2 National Fish Hatcheries in Georgia - Chattahoochee and Warm Springs.

• The State Seal is in the center of the State FLAG and is surrounded by 13 stars representing the state being one of the original 13 states. A ribbon at the bottom has United States flags and Georgia flags. Many flags have flown over the state. Some cities and counties have a flag. The Cherokee of Georgia have their own flag.

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  The State FLOWER is the Cherokee Rose The State Wild Flower is the azalea. There is an Orchid Center at the the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

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• The US Geological Survey provides information and maps about the GEOLOGY of Georgia. The state has 4 distinct geological regions - Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley/Ridge. The Georgial Geological Society brings together people interested in the geology of the state.

• The GLOBAL POSITION of Georgia is approximately 34 degress north longitude and 85 degrees west latitude. The state is located on the east coast of the United States and is the largest state east of the Mississippi. NOAA provides information about the Topography of Georgia Geocaching is a high-tech adventure game using a global positioning finder and Georgia has many geocaches. The Georgia Geocachers Association has special events for geocachers.

• Georgia has about 20 GHOST TOWNS. The entire towns of Dahlonega and Juliette are intact. Auraria has an abandoned hotel, general store, and homes. Campbellton has 2 churches, 3 cemetaries, and a masonic lodge. Godfrey has several old stores and homes. White Sulphur Springs has building foundations and lampposts.

• Georgia has many HISTORIC SITES including the Little White House built by Franklin Roosevelt before he became President. The Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site near Cartersville was home to several thousand Indians.

• The HISTORY of Georgia dates back to prehistoric times. The Ocmulgee National Monument near Macon preserves a continuous record of human life in the southeast from the earliest times to the present. Recorded history of Georgia began in the 1400s. The history of Georgia is marked by events of the Civil War. Georgia participates in National History Day.

• The major INDUSTRIES in Georgia are manufacturing and agriculture. Georgia is a leading producer of paper and board, printing and publishing, the manufacture of rubber and plastic items, and processed chicken. Atlanta & Savannah are the major industrial centers, but there are factories in small centers throughout the state. Trade Shows are held throughout the year.

• Georgia has a variety of INSECTS including many dragonflies. The State Insect is the honeybee.The Tiger Swallowtail is the state butterfly.

• Georgia has over 2 dozen ISLANDS. The Coast and Barrier Islands include Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Cumberland Island is a National Seashore. Sapelo Island is a National Esturarine Research Reserve.

Georgia has several types of JAZZ. Jazz Festivals are held in Atlanta and at Lake Oconee. The Savanna Jazz Festival is organized by the Coastal Jazz Association. The State University of West Georgia has a Jazz Ensemble. A variety of other musicGeorgia On My Mind.

• The Georgia Speleolgical Survey maintains a record of KARST, sinkholes, and caves in the state. The National Park Service has a Cave and Karst Program The National Speleological Society has chapters in Georgia that provide information about caving.

• Many aspects of life in the state of Georgia focus on KIDS. The state has a special Webpage for Kids. There are Camps for Kids throughout the state. Kids Count is an organization that helps children, families, and communities.

• Georgia has 8 LAKES and 9 reservoirs. Lake Arrowhead is the largest privately owned lake in the state. Lake Oconee is the second largest lake in Georgia. The Army Corps of Engineers maintains several Lakes in Georga.

• Georgia has nearly 400 public LIBRARIES and 41 bookmobiles. There are also many Academic Libraries in the state. The State Library is in Atlanta. The James Earl Carter Library is in Americus. The Digital Library of Georgia provides information about the history and culture of the state. The Georgia Library Association has sponsors events and activities including a Georgia Library Day.

• Georgia has 6 surviving LIGHTHOUSES (three active) and one offshore light tower on its relatively short coastline. The most important aspect of a lighthouse is the light that comes from the tower.

• Georgia has a variety of MILITARY Installations. Fort Benning is the largest Infantry Training Center in the country. Georgia has 7 forts . Fort Screven closed after WW II and is now used as a museum and for housing. Many of the monuments and museums in the state are reminders of important battles and heroes of the Civil War. The Georgia National Guard maintains 90 armories and is present in 73 communities.

• Many MINERALS have been mined in Georgia in the past, and some are still being mined. The State Mineral is staurolite. The most important mineral in Georgia is clay, and the state ranks first in clay production. The state also ranks first in granite production. Stone Mountain is the largest mass of exposed granite in the world and has an entertainment park. Carved in its side is a relief depicting three Confederate heroes making it the largest bas-relief sculpture in the world. The State Gem is quartz. Colored quartz include amethyst and citrine. Less common gems found in Georgia are beryl, ruby, and garnet. The Gold Museum in Dahlonega tells about the Georgia gold rush of the early 1800s.

• Georgia has 5 MOUNTAINS including Brasstown Bald, Grassy Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Oglethorpe, and Springer Mountain. Brasstown Bald is the highest mountain in the state. Grassy Mountain has ancient petrographs. Kenneshaw Mountain has a National Battlefield Park. Springer Mountain replaced Oglethorpe as the beginning of the Appalachian trail. The Northeast Georgia mountains have many special events including festivals and fairs.

• Georgia has many MUSEUMS. A Coke museum in Atlanta features original prototype contour bottles.

• Georgia is named after King George II of England. It was the 13th colony and the 4th state in the union to ratify the United States Constitution. Georgia has several nicknames. It is called The Peach State" because of it peaches, and the peach is the official State Fruit. It is also known as the "Empire State" of the South because of its wide range of businesses and industries. It is sometimes called the "Goober" State because it produces nearly half of the United States peanut crop.

• At one time several tribes of NATIVE AMERICANS lived in Georgia. Before the 18th century, most of Georgia was home to Native Americans belonging to a southeastern alliance known as the Creek Confederacy. Some descendents of Cherokee chose to remain in Georgia. Chieftain Trail features Native American sites in northern Georgia.

• Georgia is bordered on the east by the Atlantic OCEAN. The USGS provides information about why the ocean is Salty.

• Georgia has several OBSERVATORIES. The Hard Labor Creek Observatory is a facility of Georgia State University and is the largest observatory in the southeastern United States. Bradley Observatory is an astronomical teaching and research facility on the campus of Agnes Scott College. Astronomy Day and Astronomy Week are celebrated.

• Georgia has a variety of PARKS including State Parks and County PARKS. The most popular State Park is Unicoi State Park. The state has Amusement, Theme, and Water Parks. The Lake Winnepesauka Amusement Park in Rossville is known worldwide for its old-fashioned wooden roller coaster. The Good Old Carrousel in the park is one of the oldest and largest carrousels in the world.

• Over 8 millions PEOPLE live in Georgia. Georgia was the first state to require birth registration. Famous people include Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Activist; Margaret Mitchell, author; and Jimmy Carter, former President of the U.S. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum is in Atlanta, and his boyhood home outside Plains is a National Historical attraction.

• The U.S. Mint issued a quarter U.S. Mint for each state according to its admission date. Georgia was admitted to the union in 1788 and a quarter was issued for it in 1999. The U.S. Mint has a special Kids Page

• QUILTING is popular in Georgia and Quilting Guilds are located throughout the state. The Chattahochee Handweavers Guild promotespreservation of fiber arts.

• Take a QUIZ about Georgia. Take a quiz about the Civil war.

• Georgia has a variety of REPTILES & amphibians. The gopher tortoise is the official State Reptile. The Atlanta Fernbank Museum sponsors a Reptile Day. Four species of sea turtle are found in the coastal waters of the Georgia Bight. In 2005 the Green Tree Frog was declared the State Amphibian.

• Georgia has many RIVERS and a swamp - the Okefenokee. In 1733, colonists landed along the Savannah River at Yamacraw Bluff and founded Georgia which became a British royal province. The city of Savannah is the location of the first main settlement in Georgia.

• The Girl SCOUTS of America was found in Savannah in 1912 by Juliett Lowe.

• The coast of Georgia has a variey of SEA LIFE including jellyfish and stingrays. The Right Whale is the official Marine Mammal. The KNOBBED WHELK is the State Seashell. All kinds of sea life have been captured on camera. Georgia has excellent opportunities to experience deepsea fishing.

• Georgia has high school, college, league, and professional SPORTS teams. There are 2 stadiums in Atlanta - the Georgia Dome which offers tours and Phillips Arena. The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is in Macon. Georgia is home of the Masters Golf Tournamen.

• Georgia has a State TARTAN. There are several Highland Games and Celtic Festivals including Celtic Day Celebration, Tunnel Hill Celtic Heritage & Festival, Loch Hartwell Scottish Fest, & Stone Mountain Highland Games and Scottish Festival.

• The Georgia Department of TRANSPORTATION plans, constructs, maintains, and improves roads and bridges in the state and has traffic information. The state has an Adopt-A-Highway Program, and webcams of highways are located throughout the state. The 1st license plates were issued in the early 1900s. Many personalized license plates are available including a dog & cat license plate. To celebrate its birthday in 2002, Matchbox Cars issued a vehicle for each state. The vehicle for Georgia was the Volkswagen Panel Transporter.

• Georgia has several variety of TREES including Native Flowering Trees. The Georgia Forestry commission maintains a list of Champion trees growing in the state. About 65 percent of the Georgia is covered with forests, and the state has 2 National forests - Oconee and Chattahochee. The Marshall Forest in Rome is the only natural forest within a city limits in the United States. Arbor Day is celebrated throughout the state.

• Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is an international UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

• Georgia has many UNIVERSITIES and colleges. The University of Georgia was one of the first state universities in the United States to receive a charter. Berry College in Rome has the largest college campus in the world..

• Four ships have been named USS Georgia. The 1st 2 ships were Confederate ships - the CSS Georgia (1863) and the USS Georgia Battery. The United States Navy commissioned 2 ships USS Georgia. The 1st USS Georgia (BB 15) was a Virginia-class battleship and was launched in 1904. She provided training and convoy escort service during World War I, and became a transport to bring troops home after the war ended. The 2nd US Georgia (SSBN 729) was the 4th Ohio-class submarine She no longer serves as a ballistic missile submarine, but will be converted into a guided missile submarine (SSGN).

• Georgia has a wide variety of VEGETATION. The Georgia Vegetation Management association provides information to about the management of vegetation. the Georgia Native Plant Society promotes conservation of native plant and their habitats. The Nature Conservancy helps preserve natural places in Georgia. The state has protected plants and threatened and endangered plants.

• Most of the WATERFALLS in Georgia are in the northern part of the state. Amicalola Falls is the site of a State Park and is the tallest falls east of the Rocky Mountains.

• The WEATHER in Georgia varies from mountains to coastal plain. It is generally temperate and is influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal region of Georgia is moderate with short winters and long springs and falls. Global Warming might effect Georgia. The Georgia State Climatology Office provides information about the weather and climate in the state.

• Georgia has a wide variety of WILDLIFE including some of special concern. The state has Wildlife Refuges and Marine Sanctuaries and more than 90 Wildlife Management Areas. The State 'Possum is Pogo Possum. Georgia is part of the Wildlife Protection Program.

• XMAS is the common abbreviation for Christmas and it is celebrated in Georgia much like the rest of the country and around the world. The largest maker of peppermint candy canes is located in Albany. The Georgia Christmas Tree Association helps people find and care for real Christmas trees.

• Georgia has several YOUTH HOSTELS. There are 2 in Atlanta and 1 in Athens. There are also several Elder Hostels in Georgia.

• YMCA organizations are located throught Georgia. State YMCA of Georgia provides programs and opportunites for young people.

• The use of ZIP CODES began in 1963. All of the zip codes in Georgia start with the number 3. The postal code is GA.

• Georgia is in the Eastern Time ZONE and in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6-8.

• Georgia has 2 major ZOOS. The Atlanta Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in continuous operation in the United States & has 250 species of animals from all over the world. The zoo is home to many threatened and endangered animals. The most wellknown are the giant pandas. The Chewa Animal Park in Albany has special events throughout the year.