community spotlight
A Look at HIAWASSEE & YOUNG HARRIS
It’s often said that once you’ve discovered paradise that you never want to leave. That can certainly be said for the residents living around beautiful Lake Chatuge that is located between the towns of Hiawassee & Young Harris GA plus neighboring Hayesville, NC. Hiawassee, Georgia is seated in Towns County and was formed in 1856 from parts of nearby Rabun & Union Counties. It was named for George Washington Towns, who was the governor of Georgia from 1847 to 1851. Hiawassee is a Cherokee word meaning “meadow” and the Chattahochee National Forest covers over 57,000 acres surrounding the lake that is owned by the Tennessee valley Authority (TVA,) which built Lake Chatuge in 1941. The nearby community that founded Young Harris College, was established in 1886 as the McTyeire Institute and was first named after Methodist Bishop Holland McTyeire. Later the college was placed in the hands of Judge Young L.G. Harris whom the town of Young Harris is now named after.
8 | vACATION GUIDE in the Mountains
Lake Chatuge is a 7,500-acre man-made reservoir that was created in 1942, by TVA which cost over nine million dollars after construction was completed on Chatuge Dam. It is one of 29 TVA hydroelectric dams throughout the Tennessee River system used to provide hydroelectric power. The unsurpassed beauty of the lake created by Chatuge Dam inspired people to name it the “Enchanted Valley.” The entire region surrounding Lake Chatuge is famous for year round trout fishing in numerous streams and rivers. Another great way to have fun exploring Lake Chatuge is to enjoy a leisurely cruise on a pontoon boat or rent a jet ski, canoe, or kayak from one of the marina’s like Young Harris Watersports. Many visitors have known Hiawassee to be the home of the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds that host numerous events throughout the year with Live Concerts, Shows at Anderson Music Hall, Pioneer Village & Local Craft Events. The nearby Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens are also open year round with more than 3,000 plants in bloom. www.mountainlakeguide.com | Summer 2022
