I grew up in Clarkesville, Georgia. No one knew where that was until I said, “It’s close to Helen. You know, that the little German village.” Immediately, people would nod their heads in understanding. And north of Helen and over a snaky mountain passage, my parents had a getaway cabin in the little hint of a town called Hiawassee. What made this little town special was the Georgia Mountain Fair which was held every year smack-dab in the center of town. Hundreds of visitors would swarm during the fall and take over the vacant field next to McConnell Baptist Church and the old deserted school house that sat up on the hill. Today, they have moved north of town to hundreds of acres where thousands of people still feel right at home.
It always amazes me how people try so hard to return to a simpler, more peaceful state of existence. It confirms to me that the lifestyle of my parents was right all along.
And on our journey to find solitude, every now and then, we trip over places that have succeeded in capturing and preserving the past. You find such a place in the North Georgia mountains, tucked right off the edge of Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. The Old Sautee Store has been around as long as I have, for that matter, longer than my parents. And, it hasn’t changed a smidgen.
Come visit one of Georgia’s mountain treasures, The Old Sautee Store and step back in time.
Judy and Len Garrison make their home in Athens, Georgia. Len, an IT manager for a major Atlanta company, and Judy, an editor, author and travel writer, want to hear from you as you follow along on their travel. Email them at seeingsouthern@gmail.com. Follow them on their website at seeing southern, as well as on Twitter at @judyhgarrison and @seeing_southern. Don’t forget to like them on facebook.
