Hall County Historical Timeline | Northeast Georgia LifeStyle

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Take a step back in time with this Hall County Historical Timeline from 1818 through present day. Be sure to keep checking back for new information as the page grows

1800’s

December 15, 1818– Hall County, the forty fifth Georgia county, was created. It was created from Indian lands ceded by the Treaty of Cherokee Agency (1817) and the Treaty of Washington (1819), and was named for Lyman Hall.
1820– Population: 5,086
April 21, 1821– Mule Camp Springs, an early town of Hall County, was chartered as Gainesville.
November 30, 1821- Gainesville was officially chartered by the Georgia Legislature
1829(+)– The discovery of gold in Lumpkin and White counties, north of Hall County, gave way for Gainesville to become the trading and supply center for the Gold Rush.
1830– Population: 11,748
1840– Population: 7,875
August 1, 1845- Redwine UMC began when approximately 39 acres were purchased from William E. Redwine.
1849– Gainesville was established as a resort center as tourism increased.
1850– Population: 8,713
December 23, 1851– Fire destroyed much of Gainesville. The fire is said to have started in the rear of a log building/mansion on the east side of the square. Winds quickly spread the fire throughout the town. Residents and business owners worked around the clock to fight the fires using pails of water from wells within the town.
1860– Population: 9,366
1870– Population: 9,607
1871– Railroads came to Hall County and the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad (later named the Southern Railroad) was opened.
May 28, 1871– Air Line Railroad (later named the Southern Railroad) was opened.
February 22, 1873– election of a City Marshal
1875– General James Longstreet moved to Gainesville and worked as the postmaster and hotel operator. He also purchased the Piedmont Hotel, near the Railroad Depot, in anticipation of the Atlanta-Washington railroad opening.
1880– Population: 15,298
1890– Population: 18,047

1900’s

1900– Population: 20,752
December 19, 1902– Gainesville became the first city south of Baltimore to have street lights.
1900– Cotton Mills began to arrive in Hall County
June 1, 1903- 104 people died in Hall County when a tornado tore through a Gainesville cotton mill.
November 1909- The square and streets adjoining for one block were paved.
1910– Population: 25,730
August 10, 1910- The Gainesville Post Office opened
1913– Clermont, which was originally named Dip, was established as an early tourist and trade center.
December 22, 1915– Gainesvilles first skyscraper, the Jackson Building (which is still standing today) was formally opened.
1920– Population: 26,822
1930– Population: 30,313
1930’s– The Great Depression– Hall County’s economy suffered. Boll weevil infestations greatly impacted cotton production and the chestnut blight caused lumber shipments to decrease.
April 6, 1936– Destructive Tornado through Gainesville– More than 200 were killed, with the final death tole at 203, and more than 1,000 were injured during the storm that wiped out many homes and buildings in Gainesville.
April 9, 1936– President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Gainesville:

“My friends, it is a sad occasion that brings this stop of mine in Gainesville. I have been in touch very closely with this great disaster that has come to your city, ever since the tornado.”

“We in the Federal Government have done everything that is in our power to make things more easy for you.”

“I want to express to you, all of you, my very deep sympathy in the great loss of life that has occurred here, and I particularly want to extend my sympathy to the families who have lost their loved ones.”

“This particular storm, as you know, has affected a number of states and many communities. I have just had a conference in the car with the leaders – the heads of the various agencies who have been trying to be of assistance, and there are two things, I think, that stand out for which we can be very proud as Americans. The first is that all of the agencies of all kinds have cooperated not only sincerely but with very practical results. The other thing I want to refer to is the fine spirit that all of you people in Gainesville have shown – the way you have cooperated to bring order out of great chaos and the way you have determined to rebuild along better and finer lines than ever before. It makes me very proud of you as Americans.”

“And so, my friends, I hope to come back some day, at a less tragic time, and when I come back to be able to see a greater and better Gainesville. I shall always be very proud of the spirit you have shown.”
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America
April 9, 1936

1939– President Franklin D. Roosevelt Visited Gainesville
1940– Population: 34,822
1943– The city of Gainesville leased the airport to the US Federal
Government for $1.00. It was then used as a Naval Air Station to train Ground Personnel for WWII.
1947– The Airport was returned to the City of Gainesville with two 4000 ft. landing strips.
1950– Population: 40,113
1950’s– the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Buford Dam, creating the 38,000 acre Lake Lanier.
1960– Population: 49,739
1961– City Council votes to make it illegal to eat chicken with a fork.
1970– Population: 59,405
1980– Population: 75,649
1990– Population: 95,428
1993– The Gainesville Police Department became accredited.
July 1996- During the Olympics, Gainesville was named Hospitality Capital of the World by an NBC Broadcaster, while Gainesville served as the Rowing/Kayaking Venue for the 1996 Olympics.
August 4, 1998- The City of Gainesville adopted a new logo.
2000– Population: 139,277

2000’s

January 2000– the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Trend Magazine name Gainesville a City of Excellence.
March 2001- Gainesville’s Parks and Recreation Department was the 3rd Department in the State to be accredited.
September 2002– The Lakeside Water Treatment Plant opened.
March 2003- Barron’s Magazine names Gainesville one of the Top 10 Places to Retire
April 2004- The First Annual Spring Chicken Festival was held in Roosevelt Square.
October 2004- The Art in the Square Festival was first held in the Downtown Historic Square
April 28, 2005- Engine 209 was restored
January 2006- The Georgia Municipal Association named Gainesville a Georgia Trendsetter City
February 2008- The first “Dredgefest” was held at Longwood Cove
August 8, 2008- Frances Meadows Aquatic & Community Center opened
September 2008- The Longwood Park Fishing Pier was completed
October 13, 2009- A Ribbon Cutting was held in honor of the completion of Rock Creek Ampitheater
2010– Population: 179,684
July 22, 2011- Gainesville was named as one of the five most affordable places to live by AARP

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