About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2022)
Wednesday, August 3,2022 dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A FROM 1A Byway CEO Mandy Power. This proposal has already gained the Georgia Department of Transportation’s approval. In October, the Dawson County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to support the byway idea, as did the boards in Gilmer and Pickens counties, which also host some of the roads included in the pro posed designation. Dawson County property owners have also been notified. A Georgia Scenic byway is any designated highway, street, road or route which significant ly features certain intrinsic qualities that should be protect ed or enhanced, according to a presentation about the byway. The majority of the suggested route follows existing roads in Dawson County, from Dawsonville northwest and pro gressing into southern Gilmer County and eastern Pickens County. The proposed byway starts in downtown Dawsonville and goes by sights like the old courthouse, Pool Room and Georgia Racing Hall of Fame before winding past some of the county’s historic churches, Len Foote Hike Inn, Fausett Farms and Burt’s Pumpkin Farm. Presentation materials said the benefits of having a byway designation would include the opportunity to show off Dawson County’s culture, his tory, nature and scenery. The route would also promote con nectivity to Gilmer and Pickens County, thus helping promote a shared heritage. Dawson also has the benefit of having the scenic byway named after one of the county’s landmarks, Power said. The chamber is involved in the initiative because of the potential to enhance the area’s visibility with tourists, who could then spend money locally, Power said. Amicalola Falls is one of Georgia’s most-visited state parks. The only byway-specific restriction along the proposed route is a prohibition against putting up new billboards (existing, temporary agritour ism signs would be fine). Signs with the state flower, the Cherokee Rose, will be posted every couple of miles to mark the scenic byway. The Amicalola Falls Scenic Byway route would be listed on tour ism websites and on the state and national scenic byway web sites. As part of the next steps, the chamber and its partners will have to get state legislator sup port, form a local advisory committee to review the sug gested corridor management plan and map before the byway application can be submitted. When the idea first came up at the BOC’s Oct. 7 work ses sion, Chairman Billy Thurmond mentioned that the route in question already essentially functions as a scenic byway and that they’d “just be naming it.” “Hopefully that in itself will draw people,” Thurmond said. “A lot of people look at that and say, ‘Oh, that’s a scenic thing. Fet’s go check that out.’” I Amicalola Falls Scenic Byway j Dawson County Scenic Byway Points of Interest Cultural Historical Recreational in = 3,750 feet Amicalola Falls Scenic Byway Dawson, Gilmer & Pickens County ■ Scenic Byway Points of Interest Cultural I in = 3.948 feet Photos courtesy of Northwest Georgia Regional Commission FROM 1A Camp have Fumpkin Campground as part of his family’s history. “My great-great-great- great-grandfather was the one that got the 40 people together to start this,” Pirkle said. “This is the proudest part of my histo ry is [him] starting this.” Pirkle’s daughter, Hayley Garrett, said that the tradition of kicking off the camp meeting week by feeding the con gregants began around 20 years ago when Pirkle decided to make it a little easier on all of the fami- lies moving in on Monday who may not have time to go get food before Monday night ser vices begin. “Each side of the campground took turns and fed the preachers; when it was our turn we fed the preachers and Daddy said ‘well if we’re feeding the preachers we’re feeding everybody’ and we’ve done it ever since,” Garrett said. “It’s a great fellowship night; everybody gets together and gets to know each other; the ones that are new get to enjoy it and then we kick it off and start meeting.” Pirkle, along with his cousin Farry Taffar and the rest of their family, grew up coming to camp meeting each year. Taffar, who has attended every year for 82 years and who now serves as the chair of the campground’s trust ees, said that it’s always been something he’s looked forward to each summer. “I grew up here; it’s just a good family get togeth er,” Taffar said. “Camp meeting is something that, growing up, you look for ward to it every year.” When Fumpkin Campground was first started, camp meetings were always the last week of August, right before school started back in September. Since then, the camp meeting dates have shifted back to the last week in July, before school starts back in August. Today, both Methodist and Baptist preachers take turns preaching dur ing camp meeting. Services are held twice a day, at 11 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. When Pirkle and Taffar’s great-great-great- great-grandfather first began the campground, he did so by gathering together 40 men who each donated money to purchase the land the campground still sits on to this day. “40 men went in and paid a dollar apiece and bought 40 acres and that’s what this sits on; the only thing that’s been cut off of it was when we needed some for the church but everything else is still under the trustees of the campground,” Taffar said. “When it started in 1830 they brought in the wag ons and everything and the way it’s been handed down to us is they said the Cherokee Indians would sit out in the woods and congregate and listen in.” Throughout the years, Taffar and Pirkle said that they’ve been able to real ly get to know and love the families who attend camp meeting each sum mer. “We’ve seen people’s kids come in and get grown and get married and then have their own family and bring them back,” Taffar said. As part of Pirkle’s fam ily, Garrett also grew up coming to camp meeting every year. Both of her children were married at the campground, and her grandchildren make 10 generations of her family that have attended camp meetings each summer. To Garrett, the best way to describe the camp ground can be summed up in just a few words. “To me it’s sacred here; holy ground,” Garrett said. “That’s really the way to describe it.” To learn more about Fumpkin Campground and camp meetings, go to https ://www.facebook.com/ FumpkinCampground/. ^Water & Sewer Authority “Excellence in every drop ” Employment Opportunity Etowah Water & Sewer Authority Dawsonville GA OPERATION TECHNICIAN Description: Performs repairs, maintenance, installation of water distribution systems and wastewater collection systems; handles 811 locates for water and sanitary sewer lines; and perform related work as required. Minimum qualifications: One-year experience preferred; Valid Class C Driver’s License and a satisfactory MVR. Starting pay is $18.76 to $21.76 based on education and experience. Competitive benefits are offered and a Condensed Work Schedule. Applications may be filled out on our website at www.etowahwater.org found under the Human Resource Department and they are accepted at Etowah Water & Sewer Authority c/o Human Resource Department, 1162 Hwy 53E, Dawsonville GA 30534. Opened until filled. Etowah Water is a DFW and an EOE. Erica Jones Dawson County News On Monday July 25, families moved into the "tents" at Lumpkin Campground in Dawson County for the annual camp meetings. Start earning with Bank OZK today! 135 % APY* 8 month CD or IRA CD** Special 13 month CD or IRA CD** Special 21 month CD or IRA CD**Special Visit our Dawsonville location or open an account online at ozk.com. <> Bank OZK ozk.com I Member FDIC ‘Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective as of the publication date. Offer applies to new CDs only. $1,000 minimum deposit to open and is required to earn stated APY. Penalty for early withdrawal. IRA CD is subject to eligibility requirements. Offer not available to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. Fees could reduce earnings. Offer subject to change without notice. Offer good at location in Dawsonville, GA only.
