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Athens and Athens GA Homes for Sale
Athens, GA is located just 75 miles northeast of Atlanta with a population of over 175,000 as of the 2005 Census. It is home to the University of Georgia, which was chartered in 1785 as the first land grant college. In order to expand the university, adjacent parcels of land were sold off to finance construction of new buildings. The University of Georgia graduated its first class in 1804. Athens officially became a town in December of 1806. Its government consisted of a three-member commission.
Athens' growth continued, due in part to the successful cotton mills and also in part to the arrival of the railroad. The railroad connected the town to Augusta, Georgia which fanned the flames of commerce in the area.
Additionally, after the Civil War, growth took off again and the governmental structure of Athens changed to a mayor-council government. The 1880s brought city services and improvements such as the Athens Police Department and public schools, as well as telephone service, transportation, and paved streets.
Athens has a strong connection with the US Military. During World War II, Athens was selected by the U.S. Navy as a place to build a training facility with paved runways for naval pilots. Then in 1954 the Navy expanded the area by constructing new buildings to serve as the site for the Navy Supply Corps School. This Navy Supply Corps School is scheduled to close by 2011 and the University of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia are currently considering developing the Navy campus into a medical college facility.
Athens GA Homes for Sale
The commercial and governmental heart of the city is situated toward the eastern part of Athens. But “Downtown Athens” generally refers to a smaller more central part of the city. Downtown is still a more commercial area, but doesn’t lack city nightlife and restaurants. Downtown Athens also has a concentration of hotels, essential to the center of business.
Athens GA homes for sale are located in residential areas that feature historic homes, some new construction, and some public housing. New high-rise condominiums and a new multi-modal transportation center have the potential to attract even more residents to the city’s center.
Athens GA homes are also be found in several neighborhoods such as Five-Points which adjoins the University of Georgia campus’ southwest corner. This neighborhood has a blend of university students and older residents, some of whom are University employees. It is also home to several landmark local business establishments.
Chicopee-Dudley is a primarily residential neighborhood located east of downtown. This neighborhood actually spans the North Oconee River but the majority of the neighborhood lies to the west of the river. This neighborhood has a mix of privately owned homes and public housing which are seeing a re-birth. The neighborhood churches and a few commercial properties have been experiencing a new revival which promises to change the area’s demographics.
There's Something About Athens Georgia . . .
What is it about the Piedmont area of Georgia that brings folks from all over to the Athens, Georgia and surrounding communities of Watkinsville, Oconee Oconee County area to visit with the possibility of making this beautiful area home?
Is it the Georgia red clay hills around Athens and Clarke County and A-C’s commitment to historic preservation of the beautiful homes and downtown area? Or, is it the sounds of silence canoeing along the Oconee River as it flows south along the Clarke-Oconee County border? Or, the quaint, small town feel of downtown Watkinsville where the courthouse is recording unprecendented numbers of new families moving in?
Is it the cool fall Saturday football season and tail-gating traditions of the Georgia Bull Dogs or the University of Georgia academic excellence? Maybe it's the exciting bio-tech and medical research teams working away in labs off and on campus, or the growing music industry with great spots for up and coming bands to perform.
Is it the educational quality of Athens-Clarke and Oconee public schools and the many private K-12 school options, or the smaller class size choices offered at Athens Area Technical College, Gainesville Community College or Piedmont College? Is it the entrepreneurial opportunities?
Come see for yourself! |