Dahlonega & Lumpkin County
Dahlonega & Lumpkin County News and Events
Local coverage of Georgia’s Gold Rush town — city decisions, county growth, schools, and the festivals that light up the Square.
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The Dahlonega Journal is the news and events guide for Dahlonega and Lumpkin County. We track what city council decides, how the county grows, what the schools and housing market are doing, and when the next festival reaches the Public Square — with the dining, wine country, and outdoor guides kept free beside it.
Georgia’s first gold rush town — its name derived from the Cherokee word talonega, “yellow money” — sits at 1,483 feet in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, roughly 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, and these days the story is growth: new neighborhoods, new businesses along the corridors, and a visitor season that stretches across most of the calendar.
The Public Square, anchored by the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse, remains the heart of the community, with the gold-leafed steeple of UNG's Price Memorial Hall rising nearby. On any given weekend the surrounding streets come alive with wine tasting, live music, artisan markets, and the aroma of wood-fired kitchens.
At a Glance
- Gold Rush Began
- 1828
- Residents
- 6,000+
- Wineries Nearby
- 10+
- From Atlanta
- 65 mi
