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Murray County Information
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Incorporated
Cities: Chatsworth, Georgia and Eton, Georgia
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Population
Estimates and Trends:
Murray County
Census Information
1995 estimates
for Murray County is 30,362 with the projection to over 55,000 by
the year 2015. Murray County, although abundant with manufacturing
and other related industries, has been the county of choice for
housing the many commuters employed outside the county. Land is more
plentiful and less expensive in Murray County providing more
affordable housing opportunities than may be available elsewhere in
the region. Employment projections for neighboring Whitfield County
indicate that employment is expected to grow by more than50 per cent
between 1990 and 2010 increasing from 49,411 to 74,682. The local
economy of Murray County is likewise expected to continue to expand.
The
Chatsworth-Dalton four-lane highway provides excellent access
between Murray and Interstate 75 as well as a connection to
Whitfield County facilitating easy commuting to the large employment
base in Whitfield County and other areas. The preference of many
residents for the quality of life in this beautiful mountainous
setting in Murray County is expected to continue.
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Employment and
Opportunities:
Manufacturing
is by far the dominate sector representing 64 per cent of all jobs
in Murray County as compared to the state where manufacturing
accounts for approximately 19 per cent of all jobs. Most jobs are in
carpet and carpet related
industries although other manufacturers are located here.
Projections show Murray County's employment increasing 81.5 per cent
by2015 due to not only the expected expansion of the carpet
industry, but additional and diversified business and industry
moving into Murray County.
Employment in
Murray County is expected to reach 17,799 by the year
2015considering past rates of growth. However, over 50 per cent of
the county's workers presently commute outside Murray County. By
attracting new industry and business to Murray County, employment
projections will increase due to drawing from the commuting
residents.
Opportunities
abound in Murray County for retail business and new industry. Given
the expected growth and workers outside our area choosing this
County for their residence, opportunities in retail and the service
business exist. New industry will have an excellent employment base
from which to draw.
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Economic
Activities:
Murray County
is a setting where many special and unique economic opportunities
flourish. The County holds many special events that not only
highlight local arts and crafts, but highlight international
competition. The County has a rich Native American heritage which
not only provides a sense of history and foundation but provides
tourist dollars to Cities and County. Murray County is also very
prosperous in natural resources, containing 3,220 acres of lakes, a
state park with 1,920acres and a wilderness area that is made up of
34,102 acres. The natural resources in the County provide
recreational activities as well as vacation opportunities for many
travelers.
Existing
special events include: The Red and Gold Leaf Festival, Murray
County Spring Festival, Appalachian Wagon Train, and Village
Blackberry Festival. The County is host to the Pan American
Equestrian Championships which is a three-day international event
held at Bouchaert Farm and hosts world class competitors from North,
Central and South America. The County is also host to the Georgia
State and Red Carpet Championship Mule-Draft Horse Frolic Show which
crowns a state champion each year at Murray County Saddle Club and
highlights a wagon show, parade and mule pulling.
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Natural
Resources and Recreation:
Murray County
is home to the Chattahoochee National Forest and two Wildlife
Management Areas ( The Cohutta Wilderness Area and the Coosawattee
Wildlife Management Area). The National Forest is owned and operated
by the U.S. Forest Service which provides outdoor recreation
facilities in the form of campgrounds, boat ramps, hiking and
camping. Wildlife Management Areas are managed by the Georgia
Department of Natural Resources and are open to the public for
hunting and fishing during permitted seasons. These undeveloped
areas have become ideal destinations for county residents and
visitors to participate in various kinds of outdoor activities such
as hiking, camping, biking, boating, canoeing, rafting, fishing and
hunting. Murray County is part of the Ocoee Region which will host
the 1996 White Water Slalom/Kayak Venue.
The Cohutta
Wilderness Area contains 34,102 acres and is the southern end of the
Appalachian Mountain Chain. The elevations within the area range
from 950 feet to 4,200 feet. Black bear, wild boar, wild turkey,
deer and other wildlife roam in its interior. The mountain streams
also provide excellent trout fishing. Throughout this wilderness
area are hiking and biking trails providing the outdoor enthusiast
with an abundance of activities from which to chose. Mountain biking
has grown in popularity in the past few years. This wilderness area
is known as one of the best areas for recreational biking and
competition.
Carter's Lake is located on the boundary of Murray County.
Completedin 1977 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is reported
that this lake hasthe largest earth made dam in the eastern United
States. This facility hassixty-two miles of shoreline that wraps
around 3,500 acrea of water whichprovides excellant recreation for
Murray County residents and visitorsfrom other areas.
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Education:
The Murray
County Public School System consist of one high school, two middle
schools and five elementary schools. As of the beginning of the
1995school year, the Murray County School System employed over 400
teachers and had over 6,200 students enrolled. Murray County Schools
subscribe to the philosophy of "creating a life-long yearning for
learning" as evidenced by the three Pre-Kindergarten programs, K-12
curricular offerings and an active General Equivalent Degree (GED)
program. Expansion plans are underway to accommodate projected
growth.
College
students will have a 15 minute commute time to Dalton College which
is part of the University of Georgia Educational System.
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Medical
Facilities:
Owned by
Columbia HCA, the Murray County Medical Center provides a variety of
services. It operates Murray County Memorial Hospital which is a 42
bed facility with seven local physicians on staff as well as an
emergency room physician, 2 registered nurse practitioners, 19
registered nurses and 32 Licensed practical nurses. The hospital
plans for 2 Labor Delivery Recovery units in the future. These
hospital plans include recruiting an obstetrician and pediatrician
and the appropriate personnel. The Hospital operates First Med,
Murray County's walk-in outpatient clinic.
Information
for this page provided by the Chatsworth-Murray County
Chamber of Commerce
(706-695-6060).
Gilmer
County Georgia Chamber Of Commerce
Attractions & Points of Interest
Historic Sites:
Cheiftain's Trail - A tour of local Native American sites;
Call Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce for information.
Call:706-635-7400
Downtown Ellijay - The quaint square is lined with historic
buildings, antique, craft, & gift shops, as well as eateries
of all kinds. Don't miss the Hyatt Hotel, now the
courthouse, the Perry House, the Tabor House, and the Dr.
Watkins residence.
- Ellijay G.A.Website
Ellijay City Cemetery - Best Panoramic views of the city,
valley and mountains; South of the square, Ellijay
Fort Mountain - Prehistoric rock formations; Highway 52
West.
Gilmer County Courthouse - National Register of Historic
Places, built around 1891 as Hyatt Hotel; On the square,
Ellijay.
Kell Farm - Built in 1867 by James Kell, the farm is
occupied by his descendants. A marker in the cemetery
commemorates Kell's Revolutionary War exploits.
Old Cartecay United Methodist Church - est. 1834, oldest
Methodist Church in North Georgia. Call to arrange a tour.
Highway 52 East & Roy Road.
Call:706-276-3703
Places
to Visit near Ellijay, Gilmer County Georgia:
Apple Orchard Alley - Eleven of the county's 18 orchards are
spread across the picturesque valley along State Highway 52.
Other orchards dot Gilmer County's valleys & hillside. Pick
up a map at the Gilmer County Chamber Office.
Colonel Poole's Georgia Bar-B-Q, Inc. - A favorite stomping
ground for local & national celebrities, the Pig Hill of
Fame offers barbecue & a chance to immortalize your name on
the fabled hillside. Craig Street, East Ellijay.
Oscar Poole Call:(706) 635-4100
P.O. Box 690, East Ellijay, GA 30539
Ellijay Wildlife Rehabilitation Sanctuary - Call for
reservations!
Craig Cylke Call:(706) 276-2980
435 Cougar Lane, Ellijay, GA 30540
Gilmer Golf & Games -
Sally Dorward Call:(706) 698-4653
7286 Highway 515 South, Ellijay, GA 30540
sdorward@ellijay.com
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Visit our Website
Grandpa Jones Corn Maze & Pumpkins -
Scott & Jewell Jones, Owners Call:706-273-2306
5959 Boardtown Road, Ellijay, GA 30540
scott-jewell@ellijay.com -
Visit our Website!
Hillcrest Orchards - Baby animals.
Janice Smith Call:(706) 273-3838
9696 Highway 52 East, Ellijay, GA 30540
Llamas - Off Highway 52 West. Call 706-276-3658 for
reservations.
Pink Pig - Jimmy Carter's favorite barbecue place offers
delicious food & unique atmosphere with photos of the famous
& not-so-famous interspersed among pig memorabilia. Highway
515 North, Cherry Log.
Bud Holloway Call:(706) 276-3311
P.O. Box 100, Cherry Log, GA 30522
River Park - A picturesque recreation complex on the banks
of the Coosawattee River, the park offers picnic areas,
tennis courts, and a walking trail. Old Highway 5 South,
along the Coosawattee River. South of the Dairy Queen.
Carters Lake
near Ellijay and Chatsworth Georgia.
Carters Lake was
formed from the bed of the Coosawattee River between Ellijay and
Carters, Georgia. 3,000+ acre Carters Lake offers recreational
opportunities for fishermen, hunters, campers, boatsmen, bikers, and
hikers. Long before the creation of Carters Lake, this portion of the
Coosawattee was known as one of the best whitewater rapids in the
eastern United States.
About the Lake
Since the
completion of the original dam in 1977, Carter's Lake has become
popular with fishermen, hikers, mountain bikers, and campers. Today
the lake, deepest of all lakes in the state of Georgia, boasts good
lake fishing, a remote nature and rich cultural and natural history.
The lake is a
watershed, designed to help control the annual flooding of the Etowah
River Valley. The secondary purpose of the lake is power generation.
In the center of the lake, the main channel is a thin strip with long
fingers running deep into the mountains making this an excellent place
to go canoeing.
Area History
The earliest
written description of the area is probably 1731. A Virginian
describes the junction of two roads in Cherokee county including the
unmistakable descent along the Coosawattee River. In 1735 a second
letter about the same road mentions the Cherokee town of Ellijay.
In 1838 the
Cherokee were rounded up in the Ellijay area and detained in Fort
Hetzel in East Ellijay. From the fort they were marched in groups to
an area not far from the present-day dam to head north to the Cherokee
Agency in Tennessee. Cherokee from Dahlonega's Fort Embry (or Fort
Dahlonega) would follow the same route. From Tennessee they would be
forced west on a route known today as The Trail of Tears.
In spite of the
excellent power source created by the rapid descent of the Coosawattee,
industrial development along the river was almost non-existent because
the surrounding land was too rugged. Only occasional farms occupied
the area with a saw mill and two grist mills near the river. Keen
hikers can spot the remains of the sawmill with the unusual undershot
wheel along the Tumbling Waters Trail that begins at the Ridgeway Day
Use Area.
The area in the
southeast corner of the lake was home to Hoyt Kelly, a moonshiner of
note. Hoyt, unlike his more famous brethren in Dawsonville and beyond,
did not drive fast cars to deliver his product to market. Instead he
would sell the "likker" from a large cauldron to guests who visited
from Atlanta.
When approval
for Carters Lake dam was attained by the Corps of Engineers the
outdoor world mourned the loss of what many enthusiasts considered the
best whitewater run east of the Mississippi. Atlanta Writer James
Dickey, one such enthusiast, journeyed to the river to make a final
run. A friend, who was to pick him up on the Carters end of the lake
stumbled across a moonshine operation. After the intruder explained
what he was doing in the area, the owner of the still told his son to
take the man to the pickup site and if the canoeists didn't show up at
the appointed time, kill him. Luckily, Dickey and his friend came into
sight within a couple of hours, but the idea for Deliverance was born.
Recreation at
Carters Lake
Because of its
remote nature, the lake and surrounding land offer more outdoor
activities than Allatoona or Lanier. A large wildlife management area
gives hunters a spectacular array of medium to large animals. Fishing
is also a popular pasttime.
Four hiking
trails of varying difficulty make the lake a hiking destination. The
Oak Ridge Trail follows a high ridge to the lakeside, then returns
along a creek. In just over a mile there are four distinct ecosystems.
Tumbling Waters (Ridgeway) takes you to one of the few remaining
waterfalls in the area (many are beneath the level of the lake}. Here
Tails Creek twists and turns down a fifty-foot cascade. The Hidden
Pond Songbird Trail is an easy hike that allows you to visit the
wetlands of a gentrified beaver pond, and the beaver pond itself, rich
in waterfowl. Finally, the Carters Lake Nature Trail takes you through
some of the most scenic areas near the Visitors Center, with multiple
scenic views of the lake.
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Between Chatsworth & Ellijay, Georgia. Near Fort Mountain State Park
and Cohutta Wilderness on Georgia highway 52. 
