14 Fun Facts About Georgia

What do you really know about the State of Georgia? Many people may be familiar with a few of its famous historical figures, rappers, actors and musicians but what else do you know about the peach state? Here are some fun facts about the state of Georgia.

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1. Georgia was one of the 13 colonies. It became a colony in 1733, making it the last and southernmost colony. Named after King George II it went on to become the 4th state to ratify the constitution.

2. Common Nicknames for the state include the Peach State, the Cracker State and the Empire of the South State. (The name cracker comes from the British settlers, known as crackers, because they cracked whips when they drove livestock on the road)

3. The first college in America to grant women college degrees is located in Macon Georgia. Way to go Wesleyan College!!!

4. Stone Mountain which is located near Atlanta is one of the largest exposed granite walls in the world. It currently has a carving of Robert E. Lee and some other “notable” leaders of the confederacy. Visitors can hike up the wall to its top or take a gondola. The park also has several miles of walking trails around a lake and through the woods.

Admission is $25 per car.

5. Famous Georgia Natives include Martin Luther King/Jr. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson, Julia Roberts, Spike Lee, Jimmy Carter and Kanye West.

You can get a glimpse into the life of MLK at the Martin Luther King Museum near downtown Atlanta.

6. Georgia may be known for peaches, but pecans are currently it’s largest crop. It’s also a top producer of blueberries.

7. There was a Gold Rush in Georgia that lasted from 1829-1861. It produced more than 870,000 ounces of gold, which sadly came mostly from Cherokee land. The Cherokee were soon evicted and sent along the infamous trail of tears.

Woman hikes along the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia

8. The famous through-hike the Appalachian Trail ends in Northern Georgia near Amicalola State Park. Spanning more than 2000 miles it traverses several mountain ranges on its way to Maine. More than 3000 people per year attempted the trail in 2018, most of them starting in Georgia and heading north.

Check out some of Georgia’s great state parks like the waterfall filled Cloudland Canyon

9. Atlanta was recently dubbed The Hollywood of the south with more than 700 movies and TV shows being shot there since the 1970’s. Some recent favorites shot in the peach state are Spiderman No Way Home, Guardians of The Galaxy 2, The Walking and Stranger Things to name a few.

10. Georgia has some serious weird laws. For instance; it is illegal to keep a donkey in a bathtub….. Also the town of Acworth requires citizens to own a rake.

That raking the forest bit just got a lot closer to home.

Okefenokee Swamp

11. South Georgia is home to the largest swamp in North America. It’s called Okefenokee which translates to trembling earth and all kinds of critters like alligators, snakes, turtles and birds can be found in its several thousand acres.

12. The city of Atlanta is home to Hartsfield Jackson Airport- touted as the busiest airport in the world, it’s also the hub for Delta Airlines.

Sculpture at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta

Centennial Olympic Park – Sculpture with Shrapnell

13. Atlanta was home to the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. For those of us alive back then you might remember the bombing that took place at Olympic Park. Visit it today and you can still see shrapnell that hit the sculptures in the fountain near the Olympic Rings.

14. Atlanta is home to the Coca-Cola plant and museum. The soda was first invented by Dr. John Pemberton and sold from a soda fountain in 1886. Visitors can go to the Coca- Cola museum in downtown ATL to try out the flavors sold in every country around the world. AND if you were wondering the original Coca- Cola used to have cocaine in it, it was sold to heal a variety of ailments. (Something they they won’t mention that at the Coca- cola museum.) Grab a ticket here.

Ready to start exploring Georgia? You can now get 15% off a Georgia State Parks Pass with the code AliceAdventures for all membership levels right here.