OK, it's been quite awhile since I did one of these! I thought I would show a little love to my city and state. You know us Georgia girls and their southern pride. Here are 13 little facts that you may or may not have know about Atlanta and the great state of Georgia.
1. The city symbol for Atlanta is the Pheonix. The legendary bird that rose from the ashes better and stronger than before. Atlanta most certainly did that after Sherman's march. She grew so much stronger, she became the new capital shortly after her rebuilding.
2. The Capitol building downtown is encompassed in pure gold that was mined from the Dahlonega, GA mines about an hour north of Atlanta. I used to love to go pan for gold and gem stones when I was little. We'll definitely have to take our boys there!
3. Six Flags over Georgia got it's name from the 6 flags that have flown on Georgia soil: England, Spain, Liberty, Georgia, Confederate States of America, and the United States. And there is a theme area for each flag at Six Flags as well.
4. The world's largest sculpture is located on the world's largest exposed granite sites called Stone Mountain...just east of the city. The sculpture consists of Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Robert E Lee. Of course Robert E Lee's trusty horse Traveler is included too. It was originally meant as a memorial to the confederates fallen soldiers started up by the Daughters of the Confederacy. Now it is a wonderful place for families to step back in time and have a little fun and enjoy the lasershow and fireworks.
5. Georgia is the largest state (in land size) east of the Mississippi. It has also been given the nickname of Empire State of the South due to it's booming economy and draw of Fortune 500 companies.
6. The state flower is the Cherokee Rose, the tree is the Live Oak, the bird is the Brown Thrasher and the fish is the Largemouth Bass.
7. FDR made Warm Springs his home for awhile. His recuperative homestead was labeled the Little White House and is open for tours. Warm Springs is about an hour south of Atlanta.
8. In Gainesville GA, northeast of the city, it is illegal to eat chicken with a fork. Gainesville is called the chicken capital of the world.
9. The sweetest (and in my opinion the tastiest) onion call only be grow in two small Georgia towns: Vidalia (where it got it's name) and Glenville.
10. With a passenger terminal complex equivalent in size to more than 45 football fields, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport bears the proud distinction of being "the world’s busiest passenger airport." Expect delays!!
11. There are 55 streets in the city with the word Peachtree in it. We do that to confuse the tourists. ;)
12. The city of Atlanta has more shopping per capita that ANY city other than Chicago. We have over 130 retail shopping centers within the city limits. And over 16.5 million visitors take advantage of our shops yearly. The Mall of Georgia is the 14th largest mall in the world.
13. The state of Georgia is the world leader in the production of carpet, kaolin, chicken and watermelon. We are known domestically for the 3 "P's": peanuts, pecans and peaches.
Hope you were able to learn a few new things about one of your fellow American neighbors to the south. Come visit us when you get the chance!
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