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Photo Gallery: Dahlonega Commercial Historic District and
Public Square
Marker text:
When surveyors laid out the original village, this space was
designated The Public Square. The center of the Square was reserved for the
construction of a courthouse, completed in 1836. The Public Square embodies
the rights guaranteed to the people in the Constitution of the United
States, including Freedom of Speech and Peaceable Assembly. Independence Day
and the Fourth of July are celebrated here each year. Throughout the year,
there are gala celebrations and more somber observances, including Memorial
Day in May and Veterans Day in November. The Gold Rush Days Festival each
October recalls the Georgia Gold Rush of 1829 with the bittersweet echo of
the forced removal of the Cherokees in 1838 along the Trail of Tears.
By folk tradition, bridal couples circle the Square three times to guarantee
good luck in the marriage. Some funeral processions circle the Square in the
final farewell to the community. The Public Square has continued to serve
its original purpose as a place where the people assemble to exercise their
Constitutional Rights. It is a legacy to the present generation from all the
people who have come before.
The Public Square is included on the National Register of Historic Places
within the Dahlonega Historic Commercial District.
Presented to the City of Dahlonega, Georgia by The Lumpkin County Historical
Society, Inc.
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