Blairsville—Spring had come to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The rhododendron and mountain laurel were popping out in unreal shades of pink, and the massive hardwoods of birch and maple only recently bare-leafed in winter had begun their seasonal metamorphoses with emerald-green new growth. Somewhere in those forest-covered North Georgia mountains, slumbering bears were just waking from their hibernation.
With drowsy bears foremost in mind, one of the first questions that my husband and I asked when we checked into Misty Mountain Inn and Cottages near the Blue Ridge town of Blairsville was if any of the ursine beasts lurked around.
Bill Walsh, who owns the inn and cottages with his wife, Sarah, said that a few bears are sometimes seen around the property but they were small, with the further explanation, “They’re nothing like the larger bears in the higher elevations. You have nothing to worry about.”
I recalled his conversation as hubby and I hiked through the woods of Misty Mountain. A branch snapped behind us, the crack loud and distinct, and immediately I thought a ravenous bear, just waking from its winter nap, was trying to slink up on us. I turned slowly, trying to judge the distance to the car and wondering if I would even care about the size of a bear running toward me, knife and fork in paws, and intent on having hubby or me, whoever is the slowest runner, as its next meal. But only the wind sighed through the woods, with no bear in sight, and we continued on through a forest so darkly shadowed and beautiful that it defied generalizations.
North Georgia is where flatlanders, and I am among that number, flock for fresh mountain air, cooler temperatures, and views to forever, all melded together with a heaping help of Appalachian lifestyle. It is where Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s tallest mountain, rises to 4,748 feet, a mere child compared to some Appalachian peaks, but a natural treasure and source of pride to not only locals but also to the rest of us Georgians.
On that spring day I drove nearly to the summit of Brasstown Bald, and when I stepped to the scenic overlook to take in the beauty that is the Blue Ridge Mountains, great whispers of the wind flowed through the trees like a melody, a song of sky and mountain and forest. I thought, yes, now I know where the sweet strains of mountain music originated.
Undoubtedly the soul of Georgia lies in its small towns, hubs of hospitality, locally owned shops and restaurants and where everyone still says, “Hi, there,” with a big smile and sometimes, yes, whether you’re known or unknown, a quite Southern-like, um, bear hug. Blairsville, in Union County in the heart of the Blue Ridge, is like that.
Getting to Know Blairsville
Union County was carved from the Cherokee territory during the Georgia Land Lottery of 1832, with Blairsville, its county seat, incorporated in 1835. Union County is often referred to as the “top of Georgia” because of Brasstown Bald’s soaring heights.
The heartbeat of any small town is its downtown, and Blairsville is no exception. The iconic Union County Courthouse is its jewel in the crown, anchoring the Square in Downtown Blairsville with its deep red brick and towering spire. Additionally, it houses an impressive museum of county and Native American history.
Also dotted all around the square are the most darling, whimsical, and fun shops and restaurants that pay homage to the North Georgia and Appalachian lifestyle. I popped into Logan Turnpike Mill to browse for stoneground grits, flour, and cornmeal before moseying over to Mountain Life Mercantile to search their colorful shop for locally made soap, honey, and lots more. Other shops, with imaginative names including The Farmer’s Daughter, Beautiful Things, and Sunflowers on the Square, are worth a meander.
