About the City of Dawsonville
Dawsonville, incorporated December 10, 1859, is the county seat of Dawson County. The city was named after William C. Dawson, a compiler of the laws of Georgia and commander of a brigade in the Creek Indian War of 1836. Dawson also served in both houses of the state legislature and in Congress before the Civil War.
Among the
first structures built in Dawsonville were a log courthouse and
a wooden reinforced jail. The original courthouse was replaced
in 1860, by the historic courthouse which still stands in the
middle of Dawsonville. The original
jail was destroyed by fire soon after it was completed during a
failed escape attempt. The county was without a jail until
1881, when the historic jail was completed. During the period
when no jail was available, county officials relied on jails in
surrounding counties to house prisoners. The old jail is
located west of the courthouse and, along with the
historic courthouse, is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places. Both the jail and the courthouse have
undergone extensive renovation to restore them to their original
appearance. The Dawson County/Dawsonville Welcome Center is
currently housed in the historic jail.
Dawsonville hosts a number of festivals and events, including
The Mountain Moonshine Festival
in October. The Dawsonville town square comes alive with
cars, arts and crafts displays, clogging, and other entertainment.
Dawsonville's also the home of NASCAR Champion, Bill Elliott.
According to 2000 Census, the City of Dawsonville had a population of 619 persons. Between 1990 and 2000, the city experienced a population increase of 32.5%, compared to the state growth during this period of 26.4%.
