Saturday, March 06, 2010

The Bridge on Highway 9 (Roswell Road) - WasThe Old Covered Bridge

Look up to see the eight arch span of the old two-lane concrete bridge that opened in 1925 as part of the sixteen mile "Roosevelt Boulevard" (Georgia Highway 9) to Atlanta, named in memory of President Theodore Roosevelt who visited his mother's childhood home, Roswell's Bulloch Hall, in 1905. Prior to construction of the concrete bridge, a wooden covered bridge spanned the Chattahoochee River more than 70 years. John (Jehu) Hawery Wing built the first one during the 1850s. It was burned by a Confederate battalion leaving Roswell during the Civil War. Charles Dunwody built the second covered bridge (pictured here) in 1869. The toll for crossing was twenty five cents. The building on the left was a mill commissary. The two story buildings on the left was a boarding house. The 1925 concrete bridge was widened to four lanes in 1965, and later named the Archie Lindsey Bridge, in honor of the longtime Fulton County Commissioner.

Today, this bridge is the one on Highway 9 or Roswell Rd, that connects Sandy Spring, GA and Roswell, GA - over the Chattahoochee River.

Chattahoochee River Race and Festival (Kayak & Canoe)

The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper hosts the annual river appreciation event in one Saturday of the each year on the month of June. The festival includes live music, kids’ activities, environmental exhibits, and race awards presentations.

The race begins at Garrard Landing Park at Holcomb Bridge Road and finishes at Riverside Park which is where the festival is held. Beginning at 9am the race includes open and recreational categories, various age divisions, solo and tandem canoe divisions and kayak and sea kayak divisions. Competitive paddlers will take on a 10 mile course and recreational paddlers will race an 8 mile course.

New last year were the two new categories of awards: Best Costume and Best Boat Decoration.

The festival at Riverside Park takes place from 10am to 2pm. The live music is provided by the Watershed Project and always feature local musicians, such as Gareth Asher, Christopher Alan Yates, Amy Gerhartz, Brian Binsky and Emily Kate Boyd.

The event which is organized by the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, is designed to celebrate the river and create a sense of community of the metro Atlanta residents that use the Chattahoochee river.

Registration at the race costs $50 for solo and $70 for tandem boats and is available so long as spots are open. All registered paddlers receive a gift bag, race T-shirt, a boxed lunch and a one year membership in the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.
Proceeds from the race help protect and preserver the Chattahoochee.

For more information go to Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper

Click Here For More Pictures by O.t. Manary

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Peachtree Rd NW by the Underground - Atlanta, GA

Peachtree Rd SE & Ivan Allen Jr Blvd in Atlanta, GA

Peachtree Rd & 4th Street in Atlanta, GA

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Snow Day in Atlanta... Yesterday Feb 12, 2010

Click Here For More Picture

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Georgia Aquarium - The Ocean View: How This Window Was Made...

At Georgia Aquarium, you have the privilege to see the "Ocean" from the perspective as you were inside a real ocean. It is a fantastic experience, specially if you have your kids with you, because most of us have no opportunity or courage to diving in the deeps of the ocean. But here, in the majestic Georgia Aquarium, you can have that experience without getting wet, and that's the best part.

I am going to transcribe how the window's wall on the ocean at Georgia Aquarium was made, and why acrylic was chosen instead of glass. Here it is:

Acrylic is up to 17 times stronger than glass.
The acrylic used on this window weighs 120 tons (108.9 metric tons).
The window area is 63 feet long (19.2 meters), 26 feet high (7.92 meters) and nearly 2 feet thick (0.6 m).
This window holds back 6,300,000 gallons (23,848,090 liters) of artificial seawater.
The window was made up of six panels by Nippura in Takamatsu, Japan.
Six panels chemically bonded onsite, and heat treated to 185*F (85*C) for a period of a month, make up this single view on the big Ocean.

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

More of Georgia Aquarium

The Entrance for the Georgia Explorer

A Green Snake

Jelly Fish

The Ocean Voyager

The Ocean View

Click Here For More Pictures

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia at Pemberton Place, is billed as the "world's largest aquarium" with more than 8.1 million US gallons (31,000 m³) of marine and fresh water housing more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species. The aquarium's notable specimens include four young whale sharks, three beluga whales and two manta rays.

Funded mostly by a $250 million donation from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, the aquarium was built on a 20 acre (81,000 m²) site north of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Marcus credited his 60th birthday dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1990 as among the inspirations behind his desire to build an aquarium in Atlanta.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Tubing - Chattahoochee River in Helen, GA

Helen offers a wide range of attractions and outdoor activities. The area's natural setting lends itself to many activities including hiking, biking, swimming, camping and tubing or rafting on the river. Museums, waterfalls, and amusement parks are just some of the attractions that are sure to entertain the whole family.

Approximate distance in miles from Atlanta Georgia to Helen Georgia is 75 miles or 120.68 Kilometers.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Helen, GA - An Old Cadilac

Friday, January 22, 2010

History of Helen Georgia - Our German CIty

How did Helen become what it is today?

Prior to 1800, this area was the center of Cherokee Indian culture, with villages scattered throughout Nacoochee and what is now known as Helen valleys. A townhouse was located on top of at least one of the four ceremonial mounds in Nacoochee Valley. In 1813 the Cherokees approved construction of the Unicoi Turnpike, a wagon road through their Nation from the Savannah River headwaters to northeast Tennessee. This trail, now Highways 17 and 75, ran through the valleys toward Hiawassee. The Cherokees left the area on this “Trail of Tears”, and were replaced by white settlers.

Gold was discovered on Dukes Creek in Nacoochee Valley in 1828. The Great Georgia Gold Rush belt was bound by Dahlonega on the west and Nacoochee-Helen Valley on the east. Thousands of miners came into the Valley and mined in the foothills for over a century, generating thousands of pounds of gold. The historic England Gold Mine, site of Helen's current gold mine, and Hamby Mountain were mined extensively. Mining operations ceased by the end of the century, and settlers moved on.

Timber officials came into the Valley , saw huge virgin timber, and built a great sawmill, Matthews Lumber Company. Simultaneously, the Gainesville and Northwestern Railroad came up the Chattahoochee River to Helen. In 1913 the Valley was named "Helen”, after the daughter of the railroad surveyor. The lumber company, located in the center of Helen on the Chattahoochee River, continued sawmill operations until 1931, shipping to Europe and the U.S. until all timber was cut. Settlers again left for opportunities in other places. By the 1960's, there was nothing left except a dreary row of concrete block structures.

In 1968, local businessmen met to discuss what could be done to improve their town. They approached a nearby artist friend, who had been stationed in Germany. He sketched the buildings, added gingerbread trim, details and colors to the buildings, giving an Alpine look to the entire town. In January 1969, business owners and local carpenters began turning ideas into reality. Now all downtown stores have been renovated and many buildings and cobblestone alleyways added. Faces of buildings were painted with scenes of Bavaria and North Georgia, mirroring the migration of early settlers.

Helen has accomplished much; it has created a new town and industry, providing jobs for more people and boosting the economy of the entire area. Helen also commemorates its historic past when the early settlers came to this remote area. A village with mountain heritage and a touch of Bavaria, Helen has created a unique experience for its visitor.

So…this is the story of Helen, the miracle of a small, remote mountain community who revitalized itself in various ways throughout several centuries, and who today hosts millions of visitors each year.

(Sources: Helen, GA)