Whether you think they’re silly or wonderful all those “National Days” certainly bring an unexpected zing to your day. And today is one that should be a National Holiday: National Georgia Day. A whole day dedicated to celebrating our great state! And as a Georgia Native I’ve got 7 unexpected and obscure facts about Georgia even a seasoned native like myself found shocking.
📜 Historical Firsts & Discoveries
- America’s First Gold Rush: Okay so I’m starting the list off with an easy one, but it’s still one to celebrate since it’s right here in North Georgia. 20 years before California struck gold, America’s first gold rush broke in Dahlonega.
- First State to Lower the Voting Age: Decided based on the old World War 2 slogan “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote,” Georgia became the first state to grant 18 year olds the right right to vote in 1943.
🌲 Physical & Geographical Georgia
- No Natural Lakes: Despite there being lakes all over the state, bodies of water like Lake Lanier, Lake Hartwell, Lake Allatoona and Lake Oconee are actually all man made. Mostly they were created for water supply.
- 159 Counties Horse Pace Rule: All 159 counties in Georgia which were mandated that every county seat needs to be close enough for any resident to travel to the courthouse by horse and buggy, conduct business and return home within a single day.
- The Granite Capital: Elberton sits on a large granite deposit that’s 15 miles wide and 25 miles long. It produces about 66% of all the granite tombstones in the United States.
💣 Wild & Unexpected Trivia
- The Tybee Island Hydrogen Bomb: In 1958 a B-47 bomber released an unexploded 7,600 pound thermonuclear bomb off the coast of Tybee Island. To this day despite extensive military efforts, it still remains buried under sticky mud near the beach.
- The Kangaroo Capital: Up until 2010, the Kangaroo Conservation Center just north of Dawsonville use to house over 300 kangaroos and wallabies. It was the largest heard of marsupials in the world outside of Australia
