The city of Athens, also known as "The Classic City," is located in the north eastern section of Georgia. Those moving to Athens will discover a pretty college town with a population of 115,000 (according to a 2009 census) that gets its name from the Greek city of the same name.
Economy:
The economy of Athens is mostly derived from the University of Georgia, which attracts students from across the United States who have a knock-on effect on the areas of entertainment and housing. In its early history, the area around Athens was known for its cotton industry. Today, industrial life revolves around research and development, the manufacture of textiles, pharmaceuticals and electronic products and poultry rearing.
Tourism:
There is a lot to see and do in trendy Athens. Its Victorian downtown area has beautifully restored historical buildings which today house restaurants and coffee bars, music venues, nightclubs, art galleries and boutique shopping. Two world famous bands of the modern era, B-52 and REM, started their careers in Athens and this is reflected in the large number of locations in the city dedicated to music performances. The City of Athens also has many districts and landmarks of historical importance, as well as its Museum Mile which boasts four museums of note.
History:
Athens was established in 1785 when it was decided that the University of Georgia - the first chartered university in America - should be built on the site of a trading station. In 1833 it was decided to build the Georgia Railroad to connect Athens to other towns in the State. The American Civil war saw Athens become home of the New Orleans Armory. The Reconstruction Period saw great growth in the area, to a point where Athens was chartered as a city in 1872. 1881 saw the foundation of the Athens Police Department and in 1886 the first public school opened. In 1882 the Bell Telephone Company installed a telephone service and in 1888 streetcars were introduced.