Most of the street names are straight from Clarkesville, which is where my family moved in 1848. It is a town that a lot of people would call old-fashioned, I guess, but in times like the ones we live in now, that is a very good thing. From the spic-n-span streets to the vistas of the mountains, from the people who all really do know you (!) to the home-town parades and churches that are packed on Sundays, it's that kind of place.
Are there odd ducks who live here? Sure. Is there crime? Yep, and you'll read all about it in the local paper, complete with mug shots of everybody who got arrested that week...for anything. The guy who was accused of bombing the Atlanta olympics was from here...he was falsely accused and then cleared. There are drug problems and unemployment and people move away. And then people come back.
There is one high school and everybody goes to the Friday night game and to graduation, whether you have a kid in school there or not. When there is an event, the seniors walk through knowing they get respect, and if a kid gets sassy, they can put him in his place and everybody will back them up. People walk downtown and don't worry about being alone. Kids say yes, ma'am and actually offer to carry things for people. It's nice.
I love this place. The McKenna brothers, Morgan and Kevin, moved to Dooley in the 1800s and bought adjoining tracts of land up New Liberty Rd. My great-great grandfather, George and his brother, P.M. moved to Clarkesville in the 1800s and bought adjoining tracts of land up New Liberty Rd. And, believe it or not, it was only about last year that I realized the parallel!
Sometimes I'm a little slow, I guess. But, I like slow. That's why I live where I do.