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Alpine Helen...Georgia?

© Martine G. Bates

Remember the Foxfire books from the 70's? If so, you may expect Northeast Georgia to be remote, mountainous, and populated by residents whose roots go deep into the rugged terrain.

When you visit the area, you will find that most of the region is exactly what you would expect. The roads are narrow and winding, the woods deep and dark, and the isolated houses typical of rural farmers. Driving through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you are surprised by the occasional gas station. What a shock it is to suddenly come into a clearing--kind of like driving from the Smoky Mountains National Park into Gatlinburg--and realize that you have come upon a small town.

The urge to rub your eyes and blink back to reality becomes even stronger when you realize that this small town looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale!

Helen, Georgia, bills itself as "Alpine Helen." Once a largely deserted former mining town, residents set about in the late sixties to find a way to revitalize their dying village, enlisting the help of local artist John Kollock. Recalling the Bavarian villages he had visited while stationed in Europe when he was in the Army, Kollock had already noted the similarity between the two landscapes. Now, he decided that Helen could be transformed to resemble one of the picturesque European hamlets. He made a series of sketches to show how the town would look redone in Alpine style. The townspeople agreed, and the buildings in the little town were transformed.

The plan worked. Helen now hosts over a million visitors every year.

The pictures here show a little of what the town looks like today. They do not show the flavor of an old-world European village, complete with shopkeepers wearing dirndl skirts and lederhosen, street musicians playing accordion music, and smells of bratwurst and sauerkraut. The cobblestone streets and narrow alleys, the wood and stucco exteriors, and the German merchandise in the numerous shops all work together to create a fun place to visit.

An honest review requires me to include a disclaimer: the town is fun, cute, and worth the visit. I wouldn't, however, plan an entire vacation around the town of Helen. After a few hours, you will have pretty much seen everything, including all of the gift shops. If you are going to be nearby, plan a day to soak up the atmosphere, spend the night, eat a couple of meals, then move on to enjoy the natural attractions in the area--and there are many. I hope to share some of them in future articles.