Cornelia is a small town home to the Big Red Apple
Cornelia, a town of over 5,300 residents in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, revolves around community events, small businesses and its Big Red Apple. "We're here in the north Georgia mountains, and the weather is amazing," says local Realtor Luke Wilson of K&A Realty Group. He's sold homes across the region for a few years and lives in Cornelia. "It's absolutely beautiful up here." Its quaint downtown engages residents through summer concerts, trivia nights and upscale steak dinners, and residents tend to say hello when walking around. "It's very much like Mayberry," says local Realtor Kristy Bennett of The Norton Agency. She's sold homes across the region for over 20 years and resides in Habersham County. "Everybody knows everybody. It's one of the most caring and heartfelt areas."
A mix of ranch-style and farmhouses
Housing styles and property sizes widely vary in Cornelia. "A lot of the homes in town are going to be brick, historic homes, a lot of which are well-kept," Wilson says. "Once you get outside of town, there are a lot of farms with farmhouses and lots of cattle." Ranch-style homes are common in Cornelia, but buyers will also find a mix of bungalows, cottages and New Traditional homes. There are also several recently constructed contemporary colonials available across the community. Lots closer to town typically measure from a quarter to half-acre, but Bennett says several one-acre lots are still in town. Homes west of town are more dispersed on sizable lots that often measure over five acres. The median sale price for a home is around $348,000.
Exploring Cornelia's quaint downtown
Cornelia's walkable downtown is a hub of locally owned restaurants and community events. Bennett and Wilson recommend Community Brew and Tap. "It's an excellent steak house located in an old bank that was there previously," Bennett says. "It has a lot of character, and you go through one of the bank vaults to reach your seat." The restaurant offers handcrafted cocktails and several steak cuts. Folks also get together at Fenders Diner, a retro diner with all-day breakfast and a "huge selection of milkshakes," Bennett says. Behind the restaurant is Fenders Alley, a sizable outdoor venue with frequent trivia and live music. "There's a lot of stuff that goes on there on the weekends," Bennett says. Small markets and convenience stores are available across town, but locals often grab groceries at Quality Foods and Ingles Market.
At the heart of downtown is the Big Red Apple monument, a token of the town's once fruitful apple industry and a nod to its annual Big Red Apple Festival. Cornelia's oldest festival celebrates the town's status as "Home of the Big Red Apple" through live music, food vendors and hay rides up to Chenocetah Mountain. Downtown is also home to Catch Me in Cornelia, a summer street festival with music, bull rides, face painting and plenty of food and drink vendors. The monthly event lasts from May through August. More annual events include "Christmas in Cornelia" and the annual cornhole tournament.
Nearby mountains and lakes encourage an outdoorsy lifestyle
Cornelia operates several public parks and green spaces, including Cornelia City Park. Also called "Big City Park," the park covers over 20 acres and is defined by towering trees that shade a paved walking path and sports amenities. It also features an annual holiday light show. "Every year ends with a light display for everyone in the community to drive through," Bennett says. "It's something I went to as a kid that I do now with my kids."
Locals also enjoy access to Habersham County's natural amenities. "We've got tons of hiking and biking trails, and thousands of acres of national forests," Wilson says. The Lake Russell Recreation Area, about 5 miles from the heart of town, features several hiking trails. The Sourwood Trail offers views of Nancytown Falls, and the Lake Russell Trail stretches nearly 5 miles along the shore of the 100-acre lake. Bennett says some of the best views of Lake Russell are at Chenocetah Mountain, home of Chenocetah Tower. The tower is a popular attraction, even though it's only open a few days a year, and was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Habersham Central High School features several arts classes
Habersham County Schools serves just over 7,100 students and scores an overall A-minus on Niche. Cornelia Elementary, Wilbanks Middle and Habersham Ninth Grade Academy all score a B. Habersham Central High School features a robust virtual arts department, offering courses like advanced placement studio art and sculpture /ceramics. Niche gives the high school an overall B-plus.
Navigating Habersham County
Cornelia is a car-dependent community just off major U.S. Routes 441 and 23. Demorest is about 4 miles away, and Clarkesville is a 9-mile trip north. Atlanta, one of the nearest big cities, is 80 miles southwest of Cornelia. The Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham is one of the closest medical facilities in Demorest. Locals typically head to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for flights.
Written By
Brennen Martin
