Small-town atmosphere and a big employer in Trion
More than 100,000 yards of denim are churned out every day in Trion, where a textile plant has been at the center of the community since the 1840s. The town developed around the factory, and Mount Vernon Mills remains one of the biggest employers in Chattooga County. Though Trion has been at the forefront of textile manufacturing since before the Civil War, the Northwest Georgia community has remained small. Resident Austin Whitten grew up in nearby LaFayette, where he says Trion is viewed as a sports rival. After moving to Trion, Whitten found it to be a place full of friendly people, and he quickly learned names, faces and addresses in the community that takes about five minutes to drive through. “You do know everybody and where everybody lives,” says Whitten, Trion Recreation Department’s program director.
Modest homes in town and farms to the north
Within the town limits, ranch-style homes and minimal traditional houses are lined up on narrow streets, some of which have sidewalks. Mature oaks shade compact front yards, with rows of pines out back. Most houses lack garages, but many have carports at the end of their gravel driveways. Beyond the city limits, homes are more likely to be cloistered among trees or secluded on sprawling parcels. Prices usually range from $120,000 to $360,000.
The CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Highly rated schools in Trion City Schools district
Children can start at Trion Elementary School, which gets an A-minus from Niche, before advancing to A-rated Trion Middle School. Teens can take career and technical education courses in fields such as carpentry and teaching at Trion High School, which receives a B-plus. Trion High’s football team has a history of success and a loyal local following. Trion High has played an annual game against Gordon Lee High in Chickamauga for more than 90 years, and the rivalry is considered the oldest in Georgia. “On Friday nights, this town shuts down for Friday night football,” Whitten says.
Indoor, outdoor sports in Trion, with a new park coming to LaFayette
Along the Chattooga River, kids’ football, baseball and softball teams play at the various fields overseen by the Trion Recreation Department. The department also runs a gym that’s free to access. It’s often busy in the mornings with walking clubs and pickleball players, transitioning to an open gym in the afternoon for anyone who wants to shoot hoops or organize a game of volleyball. Other recreation options include Trion Golf Course, a nine-hole course accessible to the public, and a new dog park the town will open by the end of 2025.
To the north, LaFayette is building out Greenway Park. The city opened LaFayette Wheels Park at Greenway Park in 2024, and it’ll add a climbing wall, disc golf course and lighted trail by 2026. South of Trion is James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, a mountainous park with trails leading past an old marble mine and around lakes stocked with catfish and bass.
A shopping and dining corridor stretches from Trion to Summerville
U.S. Route 27 leads to most of the community’s businesses, from Torres Mexican Restaurant to Walmart. There’s also AdventHealth Medical Group Family Medicine at Trion for visits to a primary care doctor. As Route 27 enters Summerville, additional businesses such as Tractor Supply Co. and United Grocery Outlet appear along the highway. Atrium Health Floyd Urgent Care in Summerville can treat minor illnesses. One of the nearest hospitals is AdventHealth Redmond, about 25 miles south in Rome.
Route 27 extends north to LaFayette, Chattanooga
Route 27 connects Trion to larger surrounding communities. Summerville is 3 miles south, and LaFayette is about 10 miles north. Route 27 also extends to Chattanooga, about 40 miles from Trion. From Chattanooga Airport, passengers can take nonstop flights to more than a dozen U.S. cities
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Written By
Alex Soderstrom
