Coweta County
Ever wonder where some of those wonderfully rustic country town scenes from the movies "Fried Green Tomatoes" and "Driving Miss Daisy" were filmed? It's Coweta County, a place where historic homes lining numerous residential streets meet an active, diversified industrial base, with more than 80 industries employing more than 8,000 people.
Coweta County is located only a half-hour southwest of Atlanta on Interstate 85. The city and county enjoy a moderate climate which produces agreeable winter temperatures that average around 46 degrees while other parts of the nation and region are blasted by the more frigid side of the season. The average late spring and summer temperature of 76 degrees manages to keep county residents loyal to the area.
The town of Newnan encompasses 442 square miles and has an estimated population of 68,000 people. Known as the "City of Homes" due to the number of homes from the antebellum period that survived the Civil War, Newnan has a distinctive historic aura. Several areas in Coweta County have been listed as historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places. The Male Academy Museum, operated by the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, is a restored 1880s school building that serves as a repository for local historical items, including a fine collection of period clothing.
Housing options in the Newnan-Coweta area are plentiful. In fact, it contains an abundance of established and new home subdivisions that are among the most reasonably priced in the metro Atlanta region. Residents find that they can buy more home for the money than in comparable areas in North Atlanta.
To take advantage of employment opportunities provided by the growing business community in Coweta, a visit to the 2,500-acre Shenandoah Industrial and Business Park located 25 minutes south of I-285, is essential. The industrial and business park is home to major corporate industries such as the William L. Bonnell Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Tredegar Industries and Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America.
From the earliest days of Coweta's history, education has been important to its citizens. The local schools have produced three Rhodes Scholars-Allen Post, David Cuttino, and Barbara Petzen. The Coweta County School System is highly regarded for the excellent quality of its programs which are designed to prepare a wide spectrum of its students with diverse educational requirements. All schools have Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation and are rated Standard by the Georgia Department of Education. Over 17,600 students are served in 26 schools.
Newnan is also the medical center for the multi-county area, providing two excellent hospitals, several medical clinics, a rehabilitation center, a hospital-run health and fitness center at Newnan Hospital and a personal emergency response system through Companions for Life, also at Newnan Hospital.
For newcomers who consider a thriving arts scene to be an important relocation aspect, Newnan offers the cultural vibe of the Manget-Brannon Center for the Arts. It houses the visual and performing arts, including the Newnan Community Theatre Company. The center is located in a refurbished warehouse building.
By far, the most widely attended event in the county each year is the Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Arts Festival, which features more than 300 artists and craftsmen from across the United States. The festival is held on Labor Day weekend at a site 12 miles west of Newnan on Georgia Highway 34. The three day event attracts more than 75,000 visitors to the area and has been consistently recognized as one of "The Top Twenty Events in the Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society. The Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce is one of six member organizations of Coweta Festivals and also sponsors the Festival Days Road Race in downtown Newnan in conjunction with the Annual Powers' Crossroads Festival.
The Coweta County Recreation Department maintains gymnasiums, ball fields, soccer fields, and tennis courts and offers a wide variety of exercise, swimming, and arts and crafts courses and activities throughout the year. There are several youth baseball, softball, soccer, and football leagues in the county as well. Residents looking for a competitive game of golf can enjoy three private golf courses: Newnan Country Club on U.S. Highway 29 North, Canongate on White Oak, and the Canongate Golf Course in north Coweta County. There is also easy access to the Orchard Hills Golf Club, a public course, at I-85 and Gordon Road. Spend some time enjoying a lavish picnic at the Carl G. Miller Park on Sewell Road, built by the Newnan Water, Sewerage & Light Commission, or the county-run picnic pavilion at the B.T. Brown Reservoir.
Newnan and Coweta County is a pleasant combination of hometown charm and big city amenities. It's historic background and progressive future make it a very desirable place to call home.
Information provided by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce.