Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier
"Out of the hills of Habersham, Sidney Compton Lanier, "Song of the Chattahoochee" The ancient Chattahoochee River, traversed by Native Americans and explorers and praised by poets, winds its way from the mountains of Northeast Georgia down to Florida. It is teeming with life, both on its shores and in its waters, and draws people looking for a lazy day floating on the river or those seeking the challenge of white water. Traveling along its shores or the waterway itself, one almost can sense the history that the Chattahoochee has experienced. A little more than 50 years ago, man tamed the Chattahoochee, establishing Lake Sidney Lanier, the most splendid lake created along the Chattahoochee and its most popular. Some 7.5 million people visit Lake Lanier every year, making it the most visited U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake in the country. Many people visit Lanier for the spectacular beauty one can find at various points on the lake, especially when its aqua blue waters reflect fall foliage at its peak. While the size of the 38,000-acre lake itself is awe-inspiring for many, it also is a favorite location for boating, swimming, fishing and even world-class athletic events. The venue at Clarks Bridge Park was host to a number of rowing and paddling events during the 1996 Olympics. Parks and recreation areas surround the more than 692 miles of shoreline in four different counties, and the lake itself provides drinking water for some 3.5 million people in the metro Atlanta area. The majestic lake certainly is worthy of its namesake, poet and musician Sidney Compton Lanier. "Song of the Chattahoochee," chronicling the river's journey from its headwaters in Habersham to Hall County, was among his most famous works. Edie Rogers
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