The Alpine Village Located in Georgia



The tiny town of Helen, Georgia, was incorporated in 1913 and was primarily a logging town. The population of just over 500 was concerned when the city began to decline in the late 1960s, so the residents decided to resurrect the city by turning it into a replica of a Bavarian alpine village — in the Appalachians instead of the Alps. The classic southern German style is present on every building, even on the small number of national franchises, like Wendy’s. Tourism is the key economic activity in Helen, catering mostly to weekend visitors from the Atlanta area and motorcyclists who enjoy riding the roads of the city and its surrounding area. Each year, the town of Helen hosts its own Oktoberfest, as well as several other events and festivals. In addition to those activities, Helen welcomes visitors who come to take advantage of the swimming beaches, trout streams, wheelchair-accessible fishing docks, kayaking, and paddle boat rentals. There are even 8 miles of hiking trails within Unicoi State Park, which is located immediately northeast of Helen. The town also has one other claim to fame — the Lifetime TV movie Christmas Love Letter was filmed in Helen and aired on Dec. 21, 2019.