The White Path Cabin is the 18th century home of the Cherokee tribal leader White Path. The cabin was built c. 1780 near the site of present day Ellijay, Georgia by White Path’s parents. The cabin was relocated onto its current site in 1995 under the direction of Counte Cooley, a descendant of White Path, and of James Mathis.

Our blacksmith shop was discovered by Hoyt Herrin encased in an old frame house on the Travis Moore Home in Gainesville. James Mathis, Sr. had the shop moved to our location to serve as a memorial to Hoyt Herrin and to become a part of our mission of preserving and sharing the history of our unique region. We provide blacksmithing demonstrations in our educational programming and community events.

Our main gallery tells the story of the many people who have called our region home. Their story is told in an engaging exhibit of hundreds of artifacts spanning thousands of years, video displays, and our popular interactive Tornado Simulator that depicts the 1936 tornado in Gainesville.

We have a fantastic collection of folk art and pottery ranging from traditional examples to those with modern twists on centuries old art forms. This collection includes pottery by the famous Lanier Meaders who was known for his mastery of the face jug art form.

Learn about the life and successes of local sports legends that have called Northeast Georgia home.

The Freedom Garden is a living tribute to American veterans of the 20th & 21st century. Although they are separated by generations, these veterans share a common, undeniable goal — to valiantly protect our country’s freedoms. The centerpiece of the Freedom Garden is a bronze, life-size statue of five children in a Circle of Freedom, depicting the joy of living in a free America. There is an open space between two of the children, which is an invitation for a visiting child to hold hands with the statue children, thus completing the Circle of Freedom.