Lavonia is a charming historic railroad town with a tree lined square of destination shops and restaurants. Lavonia is also a lake town with a beautiful expanse of water with over 962 miles of shoreline.
Population: 2,500
What is the most surprising fact about Lavonia?
Our city was named after Lavonia Jones, wife of John R. Jones, president of Southern Railroad from Elberton, Georgia. He decided that Lavonia would be a good location for the railroad to stop!
Do you have any famous residents?
Former Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver was born and raised in the area and his wife, Betty still lives in their Lavonia home.
What is the biggest annual event in your town?
The Land of Spirit folk life play involving local actors of all ages brings a crowd to the Lavonia Cultural Center every year. This year’s play is “Aunt Annie’s Amazing Attic” and will be held during the last two weekends in June.
What do you want visitors to discover in your community?
We have interesting and diverse shops including Southern Alpaca Connection, Bluebird Bee Supplies, and Peachtree Pride Retail. We are also proud of our award winning Mennonite restaurant - 211 Main Street - as well as other local restaurants and specialty boutiques. We always encourage visitors to explore our local Farmers Market and stay for one of our many concerts in our gazebo.
What initiatives is Lavonia currently working on?
We recently renovated our historic depot with a hundred year celebration. We currently have plans for Lavonia Memorial Park, an urban natural park located behind City Hall. A new walking trail, playground equipment and new signage are planned.
How many family friendly activities are offered in your community?
We are excited to offer youth summer theatre, plays, concerts, Easter, Halloween, Christmas and other seasonal events. We also offer Farmers Market craft days for kids, movie nights, and seasonal festivals.
Where would you take someone on a first date in Lavonia?
Lake activities, biking and hiking are always options. However, I would take someone for a walk around town to shop antique stores and the unique and destination boutiques, eat dinner at 211 Main Street, and enjoy one of the many concerts in the downtown gazebo.
Sound like a cool place?
