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Copper Basin
been completely renovated and
turned into the delightful, new Riverwalk
Shops. The design captures the
spirit of Copper Basin’s mining history.
Inside, you’ll find three riverfront
restaurants and several boutique
retail stores — offering plenty of
possibilities to eat, shop or just relax.
A massive new indoor music venue is
also in the process of being added.
Ride the Rails
(or Take the Car)
If you’re riding the Blue Ridge
Scenic Railway, these twin towns are
the “end of the line” — the place
where passengers disembark for a
bite to eat and an amble through
quaint shops filled with antiques,
clothing, jewelry, artwork and gifts.
Be sure to check the train’s website
to learn more about several theme
rides planned for the year.
Of course, you don’t have to ride
the train to visit. To spend a whole
day, just hop in the car and make the
quick drive from Blue Ridge (it’s 10
miles via GA Hwy. 5) or Morganton
(11 miles via GA Hwy. 60).
9 Reasons to Visit
There are plenty of reasons to make
the trip to the Copper Basin, but here
are a few of the best:
continued on page 24
Train hauling copper ore circa 1939.
(Photo: Library of Congress)
Area Fast Facts
→ McCaysville, GA, population = 1,353;
Copperhill + Ducktown, TN, population
= 1,652.
→ Copperhill & Ducktown were settled
around 1843 when copper was discovered
in the area. It was mined
until the late 1980s.
→ Open smelting, timber harvesting
and the release of harmful gases
destroyed the forests around
Copperhill. In 1939, the TVA and the
Tennessee Copper Company began
a long-term reforesting project to
help restore the area.
→ Long before the 1850s copper mining
boom, the area was home to the
Cherokee. The two rivers still bear
Native American names: Toccoa
(meaning “beautiful”) and Ocoee
(meaning “apricot vines”).
→ The Toccoa River flows north from
Blue Ridge to McCaysville. When it
crosses into Tennessee, it becomes
the Ocoee River, known for challenging
whitewater rafting rapids.
→ The Ocoee Whitewater Center off
Hwy. 64 was the site of the 1996
Olympic Summer Games Canoe &
Kayak Slalom competition.
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