History

Historic Preservation
Through its Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the City of Suwanee is committed to maintaining the unique charm of historic Old Town and to revitalizing its economic potential.  Historic Old Town, along with the newly created Town Center, comprise Suwanee's vibrant downtown district.  The DDA owns one of the buildings in Old Town and is working to attract private developers interested in recreating the economic vitality of the historic building, which since 1910 has been a general store, silent movie theater, antique shop, and doctor's office.

Suwanee's downtown revitalization efforts have earned it accreditation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Program.  In order to be designated a Main Street community, a city must demonstrate a commitment to the physical improvement of buildings and public spaces, aggressive promotion and image building, and economic development of the downtown area.

The new pedestrian railroad underpass connects Suwanee's two downtown areas and allows residents to park once and then walk to access the amenities of both areas.
Historic Points of Interest
 
Pierce's Corner - 597 Main Street
George W. Little constructed the building in 1910 and the numbers "1910" can still be seen at the front door.  George Pierce bought the building in the mid-1900s for a grocery store.

The Rhodes Hotel - 3949 Russell Street
This Queen Anne Victorian-style home was built in 1880 by Daniel M. Born as a wedding gift for his daughter, Lillie, and her husband, Henry W. Rhodes.  Additional rooms were later added to attract teachers to Suwanee to teach at the school.

Shadowbrook Cemetery - At the corner of Suwanee Dam Road and Main Street, it contains the first grave marker from the Town of Suwanee - the gravestone of Ella V. Harris, buried in 1877.

Suwanee Post Office - 597 Main Street
Suwanee's first physician, Dr. Samuel Jackson, built this home between 1875 and 1879.  In 1923, Postmistress Eula Bennett Farmer began renting the home and it served as Suwanee's Post Office, likely until 1945.

Many historic houses are clustered in and around Old Town with the majority of the homes on Main, Calaboose, White, and Davis streets.  Most of the houses within the old Suwanee area are a simple regional farm style.

The James A. Armstrong House, located at 571 Main Street, was built in the late 1870s.  Suwanee native and current Mayor Pro Tem Jimmy Burnette, Jr. restored the home in 2003.