Stone Mountain, an enormous granite dome and regional landmark, has compelled human interest since prehistory. The village that developed in its shadow is equally unique. Established as New Gibraltar, it was renamed and transplanted to the new railroad by early settlers and entrepreneurs. It prospered as a mecca for tourists and hosted the University School for Boys and the state's first agricultural fair. Anchored by the depot, Main Street's hotels, restaurants, and stores vied for the dollars of tourists and locals, and residential streets began to surround the thriving downtown. A flourishing granite industry attracted skilled, European laborers to the Southern village that was connected to the mountain's quarries by "the Dinky." Stone Mountain Village expanded after the Civil War to include Shermantown, an African American neighborhood. Granite became the village's architectural signature. Majestic views of the mountain in local backyards are reminders of the strong identity that has been forged between mountain and village, one that reflects both small-town life and a place on the world stage.
