Find It All Roswell - Coming Soon!

What happens when a city and a convention and visitors bureau brainstorm ways to promote the local businesses in the city? In Roswell, Georgia, the “Find It All Roswell” campaign was born.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community. They give the community its special character. Successful businesses bring dollars into a community which funds growth opportunities for the residents, local causes, non-profits, and more city services which improve the quality of life for the residents.

Residents of Roswell will shop, dine, and purchase goods and services anyway. By becoming aware of and frequenting businesses within their own community, each and every purchase contributes to the community in which they live.

The official campaign rolls out on August 7th with an event in the Roswell town square. Roswell businesses will have an opportunity to become part of the program. Those that choose to participate will be listed on the http://www.finditallroswell.com/ webpage, have a special decal to display in the window of their business, and will be able to entice more residents to come to their business with specials for those with Find It All Roswell VIP Cards.

To get ready for the kick-off, the Convention and Visitors Bureau has set up a Facebook fan page called “FindItAll Roswell Georgia.” As the program progresses, updates will be made to the fan page as well as the http://www.finditallroswell.com/ webpage.

Additional information can be found in an article on the Eturbonews website http://www.eturbonews.com/10140/new-program-promotes-local-small-businesses

Help us as we create a prosperous community in Roswell! Find It All Roswell!

New Discovery Center at the Chattahoochee Nature Center

Georgia’s first Interpretive Center for the Chattahoochee River is now open. The Discovery Center houses exciting interactive exhibits for all ages, non-releasable wildlife, the Nature Exchange, and a rooftop terrace for community activities. From the Forests to the wetlands to the river, visitors discover what makes the Chattahoochee River Watershed so unique. More importantly, the new center helps visitors find their way to more adventures and ultimately how to become a part of this amazing environment.

The Nature Exchange concept started in Ontario, Canada about 10 years ago. All a child has to do to participate is to bring in anything that excites their curiosity – leaves, rocks, shells or other items found in nature. A naturalist will spend time explaining the object and then the child can trade their item for other cool items in the Exchange. Or, they can “bank” their points to trade for rare and unusual items like fossils, sharks teeth, gems and more! They get to take their new items home to keep. Trading can go on for ever.

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is the oldest and largest private non-profit natural science learning center in the Southeast. This environmental sanctuary encompasses 27 species of native wildlife and 127 acres of native plants and gardens. The Center grows more than 50% of the rare and endangered plant species found in Georgia, in their gardens. Some gardens reflect Georgia's Living Wetlands, depicting 5 different wetland habitats that are threatened throughout the State of Georgia. A Butterfly Garden, Bog Garden with carnivorous plants, river boardwalk, and woodland trails add to the experience.

This weekend is the 10th Annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival. Butterfly releases, insect scavenger hunt, butterfly parades, native plants, photography, arts & crafts, entomology exhibits, puppets, music, and much more. A great time to see the new Discovery Center and Lakeside Pavilion. 770-992-2055 or http://www.chattnaturecenter.com/ Sat: 9 - 2 pm, Sunday, 12 - 5 pm

Create your own Civil War Adventure

It wasn’t all moonlight and magnolias and there was nothing

‘civil’ about it

Roswell lets you see the Civil War your way with ‘Southern Belles to Rebel Yells’

No, there was nothing civil about the War Between the States—but that doesn’t mean you can’t be polite. Two historic Georgia gems, Roswell and Marietta, located north of Atlanta, have created a new guide and have the good manners to let visitors experience the Civil War as they like through a multitude of sites, sounds and stories. Download the “Southern Belles to Rebel Yells” guide (www.belles-rebels.com) and create your own adventure: antebellum house museums; ghost tours; a new giant mill wheel stationed in a Heritage Center; a Teaching Museum that is all about being hands-on. See the slave quarters of plantation farmers; and learn about the Southern ladies General Sherman arrested in Roswell.

Create your own Civil War Adventure: Roswell is a place where visitors can truly experience the authentic story of the American South by visiting its three historic house museums. At the circa 1839 Bulloch Hall, learn about the life and times of a real Southern Belle: Mittie Bulloch grew up to become the mother of President Teddy Roosevelt and the grandmother of Eleanor Roosevelt. Her childhood home is located among the historic sites, museums, monuments, churches and cemeteries of Roswell’s 640-acre historic district, 122 acres of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bulloch Hall was the site of her celebrated 1853 wedding to northerner Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. See Mittie’s delicate little ivory hand fan, the oh-so feminine ladies parlor, and Cook’s beehive oven in the basement kitchen. Walk the grounds where reconstructed slave quarters narrate the story of “Slave Life in The Piedmont.”

Learn how a well-to-do farming family survived the (Civil) war years at Smith Plantation Home, a living history farm that looks today much as it did 164 years ago, right down to its original furnishings and 10 outbuildings that include corn crib, carriage house and slave quarters. See the circa 1842 home, Barrington Hall, that was built by the son of town founder Roswell King and is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the U.S. Purchase “A Southern Trilogy” pass (www.visitroswellga.com/triology-tours.html) to save money while experiencing the authentic story of the American South.

Download an audio tour of the “Roswell Mills Exhibit” (www.visitroswellga.com/roswell-mills.html), located in The Heritage Center at the Roswell Visitors Bureau and learn about the women who were charged with treason, removed from their homes on General Sherman’s order and packed up part and parcel and banished north to prison and an uncertain future. Then explore Roswell’s Antiques Alley or its hodgepodge of specialty shops and choose from a slew of original, chef-owned eateries for dinner before heading to one of 11 hotels.
Ghosts in the cemeteries and streets! Rebels retreating from the advancing Union troops!
Ghosts prowl the streets, historic sites, and cemeteries in Roswell. Unearth the bodies on an award-winning Roswell Ghost Tour (www.roswellghosttour.com) and hear the toilsome tales of the mill village and the spirits that reside behind the mansion walls. The tour traverses Founders Cemetery, the “better place” of some of the Bullochs and Roswell King, among others.

Pick up your Trilogy Pass and head to your Civil War adventurePick up a Roswell Trilogy Pass and you’re on your way to experiencing a most un-Civil War in an adventure you design. Living history museums and heritage sites, theatres, gardens, shopping and dining and special events, like re-enactments at the historic homes, plus a storytelling festival in June and special Christmas celebrations—any and all can be part of your Civil War adventure. Click on http://www.belles-rebels.com/ to get started on your planning.

Area hotels also offer packages:

Courtyard Atlanta Roswell “A Southern Trilogy Package”Enjoy a stay in a king or a double suite. Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall and Smith Plantation celebrate their heritage: Tour each of the houses and learn about Roswell’s founding families.

Package includes:∙King or double suite accommodations∙Complimentary breakfast buffet for two adults daily∙One set of tickets for two adults to “A Southern Trilogy – The Authentic Story of the American South” per stay
Deal: Stay two consecutive nights and receive 50 percent off of your second night's room rate. Deal valid through August 31, 2009.

Courtyard Atlanta Roswell1500 Market BoulevardRoswell, GA 30076(770) 992-7200 http://www.marriott.com/

Holiday Inn’s “Southern Belles to Rebel Yells Southern Trilogy Package”Rest and relax in Roswell's newest lodging facility (flat screen TVs, WiFi, outdoor pool, full service restaurant and lounge and onsite health/fitness center) and tour its Historic Homes to experience the authentic story of the American South.

Package includes:∙Sleeping room for two (your choice of 2 Queens or 1 King)∙Full hot breakfast buffet for 2∙Trilogy Pass for 2 ∙2 Roswell Key Cards for discounts at participating restaurants and shops

Price: $149 plus applicable tax; an additional night of rest and relaxation may be added for $89 per night (plus applicable tax). Package valid through Dec. 31, 2009.

Holiday Inn Atlanta/Roswell909 Holcomb Bridge RoadRoswell, GA 30076770-817-1414 or 1-877-817-1414 www.holidayinn.com/roswellga

Ride Will Shut Down Georgia 400!

Be a part of history as GA 400 is temporarily shut down on Sunday, July 12 for the inaugural “Hospitality Highway Century” to benefit the Georgia Transplant Foundation (GTF).

Registered riders will promptly start at 6:30 a.m. from the former Home Depot parking lot in Roswell, at the intersection of Holcomb Bridge Rd. and Market Blvd., and pedal their way down GA 400 from exit 7 to exit 6. Cyclists will then wind through the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Milton, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and other scenic areas of north Fulton, Forsyth, and Cherokee counties. The route includes rest stops, complete with bathrooms, full technical support, and a variety of snacks and drinks. Whether it’s the 9-mile “I Did It” ride or the 35-mile, 62-mile, or 100-mile option, this event promises to be filled with fun, excitement, and the opportunity to say, “I closed down 400!”

“We’re excited about teaming up with the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, and Alpharetta for this historic event,” said David Bakelman, Executive Director of the Georgia Transplant Foundation. “The funds raised through the Hospitality Highway Century will help us provide essential services to Georgia’s organ transplant community.”

Only registered cyclists, ready to go at 6:30 a.m., will be able to ride on GA 400 during the specific window of time allotted by the Department of Transportation. The early bird registration fee of $35 will be in effect until July 3 for all route options. The fee rises to $40 if received after July 3, including the day of the event. Registration includes a t-shirt, food, water, and full technical support along the way. The ride is open to anyone 14-years-of- age or older. To register for the “Hospitality Highway Century,” please visit http://www.400century.com/

For Roswell lodging special rates, check out www.visitroswellga.com/lodging-special-offers.html

Founded in Atlanta in 1992, the Georgia Transplant Foundation is a non-profit organization providing financial, educational, and emotional support to transplant candidates, recipients, living donors, and their families throughout the state of Georgia. GTF is funded through the generosity of the Carlos and Marguerite Mason Trust, corporations and individuals. Eighty-four percent of all funds raised directly supports Georgia’s organ transplant community. For more information, please visit http://www.gatransplant.org/