With fewer than 300 people, Gillsville takes up a mere one square mile. This town has made a major impact on American fine arts with the heavy concentration of folk potters who make their homes and ply their trade in the foothills surrounding the area. Folk Pottery is the last original American hand craft practiced the same way today as it was in Colonial times.

In Gillsville, you will find two large retail pottery sellers – Craven’s Pottery and Hewell’s Pottery, open year round. More adventurous travelers will want to visit private potters’ workshops along the winding roads leading to and from Gillsville.

Signs mark the spots where artists sell their wares formed in clay dug from the nearby Georgia creeks and riverbeds. Be sure to stop in the Gillsville Café for a home cooked treat or pack a picnic and visit the city park. Those on official business will want to visit on Tuesday or Thursday – when City Hall is open for a few hours, and the Mayor will greet you with Northeast Georgia charm.

Gillsville Mayor
Wade Dale