Because of its large number of poultry processing plants, it has been called the "Poultry Capital of the World. It was named in honor of General Edmund P. Gaines , [ 7 ] a hero of the War of and a noted military surveyor and road-builder. Gainesville was selected to be the county seat and chartered by the Georgia General Assembly on November 30, A gold rush that began in nearby Lumpkin County in the s resulted in an increase in the number of settlers and the beginning of a business community.
In the middle of the 19th century, Gainesville had two important events. In , it became established as a resort center, with people attracted to the springs. In , much of the small city was destroyed by fire. Around , after the Civil War , Gainesville began to grow. It grew from 1, in , to over 5, by By , textile mills had become the primary driver of the economy, with the railroad integral to delivering raw cotton and carrying away the mills' products.
With the revenues generated by the mills, in , Gainesville became the first city south of Baltimore to install street lamps. On December 22, , the city's first high-rise, the Jackson Building, had its formal opening. In Southern Bell made improvements to the phone system. City services began in Gainesville on February 22, , with the election of a City Marshal, followed by solid waste collection in In , a bond issue to fund the waterworks was passed, and the original water distribution system was developed.
The military used it as a naval air station for training purposes. In , the airport was returned to the city of Gainesville, improved by the addition of two 4,foot 1, m landing strips one of which was later lengthened to 5, feet 1, m. Chickens have since become the state's largest agricultural crop. In , the U. During the Summer Olympics , Gainesville served as the venue for the rowing and kayaking medal competitions, which were staged on Lake Lanier. Gainesville gained accreditation of its Parks and Recreation Department in This was the third department in the state to be accredited.
The Lakeside water treatment plant opened in The city has sponsored new social activities, including the Spring Chicken Festival in , the Art in the Square gathering in , and "Dredgefest" in On January 28, , a poultry plant in Gainesville leaked liquid nitrogen killing 6 and hospitalizing Route 23 passes through the southern part of the city, leading southwest 54 miles 87 km to Atlanta and northeast 23 miles 37 km to Baldwin and Cornelia.
