Why visit Ellijay
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 33 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Gilmer County Courthouse and Tabor House Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Ellijay
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ellijay
Ellijay, occasionally spelled Elijay, is a city in Gilmer County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 1,862 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Gilmer County.
From the Wikipedia article Ellijay, Georgia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Gilmer County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
County courthouse in Ellijay, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes33
Charlie's Italian Restaurant
Restaurant · Italian · 0.8 mi
15 West Cross Street, East Ellijay
Tu-Th 16:30-20:30; Fr-Sa 15:00-20:00
Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza
2 River Street
Mo-Th 11:30-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-21:00; Su 11:30-19:00
Okinawa Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.1 mi
130 Old Orchard Square, East Ellijay
Mo-Th 11:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:30; Su 11:30-20:30
Emily's Bar and Restaurant
Restaurant
24 River Street, Ellijay
We-Th 16:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:00
Mucho Kaliente Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
941 Maddox Drive, East Ellijay
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
Poole's Real Pit BBQ
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.9 mi
164 Craig Street, East Ellijay
Th 11:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-19:00; Nov 26...
The Juicery and Relax Station
Restaurant · Juice · 0.8 mi
765 Maddox Drive, East Ellijay
Tu-Sa 09:00-18:00
Corner Stone Cafe
Cafe · Breakfast, Lunch, Southern
76 North Main Street, Ellijay
Mo-Th 08:00-13:00; Fr-Su 08:00-14:00
21 more on the map.
Where to stay3
History
This area was long settled by cultures of indigenous peoples. It was known as part of the historic homeland of the Cherokee people until the US government's policy of ethnic cleansing of Native Americans from the Southern States saw them forcibly displaced to Oklahoma in 1838. They had a village here, at the confluence of the Ellijay and Cartecay Rivers, which together form the Coosawattee River. About 4,000 Cherokees died in the ensuing trek to Oklahoma.
Ellijay (sometimes formerly spelled "Elejoy") is the anglicized form or transliteration of the Cherokee name Elatseyi, meaning "new ground". Other sources say it means "green place".
Gilmer County was organized by territory cut from Cherokee County in 1832, and Ellijay was designated as its county seat in 1834. It was a fairly isolated and remote mountain community until the late 19th century. After the Marietta and Northern Georgia Railroad (later the Louisville and Nashville Railroad) was constructed through here in 1884, the railroad stimulated a boom in the timber industry by providing a profitable way to get lumber to markets. Many timber companies came into the area with their workers.
More than a century later, another major transportation improvement was construction of the Zell Miller Mountain Parkway (Georgia 515, named for Georgia governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller), which was completed in 1991.
From the History section of Ellijay, Georgia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship10
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Clear Creek Elementary School
School · 5.5 mi
901 Clear Creek School Drive, Ellijay
Healthcare3
Map of Ellijay
83 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 31°F | 5.5 in | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 34°F | 5.0 in | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 40°F | 5.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 47°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 63°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 67°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 66°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 50°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 40°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 35°F | 5.3 in | 0.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jasper 1 Nnw (15 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Gilmer County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-10-09: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-30: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2021-05-05: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2021-01-12: Tropical Storm Zeta (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dalton Municipal Airport (DNN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Blue Ridge 15 mi northeast, about 24 min by car
- Chatsworth 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Ball Ground 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Dawsonville 27 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Dalton 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Calhoun 29 mi southwest, about 46 min by car
- Canton 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Dahlonega 31 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Adairsville 33 mi southwest, about 54 min by car
- Holly Springs 36 mi south, about 58 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ellijay, Tamparitus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gilmer County Courthouse from east, Nyttend, Public domain
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