Why visit Nelson
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks and 3 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Ball Ground Historic District and Georgia Marble Company and Tate Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Nelson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Nelson
Nelson is a city in Pickens and Cherokee Counties, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,145. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Nelson, Georgia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Ball Ground Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic district in Ball Ground, Georgia
Georgia Marble Company and Tate Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic district in Pickens County, Georgia
Tate House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Listed on the NRHP near Tate, Georgia, United States
Tate Gymnasium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Restaurants and cafes3
Two Brothers Barbeque
Restaurant · 1.4 mi
1695 Old Canton Road, Ball Ground
Th 10:30-20:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-21:00; Su 10:30-20:00; Mo-We closed
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping1
Feather's Edge Vineyards Tasting Room
Shop · 1.7 mi
10061 Ball Ground Highway, Ball Ground
Fr-Sa 11:00-17:00; Su 12:30-17:00
History
The city is named for John Nelson, an early landowner, farmer, and rifle maker. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Nelson as a town in 1891.
The area possesses substantial deposits of marble. The railway construction in 1883 made the development of large-scale quarries possible. The quality of the marble has made it favored for federal monuments.
On April 1, 2013, the city council unanimously approved the "Family Protection Ordinance". Every head of household must own a gun and ammunition to "provide for the emergency management of the city" and to "provide for and protect the safety, security, and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants." Residents are not required to buy one if they do not have one, and the ordinance does not penalize anyone who does not comply. Convicted felons are exempt.
From the History section of Nelson, Georgia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Map of Nelson
17 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 (8 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
Cherokee County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-10-09: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2021-01-12: Tropical Storm Zeta (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (GVL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 31 miles away.
- Ball Ground 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Jasper 7 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Canton 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Dawsonville 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Milton 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Holly Springs 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Cumming 18 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Woodstock 21 mi southwest, about 33 min by car
- Alpharetta 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Roswell 23 mi south, about 37 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
- Nelson Georgia city hall, Thomson200, CC0
- L&N Depot, Tate, GA from Hwy 53, Gwringle, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tate House, MrGeode13, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Georgia State Route 372 in Ball Ground, Thomson200, CC0
- Tate Gymnasium, MrGeode13, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.