Alto

Alto

In 1873, the town was called Longview, established along the railroad line. At the time, this railroad was known as Atlanta & Richmond Air Line Railway. According to an old plat of lots for sale advertised in Atlanta by Rice & Mitchell, the town was referred to as Lulah City. The railroad built a depot and the town became known as Alto. On Dec. 16, 1895, the Georgia General Assembly approved an act to incorporate the Town of Alto, spanning Banks and Habersham.
In its early years, Alto was quite the boom town as it was a shipping point for items such as cotton, peaches and “stray dogs.” Although the town limits extended only one-half mile in every direction from the depot, it was home to several country stores, a school, a cotton gin and a warehouse. In the 1960s, the first well was drilled and the town began water delivery.

Suggested Links:
Town of Alto