Dacula History Q&A - Georgia Cities Week 2023
Each year, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) sponsors Georgia Cities Week. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on a city’s past, and this year the event is April 23-29, 2023.
City government plays an important role in our lives: from historic preservation to trash collection to public safety to promoting the area’s culture and recreation.
We asked Councilmember Daniel Spain, a resident of Dacula for 65 years, to discuss some of the notable history and facts about our city.
1. Dacula was almost named Hoke, GA. What are some other points that people might not know about early Dacula?
Councilmember Spain: The name was derived from a combination of Decatur & Atlanta. It was mainly a railroad town that produced cotton.
2. What do you think makes Dacula unique?
Councilmember Spain: It still maintains some of the small town feeling as it grows.
3. What are some other facts about the city’s history that people might find surprising?
Councilmember Spain:
• The only bridge over the railroad tracks was wooden until 1980.
• The post office was originally located on the corner of Broad Street in downtown Dacula. This location made it easy for the train to deliver/pickup the mail.
• There was only one mail carrier for all of Dacula.
• The first bank in Dacula was located in a modular building (trailer) on Hwy. 29/GA 8 adjacent to McMillan Road.
• The school was 1st grade through 12th grade housed in the same building/campus.
• During the earlier years there were only a couple of buses. Many of the bus drivers were husband & wife who drove their own buses.
• Before the Dacula Athletic Association was formed, the ball teams were formed by the churches in the surrounding areas & they competed against each other.
4. How have the boundaries and roads in the city changed over time?
Councilmember Spain: The intersection of Fence & Dacula Roads is where the pavement ended. Most city roads have been widened & improved.
5. If people want to learn about old Dacula, what are some of the sites in the city they should explore?
Councilmember Spain: The buildings in downtown Dacula
6. Several musicians and athletes have ties to Dacula. Are there any past residents or facts you’d like to highlight?
Councilmember Spain:
• Gid & Gordan Tanner & the Skillet Lickers
• Professional football players, Kenny & David Irons
• Des Williams, the first Dacula graduate to play for UGA
• Levi Lowery (musician) is from Dacula as well as Jeff Stanley, who plays fiddle & did play with the Charlie Daniels Band
For more information about the history of Dacula, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DaculaGA.gov.
