The Union County Library, one of four libraries of the Mountain Regional Library System, is located in Blairsville. The 3-county system reported total circulation of 555,344, or 12.10 books per capita.  The System budget in 2002 was $686,927, a per capita expenditure of $14.96.  The total staff in the Library System was 17.   The Mountain Regional Library is located only 9 miles east of Blairsville at Young Harris.  http://www.libdex.com/data/20/10194.html

While standard television antennas are in use in higher locations in Union County, satellite disc antennas can be spotted throughout the county in increasing numbers.  Most of the satellite providers serve the area.

Alltel cable TV provides 61 cable channels in the Blairsville area, including local channels from Atlanta; Chattanooga, TN; Toccoa, GA, Athens, GA and Linville, NC.  http://www.alltel.net/cable/hiawassee.html

UNION GENERAL HOSPITAL
www.uniongeneralhospital.com

The hospital offers a wide range of services rarely available in small communities. Union General Hospital is a full-service, community hospital operated by the Union County Hospital Authority, who also own and operate the Union County Nursing Home and Chatuge Regional Hospital in Hiawassee (15 miles northeast).

Union General Hospital currently has 45 beds, 3 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds, 3 birthing rooms, two operating rooms, four emergency rooms, Outpatient Department, and related ancillary and support services, including:

The Blairsville - Union County area has seen a 166.7% growth in the number of physicians practicing here in the last decade:

                                                    PHYSICIAN DIRECTORY

                       http://www.uniongeneralhospital.com/physicians_directory.htm

The Union County Hospital Authority operates a $4-million, 50,000 sf., nursing home, with 147 beds, Union County Nursing Home, adjacent to Union General Hospital in Blairsville. There were 53,500 Patient Days and an occupancy rate of 99.7% in 2002. http://www.uniongeneralhospital.com/nursing_home.htm

The Union County Health Department's Health Center is located at 55 Hughes Street. This Center has many clinics to protect our community from health risks, to promote healthy behaviors and lifestyle and to prevent disease and disabilities. Prevention is the backbone of public health and the scope of service at this Center has a broad range.

Some of the clinics provided are: Women's Health, blood pressure screening, pregnancy testing, dental clinic, well-child clinic, hearing and vision testing, WIC program, X-ray clinic, nursing services, vital records and environmental health.

Union County lists 35 restaurants, including 9 fast foods. There are Pizza, Hamburger, Seafood, Bar-B-Que, Greek/Italian, Mexican, Chinese - Thai, steakhouses, cafeterias, sandwich shops, and family restaurants in Union County. These restaurants include:

Appalachian Bowling Center Snack Bar            Young Harris Highway (GA 515)
Biscuit House, The                                            Murphy Highway
Blairsville "World Famous" Restaurant                229 Earnest Street downtown
Blairsville Seafood Market & Grill                      208 Earnest Street downtown
Blimpie - Subs & Salads                                     Highway 515 downtown
Bubba's Country Rock Café                               Nottely Dam Road (GA 325)
Burger King                                                        Highway 515 at US 129 downtown
Catfish Corner                                                    Blue Ridge Street downtown
Chef David's                                                       28 Town Square (Season's Inn Plaza) downtown
Cookie Jar Restaurant                                        199 Wellborn Street downtown
Domino's Pizza                                                    Highway 515 downtown
Golden Gate Chinese & Thai Restaurant              Blue Ridge Street downtown
Huddle House 24-hour Restaurant                       Highway 515 downtown
Jimmy's Pizza House                                            513 Foster Plaza                                           
Kentucky Fried Chicken                                      Highway 515 at US 129 downtown
Lenny's Grill - Suches, Ga.                                  10330 Wolf Pen Gap Road (GA 180)
McDonald's                                                        US 129 at GA 515 downtown
Cook's Country Kitchen                                      Harralson Drive at GA 515 downtown
Monet's Café and Bakery                                     91 Blue Ridge Street downtown
Monte Alban Restaurants Mexicano                     122 Murphy Highway (US 129) downtown
Muffy's Mountain Burgers & Such                        364 Blue Ridge Street downtown
Nancy's Pizza and Subs                                        100 Town Square downtown
North Georgia Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant           90 Town Square downtown
Papa's Pizza To Go                                               28 Town Square downtown
Rib Country                                                          373 Kousins Drive at GA 515 downtown
Riverside Restaurant at Pappy's Market Place       Gainesville Hwy (US 129 South)
Ruby's Korner Kitchen                                          2096 Mulky Gap Road
Saw Mill Place Restaurant                                     845 Pat Haralson Memorial Drive
Smokey Mountain Pizza                                        Murphy Highway (US 129 North)
Southern Grill                                                        761 Murphy Highway (US 129 North)
Steve's Steakhouse/Cookie Jar Restaurant             See Cookie Jar
Subway Subs and Salads                                       122 Murphy Highway (US 129 North)
Union General Hospital Cafeteria                           Hospital Circle
Village Restaurant, The                                           53 Blue Ridge Street downtown
Wendy's                                                                Young Harris Highway downtown
Zaxby's Restaurant                                                 Highway 515 downtown

Catering service is offered by many of these companies.

Union County has 4 motels, 14 bed and breakfast inns, and 47 mountain resorts with cabins, 9 campgrounds, and 4 RV Parks. A Holiday Inn Express opened in late 1998. For a list of motels/cabins with web-sites, click on www.blairsville.com/lodging.asp.  Those with 3 or more units include:

Two new retail stores have opened in Blairsville this year:  Bi-Lo Grocery and The Home Depot. 

 A variety of shopping areas in addition to the retail stores downtown are available.  The following is a list of shopping centers in the Blairsville area:

The North Georgia News, the official Union County organ, has a circulation of 9,700 and is published weekly on Wednesdays.  For more information, click:    www.nganews.com

The Union Sentinel and Business Report has a circulation of 3,000 and is published weekly on Thursdays.

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution     www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/
USA Today                                          www.usatoday.com
The Gainesville Times                           www.gainesvilletimes.com

There are over 50 clubs and organizations in Blairsville and Union County. The Chamber of Commerce can furnish you a list.  
See:   www.blairsvillechamber.com/  for a list that are Chamber members.

The Blairsville Post Office (ZIP Codes 30512 and 30514) is a Class 1 Post Office. The other post office in the county is Suches with a ZIP Code of 30572.      www.usps.com

The Union County Recreation Department provides recreation and leisure activities for citizens of all ages. There are 15 full-time employees and up to 20 part-time employees, depending on the season and the sports activity.

The Union County Recreation Department maintains and operates Meeks Park, including walking trails, lighted Girls and Adult softball and Little League baseball fields, utility fields, bleachers, concession stands, rest rooms, batting cage, playground equipment and picnic facilities. Butternut Creek winds through the park adding its beauty to the park setting.

An Olympic-size swimming pool, bath house and concession stand opened in 2000 at Meeks Park and operates from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Indoor heated pools are available at Young Harris College, at the Holiday Inn Express and at Blue Ridge Mountain Fitness Center.

There are 4 lighted tennis courts at Butternut Creek Recreation Center. Other tennis courts are found at:

Brasstown Valley Resort  - 4

There are 4 county parks within Union County. There are 4 tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course with pro shop, and picnic tables at Butternut Creek Recreation Center. At Meeks Park are 5 ball fields, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, snack bars, batting cages, picnic areas, pavilions and walking trails. Poteete Creek Park is a 100-acre tract on Lake Nottely, with swimming area, camp sites, boat launch, picnic tables, and a picnic pavilion. Canal Park has similar facilities also on Lake Nottely.

Numerous vistas are available in the area. The Chattahoochee National Forest covers over 51% of Union County. Waterfalls offer beautiful scenery for hikers throughout the area.

Vogel State Park, Georgia's original state park built in 1927, is only 10 miles south of Blairsville just off US 19/129  in the middle of the Chattahoochee National Forest at the base of Blood Mountain. With an elevation of 2,280 feet, its facilities are built around Lake Trahlyta for swimming, paddle boating and fishing.  In 2001 over 250,000 people visited from 44 states and from every continent.  Vogel State Park employs 17 full-time with an annual payroll of $514,000. With revenues of $1.2-million, Vogel Park is the only traditional park in the State system that realizes a profit.

Vogel State Park features:

The Nottely River flows below Vogel State Park and offers a spectacular view of nature during all seasons. Mountain trout fishing is a treat from this stream. There are 60 miles of designated trout streams within Union County.

Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest mountain at 4,784 feet above sea level, is 20 miles southeast (by road) of Blairsville and offers: a panoramic view of 4 states, exhibits, video presentations, picnic tables, snack foods, and a log cabin bookstore. A one-half mile walking trail from the parking lot located in Union County takes you to the mountain peak and the Museum located within Towns County. Hottest temperature ever recorded on Brasstown Bald Mountain was 84 degrees F.  See web-cam view at www.fs.fed.us/conf/webcam.htm.

Bald Mountain Cinema Company on GA 515 East has a motion picture complex with 3 first-run movie theaters in Union County located about 4 miles east of Blairsville.   www.baldmountaincinema.com