Community Corner

The Mayor's VIP Tour of Norcross

Mayor Bucky Johnson held his first-ever tour of the city, showing the history, parks, homes and everything else Norcross has to offer.

Mayor Bucky Johnson hosted his first-ever VIP tour of Norcross last Saturday, and I was lucky enough to be invited.

Myself and about a dozen others traveled around historic downtown last Saturday on a bus, and toured along South Peachtree, North Peachtree, Autry Street and College Street. We heard about all the city's deep railroad and baseball history; learned about the Nesbits, the Johnsons and the Buchanans; and saw the insides of a new home and an old home within walking distance of downtown.

Geoff Hammett, our tour guide alongside the mayor, shared other snippets of information. Hammett told us about how 45 South Cafe used to be a post office; that the only stone house in Norcross was built in the early 1900s and is located by Dodson Park (now Thrasher Park); and how Norcross used to be a resort town, complete with the Brunswick Hotel and its great food.

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The group stopped by Lionheart Theatre, saw a preview of its newest production, "Fiddler on the Roof," and then ended the tour with a delicious dinner at The Nest.

The tour was a great way to get a snapshot of all the different and great things in Norcross. I feel like I've learned much about the city from my personal experience as the editor and before as a freelance writer for Patch, but I still had a great history lesson from the two-hour tour.

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Do you think a mayor-hosted tour of Norcross would benefit the city? Why or why not?


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