Banks County, in northeast Georgia, is the state’s 129th county, comprising 233 square miles. The county was created from portions of Franklin and Habersham counties in 1858 and was named for Richard E. Banks (1794-1856), a circuit-riding surgeon who treated white settlers and Indians in the area, developing a good reputation among the Cherokees for treating smallpox. The land that became Banks County was originally held by the Cherokees, forming a border territory between the Cherokee Indian Nation and the newly formed United States of America.

A multitalented musician, Georgia native Beryl Rubinstein achieved success as a piano virtuoso, music educator, and composer. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1921 until his death, serving as director of the school for the last two decades of his life. Beryl Rubinstein was born in Athens on October 26, 1898, to Matilda Abrahams and Isaac Rubinstein, who was rabbi of the Congregation of the Children of Israel.

Residents of the Mennonite House, a center of civil rights activity in Atlanta from 1961 to 1964, gather around the "black and white table." The table, built in 1962 by Mennonites Vincent Harding and Bill Cooper, was made of light maple and dark mahogany or cherry, symbolizing racial unity. Reprinted by permission of Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print.

The Georgia blueberry and strawberry industries are dynamic enterprises of relatively recent development. The blueberry industry is concentrated in the flatwoods of southeast Georgia and ships fruit all over the world. The strawberry industry is spread throughout the state and caters mainly to Georgia customers. Blueberries The  development of the blueberry industry is an interesting story. Local fishermen in Brunswick and Toomsboro had collected some of the best wild berries from the Satilla and Withlacoochee rivers of south Georgia.

The Brenau University front gate has welcomed students and visitors for 125 years. The Women's College is one of the university's four divisions. Courtesy of Brenau University The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the rights holder.