Duluth, Georgia

Duluth describes itself as a vibrant community where something is always happening. Situated in Gwinnett County on the northeastern fringes of the Atlanta metropolitan area, Duluth has a population of over 29,000. In the last century, when Duluth was more rural in character, it was one of only a few small towns with its own hospital. Today, the Gwinnett Medical Center, opened in 2006, boasts a modern hospital, with a medical campus that includes a rehabilitation facility, a diabetes and nutrition education center and a sleep disorder center.

Duluth is known for its extensive network of sidewalks and bike paths connecting all its neighborhoods. The city maintains seven parks within its boundaries. Sports programs range from tennis and soccer to ballet and Zumba. Duluth is also a city where a private automobile is important for getting farther afield, with a number of collector roads throughout the county, including Duluth Highway, Buford Highway and Sugarloaf Parkway. Interstate 85 whisks residents to downtown Atlanta.

Duluth is a friendly, active community, known for bustling Town Green, with a public fountain and amphitheater that are the backbone of city life and activity. City Hall and Taylor Park are downtown anchors, and local merchants offer unique shops, services, entertainment and dining options. The Green is also the site of seasonal celebrations, city-sponsored free concerts and movies and public exhibitions. Barefoot in the City Art Week is a part of the public art program, and an annual New Year's Eve celebration brings residents together to usher in each New Year in small-town style. Sports and other outdoor activities regularly get residents out of their homes: The city hosts championship golf tourneys and has a professional minor league hockey team that plays in Gwinnett County's Infinite Energy Arena.

Originally known as Howell's Crossing, Duluth was renamed when the railroad came to the area in 1871. The Southwestern Railway Museum, Georgia's official transportation museum, is located near the town center and contains about 90 actual steam locomotives, old Pullman cars and other "rolling stock," keeping alive the aura of the early railroad. Modern Duluth is still a railroad center, for both passenger traffic and freight.