The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 105

Sunday, December 22, 1996 9 The Atlanta Journal The Atlanta Constitution 1 tit Recent home sales Thomas Rd Ctclen Manger RdN US 1 Manger Ave A '4 ill AneelSt 1 I A Bethlehem r-i I ucmeniary cnoo $94,900 1404 Water Wheel Drive. Located in Rivermill subdivision, this new traditional has three bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace, breakfast area, dining room, great room, bonus room, two-car garage, open floor plan with vaulted ceiling, split bedroom plan and skylights. Asking price was $98,900. It sold for $94,900 in 1 65 days. History The first European settlers in Barrow County Richard Easley, Abednego Moore and Josiah Strong arrived in the land occupied by the Creek and Cherokee Indians in 1 786 from Effingham.

An earlier log fort stands at Fort Yargo State Park. Barrow County was formed from parts of Jackson, Walton and Gwinnett counties in 1 9 1 4. Truman Smith's Mill on Marbury Creek was the first post office ana justice of the peace court for what is now Bethlehem in 181 9. Willis Kilgore bought land in 1833 and founded a grist and sawmill. The Kilgore covered bridge, built in 1 874 to span the Appalachee River, was an area landmark for many years before it burned.

The Manning Gin House, built in the 1 870s by R.L Manning, still stands and boasts some of the state's finest collections of original outbuildings, including the cotton gin. Bethlehem United Methodist Church, one of the oldest in Barrow County, was organized early in the area's history. Land for the present site was deeded by the Rev. John W.B. Allen in 1 847.

The fresent brick sanctuary, the church's ifth building, was built in 1949. The site was used as a camp ground between 1 85 1 and 1 894. There was an arbor, tents and cottages where families camped for several weeks at a time to attend church meetings. During the Civil War, the arbor was a troop mobilization center. The town began to grow after the Gainesville Midland Railroad line was laid in the 1880s.

Most people believe that the town was named after the church at the suggestion of Judson Moore, a well-known gospel song writer who lived there. Today, the town's only industry is the Harrison Poultry and Processing Plant, which employs about 350 people. Bethlehem Baptist Church organized and built a sanctuary in 1 904. Page 3 grid location: G3-4 Staff Getting there From downtown, take 1-85 north to Ga.316. Turn right onCa.U into Bethlehem.

(Some of the major roads are shown on the map.) I i I $93,500 7 Herald Drive. This new frame traditional in Shepherds Crossing subdivision has three bedrooms, TA baths, fireplace, breakfast area, dining room, great room, two-car garage and a front porch. Asking price was $89,500. It sold for $93,500 after 46 days. Russell Middle School, 6-8: 770-867-8 181; principal, Jerris Hayes Winder-Barrow High, 9-1 2: 770-867-4519; principal, Randy Howell Amenities Near Ga.316 Annual Nativity pageant Fort Yargo State Park Landmarks Bethlehem United Methodist Church Bethlehem First Baptist Church Gty Hall and library Bethlehem Post Office Households About 400 Median house price $95,000 Property taxes About $1.1 28 inside the city limits and 1 ,072 outside on a house valued at $95,000 with homestead exemption Schools Bethlehem Elementary, K-5: 770-867-2238; principal, Roy A.

Morgan Winder-Barrow Middle, 6-8: 770-867-21 16; principal, Phyllis Chastain 1 ry TTTT1 1 i Read more neighborhood profiles. Have the staff of AJC Newsearch locate past profiles for you for a fee. Call 404-526-5668 or 800-756-4 1 97. $88,000 40 Herald Drive. This new two-story country frame has three bedrooms, TA baths, a fireplace, breakfast area, dining room, great room, family room, two-car garage and a front porch.

Asking price was $87,500. It sold for $88,000 after 79 days. Other sales in Bethlehem A sampling of residential transactions in the past two years hem Elementary has grown from 378 pupils in 1972 to 546 this fall. Winder-Barrow High School has 1,500 students, some of them taking classes in about 30 trailers. A county school building program will help the situation.

A new middle school will open for the 1997-98 school year, a new elementary in 1998-99 and another high school possibly as early as 1998. "Despite the growth, Bethlehem Elementary is a community-oriented school, and that is it3 strongest aspect," said Roy A. Morgan, principal. Students and parents are known by name, and there are six business Partners in Education. Then there is the Grandparents Rendering Academic Neighborly Dedicated Service, or GRANDS program, in which people from the Barrow County Senior Citizens Center have adopted classrooms.

"They come every Thursday morning to sing, read or tell stories. They talk about old times, traditions, values, and, are a unidue oMtf ihstrudtiorial 1 prices in the to and lower property taxes than closer-in metro area counties. Other families are buying older homes in town and renovat-ingthem. Jon and Mary Ayers moved into the new King's Manor subdivision in 1994 and have found Bethlehem to be a friendly community. "I work in Lawrenceville as a corporate pilot, so we like the convenience of the location, but we also feel like we got a big, very open and bright house at a good price," said Jon Ayers.

Their split foyer design has a finished basement, an acre lot and cost $95,000. Shopping and restaurants are close by in Winder and Lawrenceville. New grocery and discount stores are within five miles, yet there's still plenty of open countryside in Barrow. "It's a beautiful area," said Ayers. "There's a large cattle farm across the street from us and that's where we go to walk pur three dogs." "Nowhera is the poputedoVgrOwlh' after the building burned several years ago.

"We were already crowded and didnt have the room to rebuild in town. With all of the new subdivisions going in around here, we are anticipating growth," said Waters. Because Ga. 316 was completed recently from Lawrenceville to Athens, developers have discovered Barrow County. The area is booming, largely because of the overflow from Gwinnett," said Pam Watkins, a real estate agent with Century 21-Winder-Barrow Realty.

"People who want a convenient location 15 minutes to Lawrenceville or Athens away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta are finding Bethlehem a great place to raise a family," Barrow County showed 68.3 percent growth in new housing during the first six months of 1996, according to statistics collected by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. New home sales were up 54.3 percent in the 30620 ZIP code where Bethlehem is c' rU'k' t''v! New subdivisions have largeTots, Address Sales price 1 48 1 River-bend Court 1 26,300 853 Carter Hill Drive $116,000 1 426 Water Wheel Drive 1 0 1 ,000 8 1 9 Lorlgeview Drive $99.000 9 Herald Drive $87.900 543 Harris Drive $84.850 32 Herald Drive $79,400 Sowxct: Fm Wjtkint, Century Wkulw- Barmy Rh Wofmtaon Sank Corp. said Morgan.1.