Helen is a small town located in White County, Georgia, USA, along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 531.
Helen’s story began in 1912 when it was founded and named after the daughter of one of the forest workers. The city was officially registered in 1913.
Helen was originally a logging town, but fell into disrepair over time. Subsequently, it was transformed and is now an exact copy of the Bavarian alpine town, settled in the Appalachians, and not in the Alps.
The design of the city was developed taking into account the zoning, which was introduced in 1969. This approach has brought the classic South German style to every building in the city, including even a small number of national franchisees such as Huddle House and Wendy’s.
In 1975, Documeric photographer Al Stevenson documented the life, recreation and economy of the Helen area before and during the construction of “Alpine Helen“.