FAYETTE COUNTY

Fayetteville has become the county's retail nucleus and, at the same time, the spot with the most historic landmarks. The 178-year-old Fayette County Courthouse is only a few miles from modern stores such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and Old Navy at the sprawling Fayette Pavilion. The City Council is trying to make downtown a destination for tourists who want to walk around, shop and dine.

Peachtree City

This planned community of more than 30,000 was created 40 years ago, based on blueprints and developers' dreams.

Peachtree City's unofficial symbol is the golf cart, the mode of transportation residents use to travel more than 80 miles of paved paths that wind through the city. Green space is another identifying characteristic.

It's long been a bedroom community but is developing a commercial center with the opening of the Avenue shopping center and the nearby Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

Tyrone

Six miles north of Peachtree City is Tyrone, with about 4,900 residents.

Citizens praise their town's "friendly hometown atmosphere and great sense of community spirit between residents and business," said Valerie Fowler, assistant town manager.

One of the town's big events, Founders Day, is held on the third weekend in September with activities including a parade, arts and crafts and plenty of food.

Tyrone is less than 10 minutes from I-85. It has two baseball fields, Handley Park and Shamrock Park. Redwine Park serves children who play softball.

In the past year, construction has begun on four subdivisions, and two others are scheduled to begin within a year. Tyrone has a few cart paths in the town and in some of the subdivisions.

A variety of businesses are in the center of town, from restaurants to specialty shops. Information: www.tyrone.org.

Woolsey, Brooks

These two little towns are in the largely undeveloped southern part of Fayette County.

Brooks has a population of 553 people, Woolsey 175. Woolsey is known to NASCAR fans on the way to the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Newnan

The "City of Homes" with its stately Victorian and antebellum homes and five nationally registered historic districts is 175 years old.

Newnan is among many Coweta towns that were spared by Union troops during the Civil War, and it continues to remain close to its Old South roots.

Newnan is the county seat and serves as the focal point for county government and politics. The town has a thriving downtown square, full of antiques and crafts shops, but also has abundant shopping outlets along a corridor heading west toward I-85.

A new African-American museum has joined the county's longtime Male Academy Museum in chronicling local history.

A string of new subdivisions on the town's eastern edge are mixing in with established communities.

	Staff Writer Lewis Grizzard's ninth-grade (top) and 12th-grade photographs are on display at the Grizzard Museum in Moreland.

Moreland

Less than 30 minutes southwest of Atlanta, Moreland is the hometown of writers Lewis Grizzard and Erskine Caldwell and museums honoring both men.

A classic small town that is becoming popular with county newcomers, Moreland is home to about 400 residents.

The city's Main Street has been centered around the Old Mill Farming Museum, where exhibits illustrate Southern farm life in the 1800s.

Grantville

In south-central Coweta is Grantville, a quiet former mill town of about 1,300 residents.

"It's a friendly little town where everybody seems to be concerned about everybody," longtime City Councilman John Malcolm said.

The 150-year-old town was a bustling rail stop in its heyday. After years of decline, the town is going through a renaissance as newcomers restore old homes and new subdivisions spring up.

Town officials are improving Grantville's quality of life through a Better Hometown Program. Visitors can take a driving tour of the town, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Districts.

Senoia

Home to about 1,700 people and Victorian residences, Senoia is a step back in time.

Main Street, site of most businesses, includes a coffee shop and hardware store. The Senoia Historical Society holds a yearly progressive dinner to raise money for the organization.

Senoia (pronounced "seh-NOI") served as backdrops for films including "The Fighting Temptations" and "Fried Green Tomatoes." It is also home to RiverWood Studios.

Senoia is on the National Register of Historic Districts and offers visitors a driving tour of the area.

Sharpsburg, Turin

These two southeast Coweta towns stick close to what is Sharpsburg's town motto: "Same old streets where old friends meet."

Sharpsburg, larger of the two, is known for its Old Town Sharpsburg district, where antiques stores with hand-painted signs welcome visitors.

Just minutes away is Turin, a town of 165 residents and wide-open spaces where a historic farming heritage survives.