Buford

At one time, the city of Buford was known for its tannery. Most folks in town had some connection to the business, owned by Bona Allen, whose family lived at the edge of town.

Today, Allen's splendid mansion is an event/reception site, and the factory town is a haven for artists who have helped revive the old downtown.

Alongside the railroad tracks -- still in heavy use by freight trains -- Buford is enjoying a resurgence of shops, artists' studios and galleries, and restaurants. The heart of town is ringed with solid brick ranch-style houses and frame cottages.

New swim-and-tennis developments have sprung up, particularly along the edge of Lake Lanier, one of the state's premier recreational facilities for boating, swimming and fishing, and a favorite of sports enthusiasts across metro Atlanta.

In 1999, the opening of the Mall of Georgia off I-85 at Ga. 20 near Buford sparked new interest in the county's northern edge. With 1.7 million square feet, an amphitheater and an Imax theater, the mall is a tourist destination as well as an amenity for nearby residents.

Buford is the only municipality in Gwinnett to maintain its own school system.

Duluth

Two years ago, city officials and developers teamed up to build a Victorian-style village center from scratch. The $6.7 million Town Green project has stamped a fresh face amid the subdivisions and shopping centers that have swept across Gwinnett.

More than $60 million in lofts, condos and restaurants are rising around a fountain, park benches and amphitheater. Thousands flocked to the terraced amphitheater last summer for outdoor plays and concerts.

To encourage more pedestrian traffic, the city is planning a network of sidewalks that will radiate out to the edge of town.

Duluth sits between the Gwinnett Place and Discover Mills malls. It also is next to what is becoming the cultural hub for Gwinnett County. The Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center, the Arena at Gwinnett Center and the Gwinnett Fine Arts Center sit along nearby Sugarloaf Parkway.

One of Duluth's newest developments is Olde Towne Village, a neighborhood of cottage homes behind picket fences on sidewalk-lined streets.

At Sugarloaf Country Club, multimillion-dollar homes line the golf course. Sweet Bottom Plantation, along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, is a neighborhood of historic-reproduction homes along gas-lit lanes.

Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville, the county seat, is the largest municipality and oldest town in Gwinnett.

Anchored by a square with a restored Victorian courthouse, the downtown has several historic sites, including the Gwinnett History Museum of local and state artifacts. Antiques shops, stores and offices surround the square; the county's courts and services building is nearby.

Dozens of new communities are under construction from Lawrenceville to the small town of Dacula. Along with a few established subdivisions, the new houses are affordably priced for families drawn by the county's acclaimed school system.

Golf is the main attraction in communities such as Apalachee Farms and the Apalachee River Club, nestled around the fairways of the Trophy Club course, tennis courts and a Lazy River water playground.

At Hamilton Mill is a Fred Couples-designed golf course along with two pools, tennis courts and a clubhouse with a fitness center.

Lilburn, Snellville

East of Stone Mountain, the towns of Lilburn and Snellville continue to grow along U.S. 29 and U.S. 78, respectively. Large, affordable houses and strong schools remain powerful magnets.

Both towns are trying to break from their highway-centered development and establish city centers.

The natural place to start in Lilburn is Old Town, a short stretch of specialty shops and a restaurant that sit next to City Hall and a park. The historic area is nearly a mile removed from bustling U.S. 29, however, posing a major challenge for those who want to see a resurgence of businesses and residences along the same railroad tracks that gave birth to the town.

Snellville's task is equally as tough. The city is planning to tear down an old strip mall on U.S. 78 and replace it with a town center featuring a new City Hall, government offices, a senior center, multipurpose auditorium and a performance hall.

Norcross

Much of Norcross, the county's second-oldest town, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The restored downtown boasts unique stores and restaurants, including one in the former train depot.

Along with Victorian two-stories and bungalows, Norcross embraces subdivisions favored by commuters who enjoy access to downtown Atlanta via I-85, Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Buford Highway.

Sugar Hill

Incorporated in 1939, Sugar Hill remained in the shadow of nearby Buford until an explosion of subdivisions in the 1990s covered the hilly flanks of the Chattahoochee with two-car garages, cul-de-sacs and brick-highlighted homes.

But with no downtown, there hasn't been a place for Sugar Hill residents to come together. Until now.

Last year the town completed a 1.3-acre park on West Broad Street featuring a 14-foot clock, a copper-domed pavilion and a veterans' memorial. City officials are selling marble pavers with personal engravings for the town green's walkways. The pavers can be dedicated to a veteran or a family member.

Having a central destination is no small feat for Sugar Hill, whose name came from a freight wagon that never intended to stop in town. Legend has it that the wagon, bound for Cumming, shattered a wheel and spilled giant bags of sugar on a steep hillside in northeastern Gwinnett.

Suwanee

Suwanee is a wide-ranging address that spans a broad stretch of Gwinnett's northeastern edge and drifts across the line into Forsyth County. But the city will soon have a central gathering space like its neighbor Duluth.

Suwanee is building a 20-acre town center that will complement the old town area, a crossroads beside the train tracks where a few shops and new homes are located.

At the heart of the plan is a large park. In addition to places to relax and congregate, it will have a fountain and a performance area with a covered stage. The Suwanee summer concert series will move to the park in 2004.

Most Suwanee residents live in new-home communities along Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. Among the leading developments in the area are MorningView, a community of five neighborhoods, and River Laurel, along the Chattahoochee River.