A Tennessee farmer and shoemaker bought 62 acres in 1842 in what would become Loganville for less than the current cost of a night in a downtown Atlanta hotel.

James Harvie Logan built his home on his sprawling land, which cost him $150, and others soon moved to the area. After reaching a population of 500, the community became a city, paying homage to one of its first settlers with the name Loganville.

Anyone interested in the city's history and current way of doing business can apply for Loganville 101.

The annual program, in its fourth year, helps residents learn more about the place they call home, Mayor Tim Barron said.

"It's a great opportunity for people who want to learn more about how the city operates," he said.

The five-week course helps clear up several common confusions about local government.

For instance, many residents don't understand that the mayor and six council members work part-time, while daily operations are overseen by City Manager Bill Jones.

"They think the mayor is in the office eight hours a day and controls everything," said Barron, whose main job is with Gatorade as a process-improvement engineer.

Residents sometimes mistakenly think their elected officials can block certain types of businesses.

"We can't say: 'Well, we don't need any more hair salons or Mexican restaurants,' " the mayor said.

Many residents also are confused about the many steps involved in rezoning property, the mayor said.

During the Loganville 101 course, each department head, including the police and fire chief, also will lead a session. The class also will take a field trip on a bus to the water treatment facility.

Loganville Councilman Chuck Bagley helped create the program, modeling it after the Decatur 101 class he took.

The mayor said many class graduates end up joining committees to help make an impact in their community.

Anyone interested should apply soon since space is limited to 30. Classes are held from 7-9:30 p.m. on various nights starting July 17.

Apply online at www.cityofloganville.com, and click on "Community" or call 770-466-1165.