Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area

The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is a National Heritage Area in the U.S. state of Georgia that encompasses natural, cultural, and historical elements to form a cohesive, nationally significant environment. The area is due east of Atlanta and spans 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) reaching from the historic commercial center of Lithonia to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, including a number of sites in between, including Panola Mountain State Park, Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, the Mall at Stonecrest, and more. The Heritage Area was established in 2006, and is coordinated by the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Alliance, which includes board members, representatives from the community and local organizations, and staff.

Although there is little historical evidence about what existed in the lands that currently make up the National Heritage Area, by the time of Anglo-American settlement in the early 19th century, the area was sparsely populated by Creek and Cherokee Tribes. It is believed that the area was a buffer between the two nations, used as a trade and transportation corridor. The land was ceded to the State of Georgia by the Creeks in 1821. The land was then distributed to settlers via the Georgia Land Lotteries. Throughout the rest of the 19th and most of the 20th centuries, the area remained very sparsely populated, with many of the roads remaining unpaved until the mid 1900s.[5] A railroad once existed from Atlanta to Augusta that ran through the area, near the present day location of the trail. This railroad helped support Lithonia's quarry industry, fed by the granite gneiss of Arabia Mountain. Otherwise, the surrounding land was used for small-scale farming. Several farmsteads remain in the Heritage Area, including the Lyons Farm, Vaughters Farm, and Parker House. Small settlements developed along crossroads, the South River (Ocmulgee River), and the railroad, such as the Klondike National Historic District, Flat Rock Community, and downtown Lithonia, Georgia. [6]

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