Documentaries cover the history of Gwinnett

Gwinnett’s yearlong bicentennial celebration wrapped up on Dec. 15, but newcomers and history buffs can still learn the back story of Georgia’s second most-populous county. Gwinnett government has developed six documentaries about the county’s past and posted them on the official bicentennial website at www.gwinnett200.com.

The videos trace Gwinnett’s origin and cover other aspects of the county’s history, including its military contributions, the development of its African-American community, the achievements of its business community, and where we are now.

The first of the series, “Two Centuries of Fertile Ground for the American Dream,” starts with the initial settlers and the creation of Gwinnett including the impact of farming, railroads, medical care and industry. It also covers the creation of Lake Lanier and construction of I-85 and how those two developments changed the county.

Subsequent videos include “New Pioneers” focusing on the county’s diversity, “The African-American Journey” touching on slavery and reconstruction with sharecroppers working the land for survival as well as the historic role of the church and segregated schools among African-Americans, “200 Years of Commerce” examining the history of Gwinnett’s economy and transportation, “Gwinnett’s Military Contributions,” and “Where Are We Today?” providing a snapshot of modern Gwinnett.