Articles by: Elliott Brack
BRACK: Founding Fathers of 1776? Most were relatively younger men
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Here at the end of the year, let’s air some thoughts squirreled away.
FOUNDING FATHERS: You hear all sorts of references to our “founding fathers.” Many were relatively young, that is, under 40 in 1776.
But did you ever stop to realize just how young these people we venerate as our founders of this country really were? It might surprise you.
BRACK: Dangerous Holcomb Bridge rail crossing may get relief via Internet
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | The City of Norcross may get a gift from Google next year. It won’t be something to unwrap, but it could help solve a major problem in the city.
You see, the most dangerous railroad crossing in Gwinnett is in the middle of Norcross, the Holcomb Bridge Road crossing of the Norfolk-Southern rail tracks. The big problem is that the roadbed takes a big dip downward on the westward side.
BRACK: Today’s world of the Internet brings with it significant problems
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | What hath the Internet wrought?
That most marvelous of a new age at our fingertips is a force more fierce than we had thought. It is not just an information source, but appears to be much stronger a media than ever were pamphlets, newspapers, the telephone, radio or television.
BRACK: Mitchell Stephens now heading John D. Stephens, Inc. operations
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | A long time Gwinnett enterprise has another person in charge these days, though the company operates much the same as before. The company is John D. Stephens Inc., run for years by John D. himself of Snellville. Today his former companies are run by his youngest son, Mitchell, 47, while the father concentrates his efforts in another company with work around the Atlanta Airport.
BRACK: A look at when cities in Georgia were chartered
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | Officials in the county seat of Lawrenceville have been selling themselves short. Perhaps it’s because when new people come into office in Lawrenceville, and that the institutional memory went the door. For the Lawrenceville officials have been saying recently that they are the second oldest city in Metro Atlanta.
BRACK: Lilburn will be site of Gwinnett’s first distillery by January
By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher | By January, Gwinnett may have a distinctive new business venture up and running—-its first distillery.
Hope Springs Distillery in Lilburn is the concept of a Norcross couple who decided to “hire ourselves” when they were looking for something “legal to do” as they left full-time employment.
Gwinnett Forum | Jan. 7, 2025
“Nothing makes us feel more connected than when we are engaged in a healthy balance of thoughtful speaking and hardcore listening.”
– Belgian-American psychotherapist and relationship expert Ester Perel (1958- ) via John Titus, Peachtree Corners.
Continuing objectives
Gwinnett Forum publisher Elliott Brack suggests Gwinnett County needs a long-range list of continuing objectives for improving the county. His 2025 list:
- Move statewide non-partisan judicial and school board elections to the date of the General Election.
- More creative efforts to support the arts in Gwinnett.
- Advancement and expansion of city historical societies.
- Require establishments that serve alcoholic beverages to halt sales of such products at 1 a.m., and close by 2 a.m.
- Require the Georgia Legislature to meet only once every two years.
- Eliminate single-use plastic packaging and straws in Gwinnett and require instead the use of paper products.
- Gwinnett planners to encourage condos and townhouses instead of apartments.
Interested in Gwinnett history?
Now re-printed in its third edition, Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta, the award-winning history of Gwinnett County, is once again available for purchase. It sold out of its first two printings. The book won the 2010 Award of Excellence in Documenting Georgia History from the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board. The book is available at Old Town Antiques at 93 Main Street in Lilburn.
- The history of Gwinnett is also available as an e-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble for $9.95.
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