Dillard: History, Art, and Southern Cuisine

Dillard brings together local history, art, Southern cuisine, and outdoor experiences. You can focus your trip in different ways: historic buildings and performances, a meal steeped in family tradition, antique hunting, or time on hiking trails. This lets you tailor your stay to the interests that matter most to you.

History from Founding to Railroad

Dillard was officially founded in 1846. Another notable date is 1906, when the Tallulah Falls Railroad was extended to Dillard. These dates mark two milestones in the town’s history—the official founding and the later extension of the railroad line. For those interested in the town’s development, they offer reference points from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Historic Places and Cultural Life

Nearby is the Hambidge Center historic district, with a log cabin dating from the 1830s and Arts and Crafts movement buildings from the 1940s. The Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences carries on the region’s Arts and Crafts tradition as a retreat for artists, writers, and scientists.

The historic Old Dillard School House has been used for performances by the North Georgia Community Players since 2005. In this way, theater complements the cultural themes also reflected in the Hambidge Center’s architectural history.

Art, Cuisine, and Local Discoveries

The 3 Legge Art Gallery serves as a working studio and gallery for artists Eric and Terry Legge. It also functions as a museum featuring the life’s work and monumental sculptures of the late Joe Legge. The gallery’s various roles give visual art its own place alongside the stories of historic buildings and the stage.

An inn built by Zack Dillard for travelers on the toll road was the predecessor of today’s Dillard House. The Dillard House Restaurant has been family-owned and operated since 1917. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner family-style every day, year-round. Homemade Southern dishes, prepared from recipes passed down by Dillard House cooks and several generations of the Dillard family, are served at the table.

Antiques are another focus for exploring the area: Dillard has more than 40,000 square feet of antiques to discover within a two-block area. If you’re interested, you can make the search for special finds a focus of your trip planning.

Views, Trails, and Horseback Rides

Black Rock Mountain State Park is located near Dillard. Its overlooks offer views stretching more than 80 miles across the Southern Appalachians, and there are also several hiking trails. Dillard House Stables offers trail rides and river rides. You can choose to focus your days outdoors on scenic views, hiking trails, or horseback rides.

Music and Trip Planning

The annual Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival features nationally recognized acts as well as local bands. If the festival is part of your trip, check the dates for that year’s edition when planning.

First decide which experiences are the main reason for your trip; then you can tailor your search for a vacation rental or vacation home in Dillard accordingly.

Discover more destinations: Tiger

For the broader travel overview: Rabun County.