Senoia’s downtown area now has a place for visitors to sit a spell and learn more about the city’s history.

Downtown Development Coordinator Jennifer Cleland has already seen a variety of visitors at the center, which she staffs Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Just Tuesday a visitor dropped in from New Orleans, Cleland said. Another recent visitor hailed from New Hampshire.

Cleland says the new visitor’s center will continue to evolve. There are plans for artists’ exhibitions rotating out monthly; Jane Whitehurst will be the first artist whose work is displayed.

The city has loaned the center a copy of its historical map from 1898 that’s on display. There’s also a sofa where folks can sit and relax as they plan their next steps while shopping downtown, and locals have taken to dropping in and sharing their Senoia stories too, Cleland said.

There’s also one item the visitor’s center has that has been a need for some time, Cleland said: a public restroom. The center is at 9 Main Street, two doors down from the Senoia Coffee Company.

In the future, a television will display a rolling loop showcasing the town’s movie history, including the recent Fried Green Tomatoes, The Fighting Temptations and Sweet Home Alabama, Cleland said.

The Downtown Development Authority is working on a brochure that will create a driving tour of 40 historic homes in Senoia, and in the future a hardcover book is planned to include all of the 100 or so historic homes that give Senoia part of its charm.

The Visitor’s Center also features a display of black and white photos showcasing the historical doorways of Senoia as depicted by local photographer Jeremy Harwell, Cleland said.

The city is leasing the space, which has been furnished with purchases from Hollberg’s Furniture, a Senoia fixture.

Volunteers are being sought to keep the center open on Mondays and Saturdays also, Cleland said. Interested persons should call her at 770-599-8240 or email at jcleland@senoia.com.

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