I've been to Dahlonega. I think there was a mine I visited there and they had some great little restaurants in town. I moved from a small town in NY and no longer wanted to be in such a small town away from going down the street to pick up what I needed. I do like Helen, GA as I come from a German family. In fact, I am planning a short trip down there this summer as I haven't been down there in quite some time.

I lived and worked in a town of about 1000 in Indiana that was populated mostly by German Baptists. THey wore religious uniforms. I lived in Gadsden Alabama of Roy Moore fame.I now live in northern New Mexico at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I have had no run ins with the local in any of these places or others because of my thoughts. THeir thoughts are their own, mine are mine and I don't think there is any reason to proselytize (sp) to them so there is no problem. If they happen to say anything to me about their beliefs I behave like one of those dogs in the rearview mirror with randomly bobbing heads.

Yes I ve been dealing with something they call power washing or a interruption raising a 5 or riding a 5 being persecuted for something called left keys l. 17 years

I avoid religious people by avoiding people.

Grew up in a big town, moved so deep into the woods there was no town, now I’m the new guy inside a small town … and wondering the same.. I’ll admit, while noticing the weekly obituaries, it must be getting better…

The young folks I meet give me hope, though most of them are looking to leave.. I’m trying to keep my mouth shut, but one good letter to the editor can pretty much end your anonymity. Seems a network of like-minded people can save you, mine have become the local Democrats. Librarians are generally cool. Places ‘like this’ are (hopefully) an oasis of sanity.

Once lived in a town of about 2300 in Arkansas, more churches that I care to count, I would get up early Sunday morning, and go to a larger town like Ft. Smith and spend the day.
One of the other little fun notes for the town I lived in, it was a dry county, it really made life suck, since I worked nights, I would stay overnight in Ft. Smith and buy Whiskey and Beer before returning to my sleepy little hamlet.

Yeah, I do live in a small town. As far as I know, I've not had a run-in with the religious locals, but... I have religious family members I consider enemies who might have worked behind the scenes to screw me over, because they "know everyone." Like you, I feel as though I'm the only non-religious person around here. I'm sure that's not the case, but I have no really good idea how to meet these folks, especially since I'm introverted and have a general distrust of people.