At a Cherokee trial crossing at the Oconee River, the frontier settlement of Cedar Shoals eventually grew into Athens. The University of Georgia, Americas oldest chartered state University, was founded here in 1785. The school's classical structures are some of the town's architectural highlights, as are many wealthy planter homes built in classic Federal and Greek Revival Georgian styles. Dozens of these original homes, restored to period showcases, can be seen in athens today and are registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

The emergence of two organizations raised awareness of Athens' distinctive and rich historic character. The Athens Historical Society and the Society for the Preservation of Old Athens both organized in 1959. In 1967 the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation was chartered and was consequently able to save the Church-Waddell-Brumby House, Athens' oldest surviving residence, from threat by an urban renewal project. During the 1970s, development pressures continued to stimulate extensive preservation activity.