UNG, GATC partner for historic preservation

"Researchers, historians, authors, anyone who wants to know more about the Georgia A.T.," Shenefield said. "Maybe someone wants to write a book about how the A.T. got to Springer Mountain, that's all here now. First edition and copies of 'Friendships on the Trail' (a book about the history of the A.T.) and agreements between the National Park Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, GATC - all those agreements are housed here."

Items will have metadata, meaning Google searches for those key words will pop up in a search. Curious individuals will eventually be able to access information online, but for now, they will need to see Galloup by appointment. There are plans to digitize everything, making it accessible to even more people.

"To have something that is based here is important so that the folks who are going to be most interested in this are probably going to start looking here or they're going to come here on their way to the trail. We are geographically well situated, and it's just fun," Galloup said. "We don't always get collections where so many people have touched the thing or left their mark. Not all these people are from Georgia, so we have people from all over the world."