Hartwell is a city in Hart County, Georgia, and the county's seat, located in the state's northeastern corner near the South Carolina border and resting in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Its name honors Nancy Hart, a celebrated Revolutionary War patriot from the region whose exploits against loyalists became part of Georgia's early history and who remains the namesake of both the city and the county. The city developed as a small agricultural and trading center, incorporated in the mid-19th century, and its economy has long combined farming — poultry and cattle among the principal activities — with manufacturing and services. Its historic downtown, with early-20th-century storefronts, churches, and homes, reflects that heritage and anchors civic life as the seat of Hart County government, with the county courthouse and a walkable commercial core at its center. Hartwell's defining geographic feature is its proximity to Lake Hartwell, a 55,590-acre reservoir on the Savannah River created by Hartwell Dam. One of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi, the lake straddles the Georgia–South Carolina line and drives the area's recreation economy through boating, fishing, camping, and lakeside development. Hartwell Lakeside Park and the Hart State Outdoor Recreation Area anchor public access to the water, while numerous campgrounds ring the shoreline. Interstate 85 and U.S. Route 29 run through the county, placing Hartwell roughly 90 miles northeast of Atlanta and within reach of Anderson and Greenville, South Carolina. The nearby communities of Royston and Elberton and the broader Upstate South Carolina region provide additional services and employment. For homebuyers, Hartwell offers a small-town county seat with deep historical roots, affordable housing, and exceptional access to one of the Southeast's major recreational lakes.