Since 1821, Gainesville has served as the county seat of Hall County and the bustling commercial center of Northeast Georgia. Overwhelmingly, Gainesville residents see Downtown as the heart and soul of the community. Downtown, defined in public input sessions as the area from Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Brenau University to Lake Lanier and from the Gainesville Civic Center to Gainesville Amtrak, is the economic engine of Hall County and the surrounding region. Downtown’s location and unique assets identified by the community help to ensure that Gainesville maintains this historic position as a local and regional hub.