CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – The State Transportation Board voted to highlight the beauty of the Etowah River’s stillness at dawn for the back cover of Georgia’s official state map. The Columbus Gateway entrance to Fort Benning was chosen for the cover image of the map.

Each two years, the Department of Transportation prints nearly two million maps for distribution across Georgia, and the Board selects a photo depicting something special and unique located in one of the state’s 13 Congressional Districts. This time, the Columbus Gateway which was completed in late 2011, was chosen for the front cover image, while the breathtaking Etowah River (photo attached) was selected for the back cover.

The winning Etowah River photo is a stunning image captured at the early hours of the morning dawn. This part of the river is running through Bartow County, and the photo was taken by Dee Corson and presented by Jeff Lewis, GA DOT Board Member representing the 11th Congressional District. The Etowah River is a 164-mile-long waterway that rises northwest of Dahlonega and flows west-southwest as it passes Cartersville and the Etowah Indian Mounds. Its name is the Cherokee version of the original Muscogee word Etalwa, which means a "trail crossing".

Lewis said ‘I am very pleased that a photo from my district was picked for the back cover placement on the upcoming state map. I know we have some of the most stunning natural scenes around Georgia, and this shot of the Etowah River exemplifies the beauty in the area.”