Area tourism officials are working on a West Georgia Musical Heritage Trail project which would highlight the variety of musical artists, styles and venues found in this region.

“We’re working with Haralson County, city of Villa Rica and the Center for Public History at University of West Georgia,” said Jonathan Dorsey, executive director of the Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’ve had a few initial meetings to talk about the project and about what we want.”

Dorsey said the first step would be the development of a printed brochure which would be available to visitors and detail the diverse musical heritage of the West Georgia area. He said a website is also in future plans.

“We’re blessed with a rich musical tradition, from sacred heart music, which got its start here, to country and rock and roll,” he said.

The area has several venues where live music is performed, including Milltown Music Hall in Bremen, Copeland Hall in Bowdon, Moonshadow Music Hall in Carrollton and the amphitheaters in Villa Rica and Carrollton.

“We also have many restaurants who make live music part of their regular menus,” he said.

The Smithsonian Institute chose Bremen as one of the stops on its “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music,” with its exhibit now on display at the Warren P. Sewell Memorial Library through March 23.

Dorsey said the musical trail will not have a narrow focus, but “will hopefully involve everything that is musical in West Georgia.”

He said it will be difficult to include everything in a brochure, but he hopes it will be enough to bring tourists to the area.

“With projects like this, you need something to hang your future efforts on,” he said. “I think a brochure is a good useful tool and a website would be a natural progression.”

Dorsey said the Center for Public History at University of West Georgia and the classes of Dr. Keith Hebert are making contributions to the effort.

“We were fortunate to work with the center last year on the Textile Heritage Trail and this is a continuation of that partnership,” he said.

Dorsey said that when the state tourism product development team visited Carroll and Haralson counties last year, it mentioned the musical trail as a worthwhile project.

“In tourism, we’re always reminding ourselves that travelers don’t see city limits and county lines when they visit,” he said. “We have to work together, across these lines, and promote the entire area to tourists. It benefits us all.”