When Duluth was initially established during the early 19th century it was, in most cases, forested land occupied by way of tribespeople. An Indian trail, known as Old Peachtree Road to the settlers, grew through the location during the War of 1812 to attach Fort Peachtree in present-day Atlanta with Fort Daniel nearby what is now the city of Dacula. In 1818 when Gwinnett County was established, settlement into the surrounding land grew exponentially.
Howell’s Crossing had its name changed to «Duluth» in 1871 after Congress paid for a north-south railroad line into the community. The city took its name after Duluth, Minnesota. Duluth’s namesake had its own railroad constructed not long before the city in Georgia was established, which had caused Rep. J. Proctor Knott, a Kentucky Democrat, to make a speech in Congress suggesting the task was wasteful. That speech drew countrywide attention. According to cutting-edge reports, Evan P. Howell himself jokingly suggested the name alternate in a speech about the advent of railroad service in the Georgia town. Duluth, Minnesota, is called for Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, a French captain and explorer of the Midwest region, who successfully negotiated peace among the Chippewa and the Sioux nations.
Duluth is positioned inside the northeastern section of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Approximately 25 mi from Downtown Atlanta, the city lies within the west-central part of Gwinnett County, bordered to the north by the Chattahoochee River, which also serves as the county line.
