Originally organized in 1970, in 1978 the Georgia General Assembly and the Alabama Legislature passed identical legislation to establish an interstate compact for the operation of the Commission.
The HCC is the only tourism/preservation agency in the nation with official authority to cross state lines to pursue goals common to all counties involved.
The HCC's numerous programs and projects educate residents and visitors about the unique cultural and natural heritage of the Chattahoochee Trace region and stimulate economic development through tourism.
Activities include: • Grants – providing financial support to a range of innovative public history, education, publishing, tourism, and preservation projects • Scholarship, Publication and Education – the HCC has published over 30 books on regional history, has sponsored folklife and agritourism research projects, and produced a Heritage Education Unit for use in local schools • Historical Markers and Historic Site Interpretation – the HCC has erected over 300 historical markers commemorating important people, places, and events in regional history, and guided the creation of the renowned Chattahoochee Indian Heritage Center.
After failure to receive annual appropriations from the State of Alabama for eight fiscal years, the HCC’s board of directors voted to dissolve the organization.