Gwinnett County, in the northeast corner of metropolitan Atlanta on I-85 between Atlanta and Lake Lanier, was rural farmland for most of its first 200 years, producing food and cotton, before waves of development beginning in the 1970s transformed its 437 square miles into the vibrant, dynamic, connected community of 2018. Known as a business-friendly community with excellent schools, parks, and libraries, it offered a wide range of housing, shopping, and dining options and had the Southeast's most culturally diverse, global population, with a quarter of residents born outside the United States. During the county's bicentennial year, its people celebrated the accomplishments of earlier generations and looked to continue building on that foundation so future generations would remain vibrantly connected.