Lavonia is a city in Franklin and Hart Counties, Georgia. The Cherokee people were indigenous to the area in which Lavonia is located today. The City of Lavonia began in 1878 with the coming of the Elberton-Air-Line Railroad. The railroad allowed Lavonia to become a thriving cotton market. Lavonia is known for being the smallest city in the U.S. with an original Carnegie Library. The downtown is filled with antique shops and delightful restaurants.