Ephesus, GA

Ephesus is a Heard County city two miles east of the Alabama line, where the 2020 census counted 471 residents. The community began as Loftin and took the name Ephesus when it incorporated in 1964, following the local Ephesus Baptist Church and Ephesus Elementary School. Georgia State Route 100 passes through the center, leading north to Bowdon and southeast to Franklin, the Heard County seat. Postal addresses use nearby Roopville or Bowdon, giving the city a small map wrinkle.

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Ephesus is the youngest municipality in Heard County, and its civic history includes early sanitation service and round-the-clock fire protection. A city hall, community center, and ball field keep local government and gatherings close to the center of town. Carrollton lies northeast as the nearest larger city, while the Alabama border is a short drive west. Ephesus is a small border-country city with a name borrowed from its church and school, a state route through its middle, and county connections running in both directions.