Norcross is a city in western Gwinnett County, Georgia, in the northeastern arc of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It is one of the oldest communities in the county — the second oldest, in fact — and its identity rests on a preserved historic downtown that stands in contrast to the modern suburban development surrounding it. The city was founded in 1870 by John Thrasher, a railroad contractor who bought 250 acres, laid out a town, and built a hotel to serve travelers on the new Richmond and Danville Railroad line. He named the settlement for Jonathan Norcross, an early mayor of Atlanta and a business associate. Norcross was incorporated in October 1870 and grew as a rail stop and small commercial center, with a train depot built in 1909 that served passengers for half a century. In the decades after World War II, Norcross transformed from a quiet railroad town into a dense suburban community as Gwinnett County boomed and Interstate 85 drew development northward. Its population grew sharply in the early twenty-first century, more than doubling from roughly 9,000 in 2010 to about 17,000 in 2020. Today the city is one of the most diverse in the county, with substantial Hispanic, Black, white, and Asian populations. Norcross functions as both a residential community and an employment center within Gwinnett's technology and logistics corridor. Its historic downtown, with restaurants, shops, and the restored depot, anchors civic life, and events such as the Norcross Art Splash draw regional crowds. Students attend Gwinnett County Public Schools, one of the nation's largest districts. For residents, Norcross offers an authentic small-town core, cultural diversity, and a direct I-85 commute to Atlanta, with Stone Mountain and the region's parks nearby.