Lithia Springs is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, just west of Atlanta, with a 2020 population of about 16,600. It was once an incorporated city and, earlier still, a celebrated resort destination built around its mineral springs. The community's name comes from the lithia mineral water that made it famous. In the late nineteenth century, the springs drew tens of thousands of visitors; by 1888, more than 30,000 tourists and health-seekers came to the area, and a grand hotel, the Sweet Water Hotel, opened in 1887. The springs' history stretches back further, to their use as a healing center for the Cherokee before the Trail of Tears. The water is still bottled under the Lithia brand today. In the modern era, Lithia Springs has become a dense suburban community within the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its defining recreational asset is Sweetwater Creek State Park, a wooded tract whose trails lead to the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company, a textile mill burned during the Civil War. The park offers hiking, camping, and fishing minutes from downtown Atlanta. As an unincorporated community, Lithia Springs lacks its own municipal government, and county services and the school district provide its civic structure. The housing stock mixes established single-family subdivisions with townhomes and apartments, giving the area a dense suburban feel with a substantial share of renters. Daily life is car-oriented, with shopping and dining along the commercial corridors that serve Atlanta's western suburbs. Education is provided by the Douglas County School System, and the community is home to Lithia Springs Comprehensive High School. Lithia Springs suits households seeking Atlanta-area convenience with an unusual natural asset — a state park on the doorstep and a short drive to the city.