History

There’s nothing quite like spending a hot summer day at the lake, but many Georgians probably don’t realize that Lake Lanier, one of the most popular local lakes, is entirely man-made.

Clark Atlanta University was established June 24, 1988 from two separate institutions – Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869).

On June 19, Americans celebrate Juneteenth, in recognition of the emancipation of slavery.

It seems impossible to fit the history of protests and racial inequality in Atlanta into 100 words.

One Atlanta institution that’s been a stronghold during the pandemic (and for over a century before) is Grady Memorial, located in the heart of downtown.

The construction of I-85 across Georgia began in September 1951 and lasted until December 1979.

In Atlanta 25 years ago, things looked a little different than they do today.

The year is 2016, and it proved to be a big one for Atlanta.

Founded in 1973 as a small plot of display gardens, Atlanta Botanical Garden (ABG) slowly morphed into the 30+ acre garden we know today.

Atlanta is no stranger to tragedies and setbacks. We have always had the ability to come together and rise above, despite our differences and any adversity we face.

At 1,686 feet tall, Stone Mountain is the world’s largest piece of exposed granite. It’s considered one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders, bringing in nearly 4 million visitors each year.

Mary Mac’s has been a Ponce hot spot for over 70 years, serving up some of the best Southern cooking and hospitality in Atlanta.

At the end of this month, the 4 million people born Feb. 29 get to celebrate the actual day they were born – leap day. But, why the need for an extra day?

The Georgian Terrace, a long-standing Atlanta landmark, was designed by architect William Lee Stoddart in a beaux-arts style – modeled after the architecture of Paris.

Located in the Sweet Auburn community of Atlanta, Ebenezer Baptist Church has been home to those seeking spiritual guidance since its founding in 1886. 

Waffle House has been an Atlanta staple for decades, and while we all know how we like our hash browns cooked, most don’t know the origin story of the waffles we love so much.

In 1979, Pink Floyd released “The Wall,” Sony released the first Walkman, the USSR still existed and MARTA, as it’s known today, began.

Since opening in October of 1884, Westview Cemetery has become a historic centerpiece in Atlanta.

Used for burials since 1816,  Utoy Cemetery is the oldest of only a few identifiable properties to have survived from the earliest days of European-American settlement in Fulton County.

On Oct. 1, President Jimmy Carter turned 95. While many know him as a former

The history of Atlanta began with railroads, and in 1844, a man named Jonathan Norcross opened a sawmill, with his…

The first 1800s Atlanta streetcar was nicknamed the Nine Mile Trolley because of the nine-mile loop it took around many local neighborhoods, including Virginia-Highland and Inman Park. It was one of the first systems to make areas like these popular because of the accessibility it gave travelers.

While American football can trace its roots back to the mid-1800s, the tradition of the tight, circular huddle began in 1892 to serve a niche purpose.

Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Historic District, a neighborhood along Auburn Avenue, was once home to one of the country’s largest concentrations of African-American businesses.

It’s a great excuse for a long weekend and marks the unofficial end of summer, but what’s the real reason Labor Day began?

Fires can change the course of lives forever. With the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, a fire affected the future of Atlanta’s landscape.

Did you know one of Atlanta’s most popular music venues began as a church?

Commonly referred to as a city rebuilt from the ashes, Atlanta has a rich history in the South. During the Civil War, on November 15, 1864, General William Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground, destroying the Confederacy’s Southern rail lines and helping to end the war.

The speedway wasn’t the success that Asa Candler had envisioned, and it closed after one season. Not discouraged, Candler began organizing air shows and air races at the field in 1910. ​

The evolution of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – recently named the world’s most efficient airport for the 16th consecutive year – can be traced to its beginnings as a racetrack in 1909.