Atlanta History

Home to festivals, sporting events, summer camps, and picnics, Piedmont Park is a beloved urban oasis for Atlantans.

The Lake Claire Community Land Trust is a forward-thinking neighborhood green-space, offering more than 70 community garden beds and providing Atlantans with an urban oasis.

Deeply immersed in our city’s culture, the Atlanta Falcons’ beginnings date back to June 30, 1965.

Atlanta is rich in history, from people to events, and more.

Atlanta is full of influential architecture, one being the Healey Building.

Built by local Atlanta architect Eugene Wachendorff in 1924, Booker T. Washington High School was the first public secondary school for Black youth in the state.

Although not an actual lady, The Wimbish House in the heart of Midtown is just as lovely.

Six Flags Over Georgia became the largest regional theme park in the southeast when Angus Wynne, founder of Six Flags Over Texas, created his second theme park in 1967.

Born to Alabama sharecroppers in 1940, John Lewis grew up amid racial segregation. Influenced by the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., he went on to dedicate his life to not only ending racism but protecting all human rights. 

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).

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.

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.

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

Let’s take it back nearly 400 years ago to the first Thanksgiving. When the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth in 1621, their table looked a little different than ours do now. While no records exist of their exact menu, we know turkey was served…alongside wild hens, seafood and venison.

The Milledgeville, Georgia, home of famed American author Flannery O’Connor has reopened to the public after nearly a year of restoration and repair.

While July 4^th has always been a joyous occasion, we haven’t always celebrated the same way. We break down a brief timeline of how it’s changed over the past 242 years.

Barbecue has been a long-time favorite among southern states, but there is a notable rich history for this comfort food all across America. Discover the stories behind this beloved food at the Atlanta History Center’s newest exhibition, “Barbecue Nation.” Marinate on the history, tradition and culture that center around how barbecue made its claim to fame. The exhibition features artifacts, images and oral histories from across the country.

Politics aside, the recent passing of Barbara Bush struck a chord. Beyond her place in history as a first lady and a mother of a president, the obvious white hair and her ferocious love of reading, I feel like I got to know her last week.

Every April, Atlantans enjoy the blooming of our dogwood trees and the Atlanta Dogwood Festival that celebrates them. Walter Rich, the founder of Rich’s department store, started the first festival in 1936 to make our city famous and to lift spirits during the tough times of the Depression. That first festival featured parades and carnivals along with performances by the Philadelphia Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera.