Atlanta History

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.

Celebrated on March 17 in observance of the death of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is full of shamrocks, leprechauns and green galore.

With one invention, Frank Mason Robinson changed not only the history of Coca-Cola, but also advertising.

One of Georgia’s most legendary performers would have turned 87 this Sunday, September 23. Despite being blinded at age five, Ray Charles revolutionized the music industry with a blend of jazz, gospel, and rhythm and blues.

During the Great Depression, life was hard for everyone, and Vernon Rudolph was no exception. But at least he had a job helping his Kentucky uncle run his store.

In 1883, Lemuel P. Grant, a founding father of Atlanta, gave the city 100 acres under the stipulation that “the land should be used for park purposes for all Atlantans.” Over 130 years later, Grant Park is Atlanta’s oldest city park.

After 68 years of selling gently used merchandise, the Nearly New Shop, owned by the Junior League of Atlanta, is closing its doors this spring.

For almost half a century, the “Blue Dome” atop the Hyatt Regency Atlanta has been an iconic part of Atlanta’s downtown skyline.

The Georgia Trust’s newest initiative, Inherit Georgia, is focused on cultivating interest among the next generation of preservationists. The initiative’s…

The Georgia Trust Spring Ramble features exclusive tours through historic sites in Athens and Lexington, Ga. from April 17-19. Rambles…

Though 40 years have passed since the Save the Fox Campaign, the theatre is still giving thanks to its community…

  Before athenahealth and MailChimp ever thrived at the vibrant urban centerpiece Ponce City Market, a barren brownfield site once…

Sunday will mark the anniversary of the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history. On December 7, 1946, flames engulfed Peachtree…

Yesterday, 10 struggling Georgia historic sites were named to The Georgia Trust’s “Places in Peri”’ in hopes of revitalization. This…

– Click/Watch slideshow by Mehran Moin This past weekend, Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation staff explored, educated and celebrated with…

While meandering through historic Ansley Park among lush landscape and beautifully restored homes with your pup, you’ll hardly notice that…

Forty years ago, the once-glittering Fox Theatre was faced with the threat of demolition after it had fallen into a…

Twice a year, Georgia preservation enthusiasts flock to Georgia towns to tour historic homes, stroll scenic downtown streets, indulge in…

    Atlanta is invited to celebrate a greener Midtown! The 110-year-old Rhodes Hall, “the castle on Peachtree,” just finished…

Before automobiles ruled the streets, Atlanta’s intersections were filled with streetcars. George W. Adair and Richard Peters, formerly associated with…

– enlarge Randolph-Lucas House slideshow re-run When Atlanta preservationists heard the iconic Randolph-Lucas House was set for demolition last fall,…

    With a lecture tonight, Georgia begins celebrating National Preservation Month. The Georgia Trust and Georgia Historic Preservation Division are…

  The Georgia Trust’s biggest fundraiser is celebrating its 30th anniversary! The 30th annual Preservation Gala: Garden & Fun will…