It is a common occurrence for cities to change the name of streets and Atlanta is no exception to that rule. With the passage of time, the old street names mean less to the newer generations than to previous generations and there is a natural desire to want to honor the contributions of more contemporary individuals. Most name changes go without much notice, unless there are enough people opposed to the change that it becomes a public issue, in which case, public opinion often influences the decision.
Over the years Atlanta has seen a number of streets get new names. Many of the city’s thoroughfares named after Confederate soldiers have been replaced. Forrest Avenue became Ralph McGill Boulevard. Gordon Street became Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard. And then there was Stewart Avenue, a street who’s reputation became so tainted that somebody figured we’d better start calling it Metropolitan Parkway. Hardy Ivy, the first white settler of European descent in the area that is now the city limits of Atlanta, lost his street. It became Peachtree Center Avenue, presumedly because one can never have enough Peachtree streets. And famously, Auburn Avenue got its name because somebody felt that Wheat Street just wasn’t cosmopolitan enough.
The practice of changing a street’s name is certainly not one that is new, it has been going on for decades, maybe longer. In fact, there was a proposal brought before Atlanta’s city council in 1909 that, from our 21st century vantage point, seemed so ridiculously illogical that we just had to make it the subject of this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
Hello Lance. During the summer of 1977, I played drums at the Silver Ribbon nightclub at 2338 Stewart Avenue. There was a Moose lodge on the hill behind the Ribbon. All adjacent to the Alamo Plaza, of course. I am looking for a photograph of the Silver Ribbon, or any other incantation of the old building. Thanx! Will pay $.