Atlanta is a city that rebuilds, repurposes, and replaces. But look closely and you’ll discover that its past is still there, hiding in plain sight. In this episode of Stories of Atlanta, we explore the orphaned signs, ghost signs, and architectural remnants that have outlived the buildings they once served. From South Downtown’s Hotel Row […]
Tag: Atlanta
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Dragon from Below
Roger Babson is the founder of the Gravity Research Foundation, an organization with the stated purpose of studying, understanding and, ultimately, harnessing the force of gravity. It was the childhood drowning of his older sister in a river near Gloucester, Massachusetts that sparked Babson’s life-long interest in finding a way to control the effects of […]
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
‘I just want to know her name’: Detective seeks identity of deceased woman
In the 1936 film “My Man Godfrey,” a homeless man is described as “a forgotten man.” The film opens at a city dump, where wealthy socialites on a scavenger hunt are tasked with finding one as a way to win a game. Actress Carole Lombard’s character explains that a scavenger hunt differs from a treasure […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Faithful to Tech
A crooked little dog. A headstone on a college campus. And a question that still stops people in their tracks. On the grounds of Georgia Tech, a small marble marker tells the story of Sideways, a campus legend who arrived by accident and stayed by choice. How did a stray dog earn a permanent place […]
Posted inColumns
Roswell Roots Festival presents a month of Black History events
The Roswell Roots Festival, a month-long celebration honoring Black History Month, is marking its 25th anniversary this year with 25 different events. The origins of Black History Month date back to 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week to recognize the achievements and contributions of Black Americans. Five pillars of performance, education, […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Face to Face
In a city known for its out with the old, in with the new attitude, architect William Stoddart’s buildings have defied the odds. It’s the story of two turn of the century era buildings that have stood the Atlanta test of time on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
College Park addresses concerns about possible presence of ICE agents
College Park officials issued statements over the weekend addressing public concern over possible federal immigration enforcement activity in the community. Mayor Bianca Motley Broom said the city has not been contacted by federal immigration agencies regarding any operations in the community, including at the Georgia International Convention Center. “Federal immigration agencies have not been in […]
Posted inColumns
Five years in Pittsburgh Yards is still fighting displacement
Five years ago, Pittsburgh Yards launched with an ambitious mission: create a community center and “job hub” to promote economic development for the city, and do it without displacing the neighborhood. Atlanta is no stranger to big, job-oriented development. As the World Cup looms closer, nearby neighborhoods like Downtown are getting major investment. Centennial Yards […]
Posted inColumns
King Center summit: Can hope strengthen democracy in a divided nation?
The question of whether hope still carries democratic power even as the nation feels locked in distrust and exhaustion was a central theme last week during The King Center’s Beloved Community Global Summit. Held at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights on Jan. 15, speakers challenged the notion that hope is naive or […]
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
Goodwill of North Georgia and Atlanta Housing partner for job fair
Goodwill of North Georgia and Atlanta Housing will host a job fair at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Roosevelt Hall, 660 Atlanta Student Movement Blvd. S.W. in Atlanta. Employers recruiting candidates in skilled trades, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing and retail will take part in the event, according to a statement. Jobseekers will also have access […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Atlanta in a Flash
Georgia State’s extensive digital collections library contains visual gems of Atlanta life through the years. Some of those are thanks to the efforts of a man by the name of Tracy O’Neal. For decades, O’Neal captured the rich tapestry of Atlanta. Trade shows . . . Promotional events. . . New Products . . . […]
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
Bernice King calls city of Watts documentary a model for community healing
Word is spreading about a documentary that Dr. Bernice King says reflects the kind of healing that can take place in communities everywhere. The project behind “Nothing to See Here: Watts” unfolded over three and a half years and included more than 200 hours of footage. About 200 people were asked to film their lives […]
Posted inKelly Jordan
MLK honored around ATL
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Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Trashcan Saga
Our story this week comes from Atlanta’s long-time Chief of Police Herbert Turner Jenkins. Chief Jenkins served on Atlanta’s police force from 1932 to 1972 and was named chief of Atlanta’s police force in 1947, a position he held for 25 years. In his book, Forty Years on the Force, Jenkins reminisced about his time […]
Posted inMedia
An Eye for Detail
One of the challenges of our 21st century lifestyle is trying to process the unprecedented amount of information available at any given moment. We are subjected to so much input on so many different topics that it is hard for us to imagine how people got along before the invention of instantaneous communications. It helps, […]
Posted inColumns
Carapace celebrates 15 years of ‘weird, vibrant’ live stories
Seven minutes to speak. A name drawn from a hat. Absolutely no notes allowed. Bombastic performed stories — and they’re all completely true. These are the foundations of Carapace, Atlanta’s long-running “live lit” storytelling event at Manuel’s Tavern. For the past 15 years, Atlanta’s self-proclaimed literary weirdos have met in the back room to drop […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Love in the Workplace
A young man from Cartersville, GA comes to the big city hoping to pursue a career in medicine. He walks the streets of Atlanta, knocking on the door of every drug store in town. As the sun is setting, he is hired on the spot by one of the best-known druggists in Georgia and his […]
Posted inKelly Jordan
Vote, vote! Metro Atlanta – different locations and times
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Posted inStories of Atlanta
Community Standards
Shakespeare had it right, “the play’s the thing.” And that was especially true of Atlanta in the 1890s. The theater was the dominant form of entertainment and, as you would expect, it was an industry that gave many people a chance to make money. One such Atlantan was Martin J. Dooley who made a nice […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Not Everyone was Saved
There is no question that Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, when unobstructed, is a benefit to the region’s commuters. There is also no question that much was lost as a result of the construction of the Downtown Connector. Some of that loss was anticipated, some of it was not. Join us for the story of an unintended […]
