When Sherman’s army departed Atlanta in November of 1864 the city treasury was left with a grand total of $1.64, and, apparently, that was all in confederate money. To say the least, not much of a nest egg with which to begin rebuilding a city. But that would be just one of many obstacles that […]
Tag: Lance Russell
Posted inStories of Atlanta
A Unique Honor
Pay a visit to pretty much any cemetery in the world and you will notice that, in addition to the traditional gift of flowers, people leave all kinds of items behind after their visit. Stones and coins are a favored way to show that the departed has not been forgotten, as are pictures and family […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
In with the New
It’s no secret that in Atlanta far too many of our older buildings have had a limited lifespan. There is no better example of our penchant for replacing the old with the new than along Atlanta’s most famous thoroughfare. We examine the transformation of one downtown intersection on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
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The Connection
Among the Stories of Atlanta, is the connection between Underground Atlanta and the impressive collection of ancient artifacts found at the Michael C. Carlos Museum on the campus of Emory University. The thumbnail for this week’s story is a picture of a Coca-Cola advertisement on the side of a building. One of what must have […]
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One in 104 million
In 1926, an airplane hangar was constructed on a dirt field south of town. History would ultimately describe that act as the work of visionaries. That vision was articulated by Alderman William Hartsfield when he said, “The skies will be to the 20th century what the seas have been to centuries past, and the city […]
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Marietta Street
In the Fairlie-Poplar historic district in downtown Atlanta, there is a street named after Ruben Cone. A former judge from the City of Decatur, Cone moved to Marthasville in the 1840s and shortly after he arrived, he made a decision. If you’ve ever doubted the power of the individual to make a difference, you should […]
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The Collection
Back in the day when one could ride into downtown Atlanta on a pony and no one would look twice, a pair of young children made a habit of becoming Peachtree Street regulars. Their father had successfully lobbied one of the world’s richest men to favor Atlanta and the children were determined to take full […]
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Friends in Low Places
The occasion was somber. A group of friends had gathered in an Atlanta bar to toast the memory of one of their comrades who had tragically died earlier that same day. As the drinks flowed, a plan was hatched to memorialize their friend by having a street in Atlanta named after him. Despite the fact […]
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A Confusing Name
It is common knowledge that Atlanta got its start as a railroad town. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the influence of the railroads reached far and wide across our city. But you might not realize just how far and how wide that influence actually ran. Which is why we decided to tackle the question […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Good Idea for a Yankee
While the early history of Atlanta is defined by its colorful characters, its free and rowdy reputation, and its embrace of modern technology in the form of railroads, the larger story of Atlanta begins with its destruction. The rapidity with which Atlantans rebuilt their devastated city is so legendary that it is symbolized on the […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Atlanta’s Neighborhoods
This week on Stories of Atlanta, we look back at a part of Atlanta’s history to which most of us never give much thought. Though we may live in a City of Atlanta neighborhood, chances are pretty good that few of us have spent much time wondering about the origins of the name of our […]
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A Big City Problem
As they say, “there are two sides to every coin,” a fact of life that Atlantans in the late 1800s knew all too well. The City’s success as a railroad town brought wealth and distinction but that success also brought to town a life-threatening problem. Thankfully, Atlanta was filled with clever people who devised a […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
How is it East?
With the unpleasantness of dealing with Atlanta’s rowdy element behind them, Atlanta’s city fathers turn their attention to what would become an old nemesis… fire. The city gets another railroad and, in the process, answers a valid question about a town’s name. Atlantans vote for a dead candidate and, after 66 years, Atlanta’s first mayor […]
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Not Good Enough
There are stories in Atlanta’s history that can only be described as cringeworthy. From our 21st century perspective, they make no sense. We want to look away but, as they say, no matter where you go, there you are. It’s the story of a highly accomplished man who, no matter what he did, was never […]
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Collective Regret
The stories of the history of Atlanta do not always have happy endings. Sometimes, try as one might, things just don’t work out. Such was the case in the early 1970s, when a lot of Atlantans got their hopes up, only to be disappointed. It’s a case of collective regret on this week’s Stories of […]
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158 Days Shy
This week’s Stories of Atlanta examines a part of Atlanta’s history that may not be common knowledge to most Atlantans. The subject of our story was an athlete who many would describe as the best who ever played the game, and though a household name back in his day, he is now a man who […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
An Unsung Influencer
When one thinks of influential Atlantans who played a role in shaping our city, a lot of names come to mind. Frank Quarles, however, is probably not one of them, and that’s a shame. The Reverend Frank Quarles was a former slave who founded Atlanta’s Friendship Baptist Church and his role in shaping the future […]
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Perfect Hair
Where the history of Atlanta is concerned, one could be forgiven if the name Warren Zevon did not immediately come to mind. However, given that this is a Stories of Atlanta, connecting the dots in an unexpected manner should not come as a surprise. Neither should connecting downtown Atlanta with the name Lawrence Talbot, and […]
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Night of the Whitecaps
In the history of Atlanta, there have been some contentious political arguments, but never has there been a night like the one a few days after Jonathan Norcross was elected mayor. The trouble began when the losing political party refused to accept their loss, and it ended when the other party donned white hoods and […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Growing Pains
Watching the Stories of Atlanta, one might be tempted to think that Atlanta’s history unfolded in a smooth, orderly fashion…one event after another in a precise and predictable manner, much like the hands on a clock. One should resist that temptation. The history of Atlanta was marked by challenges, setbacks, unexpected results and, as with […]
