Throughout history, some of the world’s most enduring companies have been the result of business partnerships. Sometimes, the partnership brings renown to all of the partners, Procter and Gamble, Hewlett-Packard and Ben and Jerry come to mind. But not every partnership can be Rodgers and Hammerstein and, as they say, ‘Fair’ does not always mean […]
Tag: Stories of Atl
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Nothing but women
South Carolina-born architect Geoffrey Lloyd Preacher headed the Atlanta architecture firm of G. Lloyd Preacher and Company. In the first half of the twentieth century, Preacher was nothing if not prolific. Among his designs were some of Atlanta’s most iconic structures: Peachtree Street’s Grady Hotel, Bass High School near Little Five Points, and the current […]
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The end was the beginning
There is a statue in Underground Atlanta of a man and a bear. The statue is representative of a section of Atlanta during its pioneer days, when confidence men, con artists, snake oil salesmen and animal acts were a common sight in our city. The display of wild animals was, of course, not unique to […]
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A young boy’s inspiration
Since Atlanta’s early days, religion and spirituality have been key factor in the lives of many Atlantans. In some cases, the influence of religion spilled over into other aspects of the city’s development. One clear example of this is the case of Friendship Baptist Church and its founding minister, Reverend Frank Quarles. Today, Friendship holds […]
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Thanks to him…we know
Much of our knowledge of Civil War Atlanta comes from the work of the official photographer of the Army of the Mississippi, George Barnard. Assigned to document military camps, fortifications and rail lines, Barnard followed General William Sherman and his troops on their infamous March to the Sea. In the process of completing his assigned […]
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We all knew it wasn’t right
In his epic work “The Souls of Black Folk,” WEB DuBois seems to describe the City of Atlanta in terms that separate Atlanta from what is generally considered to be a traditional Southern city. “South of North, yet north of South lies the city of a hundred hills…” he writes. The image of Atlanta as […]
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For the want of a floodlight
There are few better examples of the value of long-term planning than Atlanta’s airport. Atlanta did not blindly stumble into its status as an aviation powerhouse; it got there purposefully, thanks to the forward thinking of several Atlanta citizens. And it began with airmail. A byproduct of World War 1 was the significant advancements made […]
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It was a big deal for the entire town
There is something undeniably compelling about the shared experience. It’s a human thing. We all have it, that need to be with others. A neuroscientist could probably offer a pretty strong biological reason for what the sociologists call collective behavior. You and I, we don’t usually feel the need to get that deep into the […]
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In hindsight, it seems obvious
Part of the fun in looking back through time is examining the origins of the things that today we take for granted. Even though it is obvious that there clearly had to be a first for just about everything, that doesn’t make it any less interesting to find out just exactly how a particular “first” […]
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A credit to his Profession
Ask anyone in Atlanta what comes to mind when you mention our city’s boxing tradition and chances are you’ll get the name Evander Holyfield. That is assuming the person you are asking doesn’t confuse boxing with wrestling, in which case, you’ll probably get Dusty Rhodes, Rick Flare or Gordon Solie. It is, however, Evander “The […]
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She found what she wanted
They say it was Benjamin Franklin who uttered the oft repeated phrase that nothing is certain except death and taxes. He supposedly said that in reference to the life span of the recently written United States Constitution, which he felt had the appearance but not the certainty of permanency. But surely there are other examples […]
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What might have been
Oglethorpe University began its career as a liberal arts and sciences university in 1835 in the community of Midway, Georgia, not too far from, what at that time, was the state’s capital, Milledgeville. The Civil War interrupted Oglethorpe’s progression and the university closed its doors in 1862. In 1870 Oglethorpe relocated and reopened in Atlanta […]
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She knew it when
In 1826 the State of Georgia ordered a transportation survey to be undertaken. Ostensibly, the purpose of the survey was to evaluate the feasibility of building a canal through North Georgia and up into the frontier of Tennessee. Such a conveyance, it was reasoned, would allow Georgia merchants to gain access to the northern part […]
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The Stuff of Space
It is an iconic image, to say the least. Astronaut Alan Shepard, in his full spacesuit, standing on the surface of the moon…swinging at a golf ball. Amid all of the high tech, “get me to the moon and back” gear aboard the Apollo 14 mission, Shepard had smuggled a makeshift golf club and some […]
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The Penny Problem
One of the most sought-after attributes in our fast-paced, never enough time lives is convenience. As with the mousetrap, create something truly convenient and the world will beat a path to your door. The microwave oven, overnight shipping and drive-thru windows come to mind and, if you think about it, you’d probably agree with the […]
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The Stepfather
Donn’s father was a well-respected mathematics and psychology professor. He was, in fact, the chairman of the mathematics department of an Oklahoma university. Unfortunately for Donn, he lost his father at the age of six months to Leukemia. The family moved to Atlanta, where Donn would graduate from Booker T. Washington high school. It was […]
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Alvin York slept here
America’s entry into World War One required the country ramp up its training efforts in order to accommodate the thousands of conscripted servicemen who were joining the war effort. Sixteen temporary camps, or cantonments as they were known, were built at locations around the country. One of those camps was constructed on the outskirts of […]
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World War I Cotton
Asa Candler is widely known for building the Coca-Cola Company from a soda fountain syrup to a household name. He is not particularly known for his involvement in the cotton industry. But, it is just that industry where – as World War I raged – Candler found a niche. It is the tale of an […]
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Atlanta Hawks prodigal son
When a professional sports franchise moves from one city to another, not everything in the process goes smoothly. One St. Louis Hawks NBA basketball player discovered, in 1966, that moving to Atlanta, Georgia, sometimes takes longer than one might think. It’s the story of Atlanta Hawks fans having to endure delayed gratification on this week’s […]
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Law comes to town
The town of Atlanta had designated its first commissioners in 1845. The 5-man governing body was comprised of stalwart citizens, none of whom had any previous experience in government affairs. They did their best to bring order to the young railroad town but, by all accounts, their efforts fell on deaf ears. There was little […]
