He brought an umbrella to a knife fight. In this episode of Stories of Atlanta, part of our Atlanta history series Iron and Ambition, we travel back to 1848—a time when political insults came with real consequences. When Georgia Superior Court Justice Francis Cone called Alexander Stephens a “traitor,” it wasn’t taken lightly. Stephens, known […]
Tag: Stories of Atlanta
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The First Election
What kind of city elects a saloon owner as its first mayor? In this episode of Stories of Atlanta, part of our Iron and Ambition series, we travel back to 1848—the year Atlanta held its very first city election. Fueled by fistfights, whiskey, and political passions, this raucous vote set the tone for the kind […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Not All Fun and Games
In response to competition from South Carolina, the State of Georgia embraced the fledgling railroad industry. The idea was to establish new trade opportunities by building a railroad system that would connect Georgia to the rest of the United States. Key to that plan was constructing a state-owned railroad line that would terminate in north […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
A Cure for Chaos
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 […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Blockade Runner
It was 1844, and the newly chartered town of Marthasville, Georgia, per its official charter, had appointed five commissioners to handle the town’s business. Their first act was to levy a tax on the community for the purpose of building new streets. Clearly, the citizenry of Marthasville had not embraced the concept of a commission-led […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Replacing the Monroe
By the end of 1845, people in the region had begun to believe that there just might be something to the young town of Atlanta. Any who remained skeptical of the hype found it harder to do so with the arrival of the first Macon and Western train. You’ll remember that Cousin John Thrasher had […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Everybody’s Cousin
As these things go, the changing of the name Marthasville to Atlanta went about as smooth as could be expected. There was one slight hitch, some, who were no doubt devotees of ancient literature, assumed that there had been a typographical error in the spelling of the town’s new name and that actually “Atlanta” should […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
It Was About Paperwork
The origin of the name “Atlanta” has been questioned for as long as there has been an Atlanta. When all is said and done, however, the name of the city is “Atlanta,” and it’s a safe bet that’s not going to change anytime soon. We haven’t read much about how the people of Marthasville felt […]
Posted inColumns
Neighbors opposed to Amsterdam Walk project are primed for City Council meeting
Residents near Amsterdam Walk say they’re prepared to speak out against a large-scale redevelopment project during Monday’s Atlanta City Council meeting. While public comment rules limit what they can say, they plan to make their concerns clear, warning that the proposed redevelopment plans by Portman Holdings are too large for the surrounding neighborhood and would […]
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
Georgia journalists’ film following superfans of murder trials debuts on Amazon Prime
Veteran Georgia journalists Neil Gordon and Mike Petchenik’s new true crime docuseries is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. The duo published the book “Trial Watchers,” last year and produced the documentary under the same title. They focus on murder trial enthusiasts who travel to the U.S. to attend courtroom proceedings on some of […]
Posted inMedia, Stories of Atlanta
Pioneer Citizens
In the lore of Atlanta’s history, there is a story about an organization that called itself, “The Pioneer Citizens of Atlanta.”
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
Move to stop hate speech in Sandy Springs sparks new concerns
In an effort to curb hate speech and regulate flyer distribution, Sandy Springs has approved new ordinances that some say may violate First Amendment rights. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Georgia First Amendment Foundation both say that the new laws infringe on freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Flyers and pamphlets […]
Posted inAdrianne Murchison, Columns
Star of touching Netflix documentary to appear at autism summit
An Atlanta teenager featured in the award-winning Netflix documentary “Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World” will participate in the upcoming Autism Awareness Summit at the Atlanta City Hall Atrium on April 16. Makayla Cain, who has a rare form of autism and is nonverbal, communicates using voice technology and her own unique forms of […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Chief Engineer
There is an interesting side benefit to reading about history and it has to do with being able to predict the future. Well, not so much “the” future as “a” future. At various stages along the path of historical research, one becomes familiar with the players in a particular story. When a new character is […]
Posted inColumns
Roswell OKs $15M deal for parking deck to keep Canton Steet a destination
Roswell has signed a construction team to build its long-anticipated parking deck, which is part of an effort to keep pace with neighboring cities in attracting dining and entertainment. The north Fulton City awarded a nearly $15 million contract to Winter Construction to build the Green Street Parking Deck. The triangular site is located at […]
Posted inColumns
Celebrated chef retires to pursue first love: painting, drawing
Gerry Klaskala has been one of Atlanta’s most celebrated chefs for decades. He’s been the creative force behind such restaurants as Canoe and Buckhead’s Aria. Now, after 25 years at Aria’s helm, he’s trading his chef’s whites for a paintbrush. “It’s time,” the chef and restaurateur said. “It’s been a great, great ride. I’m satisfied.” […]
Posted inColumns
Goodwill North Georgia highlights successes for women in careers programs
In recognition of Women’s History Month, Goodwill of North Georgia is highlighting its efforts to expand economic opportunity for women through workforce development programs. According to the nonprofit, more than 10,000 women secured employment in Fiscal Year 2024 with support from its career services and training programs. In total, over 25,000 women received assistance through […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Waiting for a Train
The terminus for the Western & Atlantic railroad line had, in 1842, been moved from land lot #78 onto 5 acres of land donated to the state by Samuel Mitchell, the owner of land lot #77. Former Governor Wilson Lumpkin, who negotiated the land deal with Mr. Mitchell, along with W&A engineer F.C. Arms and […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Nickname
You might be familiar with the term “Y’allywood.” It is a nickname that many have recently applied to Atlanta. For those not into, as The Dude would say, the whole brevity thing, perhaps you’re familiar with “Hollywood of the South.” Either way, both of those names will just have to be added to the lengthy […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
A Founding Father Arrives
It was competition from the State of South Carolina that finally prompted the Georgia legislature to act on the recommendation that former governor Wilson Lumpkin had made to the state in 1826. Lumpkin and his partner Hamilton Fulton on behalf of the State of Georgia had surveyed the American Indian territories of north Georgia seeking […]
