He was among the more well-known writers of his day, often compared to the creator of Sherlock Holmes. He traveled in a rarified circle of fame and success which was certainly a far cry from his days writing sports for the Atlanta Journal. A Georgia man who made it big discovers the end is near […]
Tag: Stories of Atlanta
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Very Hush-Hush
In 1891, Atlanta’s Mayor began spending the City’s money, secretly buying land on the outskirts of Atlanta. It wasn’t a case of embezzlement, just good-old business common sense. In attempting to solve one of the City’s ongoing issues, the mayor had made a decision, a decision that would not only affect every single Atlantan for […]
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Why So Wide?
It was rumored to have miraculous, healing properties and, if the first-person accounts were to be believed, drinking the water from this spring was good for what ails you. Miracle cure or not, what it most definitely turned out to be was a really good business opportunity. It is the tale of thirst and the […]
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Making A Statement
As students of Atlanta history, we have learned a lot through quotes about what people have to say about the city that we call home. Clearly, a lot of people have not been shy about expressing their thoughts on Atlanta and Atlantans. From glowingly poetic prose to less than flattering descriptions, those who have encountered […]
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Political Pull
Two men sit down for a conversation. As a result, one of the men, and influential industrialist and newspaper owner, commits his political support to the other man. This is enough to get the other man elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, where, according to the plan they hatched during their conversation, the new […]
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Decatur & Peachtree
G.W. Collier was one of those Atlantans who got in on the ground floor of a good thing. When he first came to the region there was nothing but wilderness and Indians. When Marthasville was incorporated as Atlanta, he became the city’s 1st postmaster and to fulfil his duties, he purchased a small parcel of […]
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The Second Career
One of the early residents of Atlanta was Dr. Joseph Thompson, who had been lured to the young city by an old friend. Dr. Thompson had a well-known and respected 20-year medical career in Decatur but issues with rheumatism put an end to his practice. He was running an inn when J. Edgar Thomson, a […]
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An Appeal to Patriotism
During times of national crisis, we are all called upon to do our part. Such was the case during World War One when a plan was hatched for Atlantans to conserve oil and gasoline for the war effort. An interesting twist was, for those who violated the restrictions, there was no fine. Instead, the city […]
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An Explosion of Growth
In the later part of the 20th century, Atlanta experienced a period of rapid growth thanks to events set in motion with the beginning of World War II. Due to its transportation history and the city’s foresight in developing its aviation capabilities, Atlanta came through “The Big One” in prime position to become the city […]
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He Didn’t Stay Long
It was not long after 3-railroad lines were connected to a central point in north Georgia that people began beating a path to Atlanta. Word had spread of the abundant opportunities and cheap land and those seeking better lives were arriving to the young city every day. There were, of course, those looking for work […]
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A Forbidden Love
A young man from Carrollton, 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 inMedia, Stories of Atlanta
You Be The Judge
When the Hyatt Regency on Peachtree Street opened as the Regency Hyatt House in 1967, it immediately became one of Atlanta’s biggest tourist attractions. It was, in fact, completely unique in the history of modern hotels and people came from near and far to experience architect John Portman’s newest creation. Part of that experience involved […]
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The Show Did Go On
The founding of the City of Atlanta may have been an unforeseen result of Atlanta’s railroads, but the rapid growth of the city by the train tracks did not happen by accident. Nor did the city’s recovery from the devastation of the Civil War. Throughout Atlanta’s history there have always been those who paved the […]
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A Proper Depot
Continuing our march through the history of the City of Atlanta, the population triples in 5-years, there is a recognition of the need for a proper rail connecting point, and the little town by the railroad tracks continues to change. It’s an ongoing story of Iron and Ambition on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
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Three-Dimensional Thinking
When the State of Georgia greenlit the Western and Atlantic railroad line and marked its terminus point just south of the Chattahoochee River, most observers recognized the impact that the new technology would have on Georgia’s commercial trade. It seems quaint by today’s standards, but almost no one at the time recognized that a world […]
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Home Away from Home
At the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Oakdale Road sits a grand old home, one of many along that stretch of Ponce. Built for well-heeled Atlantans, many of the homes, including this one, are no longer residences but, unlike most of the grand homes that once lined Ponce, this home is memorialized in […]
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Hedging His Bet
As automobile fever began to sweep across America, not everyone was enthralled with the new type of transportation. Among those said to be less than thrilled with the new-fangled form of conveyance was the founder of the Coca-Cola company, Asa Candler. A passing fad thought Atlanta’s best-known businessman, which makes one wonder why, then, did […]
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The Five and Dime
This week we take a look at a city that no longer exists…Atlanta. To be more accurate, South Downtown Atlanta. Once the retail capital below the Mason Dixon Line, everybody who was anybody shopped south of Atlanta’s railroad tracks. Today, it is hard to imagine the amount of two legged, four legged and wheeled traffic […]
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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 . . . […]
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The Future Market
Having examined its origin and lived through 100-years of its ups and downs, in episode three of our series on the Municipal Market of Atlanta we contemplate the next century for the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Having dodged the bullets and defied the odds, we ask “What’s Next?” on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
