Charles Lincoln Harper devoted his life to educating the youth of Atlanta. A graduate of Morris Brown College, Harper served as the founding principal of Booker T. Washington High School, the first secondary school in Atlanta for Black students. As principal, Charles Harper expanded the campus, started the student government, and instituted college preparatory and […]
Tag: Stories of Atlanta
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Why The Gate City?
If you’re going to throw a party, make it a memorable party. The City of Atlanta did just that when railroad history came to town…the result? Atlanta got a free ride on a party train. It’s a tale about the benefits of sharing water, this week on Stories of Atlanta.
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You Know the Name
He was one of 22 under-equipped soldiers charged with building a fort on Georgia’s western frontier during the War of 1812. After the war, he returned to the area, bought 1,000 acres, and made a life for his family. The family business is long gone but the name is still around as told on this […]
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Bad Blood
Being a lawman in Atlanta during the Civil War was challenging enough. It was especially hard for Tom Shivers when he came face to face with the man who wanted his job. It’s a story with an ironic ending that culminates with a dubious first on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
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Worth a Thousand Words
In the 1970s, veteran news reporter Dan Rather wrote a book he titled The Camera Never Blinks. It’s a great phrase because it is so true. Thanks to the digital revolution, future historians will benefit greatly from the millions of unblinking eyes focused on the world around us today. It is, of course, dangerous to […]
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Classic Style
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.
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The Watchful Eye
Some folks just seem to have a knack for what they do. They find their footing at a young age, start moving forward and never look back. It’s hard to say where that type of motivation comes from. Perhaps it has something to do with the company we keep along the way. It’s the story […]
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Retail and Railroads
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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
