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Historic postcard depicting many of Atlanta's historic attractions
Courtesy of Jody Cook |
The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places
and Southeast Regional Office, in conjunction with the Atlanta History
Center, the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department
of Natural Resources, and the National Conference of State Historic
Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), proudly invite you to explore Atlanta,
Georgia. Atlanta began as the terminal point of the Western
and Atlantic Railroad, a project authorized by the State of Georgia
in 1836. Originally known as Terminus, and later Marthasville, by
the Civil War Atlanta was a bustling city. Crippled by the burning
of the city during the war, Atlanta rebounded during the last part
of the century. Today it is home to more than 4 million people and
is considered the entertainment and cultural center of the South,
attracting more than 17 million travelers each year. This latest
National Register of Historic Places travel itinerary highlights
70 historic places that tell the story of this capital city--from
its picturesque homes to its reaching skyscrapers--tales of former
slaves, educators, authors, and millionaires who have shaped the
development of Atlanta over the past two centuries.
Union General William T. Sherman's occupation of Atlanta during the
Civil War left much of the city in ruin, and antebellum era buildings
such as the Tullie Smith House are today a rarity.
Yet Atlantans rebuilt quickly as the city became the junction of three
of the region's most important railroad lines, and the location for
the Georgia State Capitol in 1868. The end of
the 19th century brought great industrial development, with factories
such as E. Van Winkle's Gin and Machine Works,
lining the railroad corridors radiating from downtown. By the turn
of the century, skyscrapers such as the English-American
Building were dotting the city's skyline, and the dense redevelopment
of downtown Atlanta had pushed residents to
the edges of the city. Numerous suburban developments emerged such
as West End, Inman Park,
Druid Hills and Ansley Park.
African Americans were establishing their own neighborhoods of Washington
Park and Sweet Auburn, and institutions
such as Atlanta University. Atlanta became the
birthplace of the Coca-Cola empire--home to the company's founder,
Asa Candler, who erected the Candler Building
as a monument to himself, and the location of the early Dixie
Coca-Cola Bottling Company Plant. Popular authors Margaret
Mitchell (Gone With the Wind) and Joel
Chandler Harris (Uncle Remus Tales) called Atlanta home,
as well as major leaders in the black community such as Alonzo
Herndon, a former slave who founded the Atlanta Life Insurance
Company, and Civil Rights movement leader, Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Atlanta, Georgia offers several ways to discover these
places that reflect the history of this southern city. Each highlighted
site features a brief description of the place's historic significance,
color and, where available, historic photographs, and public accessibility
information. At the bottom of each page the visitor will find a
navigation bar containing links to four essays that explain more
about Antebellum Atlanta, Industrial
Atlanta, the African American
Experience, and Growth and Preservation.
These essays provide historic background, or "contexts," for many
of the places included in the itinerary. In the Learn
More section, the itineraries link to regional and local web
sites that provide visitors with further information regarding cultural
events, special activities, and lodging and dining possibilities.
The itinerary can be viewed online, or printed out if you plan to
visit Atlanta in person.
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The Fabulous Fox Theatre, a grand
movie palace, is one of the city's most popular historic attractions
Photo by Michael Portman, courtesy of the Fox Theatre |
Created through a partnership between the National Park Service's
National Register of Historic Places and Southeast Regional Office,
in cooperation with the Atlanta History Center, the Historic Preservation
Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and NCSHPO,
Atlanta, Georgia is the latest example of a new and exciting
cooperative project. As part of the Department of the Interior's strategy
to promote public awareness of history and encourage tourists to visit
historic places throughout the nation, the National Register of Historic
Places is cooperating with communities, regions, and Heritage Areas
throughout the United States to create online travel itineraries.
Using places nominated by State, Federal and Tribal Historic Preservation
Offices and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the
itineraries help potential visitors plan their next trip by highlighting
the amazing diversity of this country's historic places and supplying
accessibility information for each featured site. Atlanta, Georgia
is the 25th National Register travel itinerary successfully created
through such partnerships. Additional itineraries will debut online
in the future. The National Register of Historic Places and Southeast
Regional Office hope you enjoy this virtual travel itinerary of Atlanta's
heritage. If you have any comments or questions, please just click
on the provided e-mail address, "comments or questions" located at
the bottom of each page. |