Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and the most populous U.S. city. It is 38th in America’s most populous cities, with 498 715 as of 2020. It is the cultural and economic heart of Atlanta’s metropolitan area. This area is home to over six million people, and it is the ninth-largest in the country. It is also the county seat of Fulton County. This is Georgia’s most populous county. It is located in the Appalachian Mountains at the foothills. The unique topography includes rolling hills and dense urban tree coverage.
History
Atlanta, the county seat in Fulton County, has been Georgia’s capital since 1868. It is situated at the confluence between Chattahoochee and Peachtree Creek. It was founded entirely to serve railroad needs.
Atlanta’s current location was once on the frontier of the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Fort Peachtree, the first settlement of non-natives, was established in 1813. It is no longer there. The City of Atlanta built a replica.
The Western & Atlantic Railroad was building its eastward leg, while the Georgia Railroad was moving west. An employee of the Western & Atlantic marked the point at which they would meet. This became known as the zero-mile marker, forming a community around it. It was first named Terminus. Later, it was renamed Marthaville. Finally, it was renamed Atlanta.
The first train to Marietta, Georgia, ran in December 1842. The growth continued, and Atlanta was eventually incorporated in 1847 to encompass the four-square-mile area at the Terminus. In 1848, the Moral Party and Free and Rowdy Party contested the first city election. The vote was won by the latter. In 1849, the Telegraph was established. Within a few years, several other railroads had reached Atlanta. The Georgia legislature created Fulton County in 1854 to encompass Atlanta and its suburbs.
Atlanta was home to around 8000 people during the Civil War. Because of its hospital role, Atlanta was home to about 20,000 people when General William Tecumseh Sherman arrived in 1864. Sherman ordered Atlanta to burn to defeat the Confederacy’s resistance as part of his strategy. However, Atlanta quickly rebuilt itself and soon surpassed its prewar population.
After the war, the Freedmen’s Bureau was created and operated until 1870. They were instrumental in the founding of Atlanta University and Clark College. In 1989, the two institutions were merged to create Clark Atlanta University. Baptists founded Spelman College (1881) and Morehouse College (1867). They all now belong to the Atlanta University Center, a group of historically black colleges. The Sisters of Mercy 1880 established St. Joseph’s Hospital. It is still in use today. Piedmont Hospital opened its doors in 1905.
Leo Frank was a manager at an Atlanta pencil factory and was convicted in 1913 of the murder of Mary Phagan, 13, who was 13 years old. There were strong anti-semitic overtones in the trial, and many questions were raised about the evidence. The governor eventually commuted Frank’s sentence to life. In August 1915, Frank was lynched by a mob upset at his execution. Two opposing developments resulted from the event’s fame: the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan and the creation of the Anti-Defamation League.
Atlanta was originally built to be a railroad hub. This created problems for car traffic. The downtown street level was raised one-and-a-half stories above the ground in 1929. Underground Atlanta is the name of the original street level.
Atlanta witnessed protests against racial discrimination by Martin Luther King Jr., but, in general, the city took one of the most progressive approaches possible to racial issues of any large Southern city. The integration of the city schools was smooth and uneventful.
Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympic Games. The games were generally regarded as a success but were beset by a bomb attack that claimed the lives of two people. Eric Randolph eventually pleaded guilty.
Martin Luther King, Jr.National Historical Park
Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park to follow in the footsteps of one of history’s most significant figures. This is where Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, was born and raised. You can also visit Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King once served as a pastor. Fire Station No. 6 provides insights into the desegregation in Atlanta’s Fire Department. The Visitor Center also features engaging exhibits about the civil rights movement and the D.R.E.A.M. Gallery with additional exhibits. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Centre for Nonviolent Change is located next to Ebenezer Baptist Church. You will find many more exhibits and the tombs of King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King.
Many of the most popular Atlanta tours stop at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Many agree that a visit to Atlanta should include time at this historic park. Many tourists recommend that you arrive early for a 30-minute guided tour of King’s birthplace. The tours are available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on a first-come basis. According to the National Park Service, Sunday mornings and weekdays are less crowded. Comfortable shoes are a must, as the complex spans several city blocks.
This historic property is located in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn District. It is approximately a mile northeast of the city center and a half-mile northeast from MARTA’s King Memorial train stop on the Blue and Green Lines. There are two Nos. The Nos. 3 and 99 buses and the Atlanta Streetcar have stops close by. There is also free parking in a lot at John Wesley Dobbs Avenue. All attractions are free to enter. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all buildings are currently closed. You can still visit the exteriors of the buildings from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. every day. For more information, visit the website.
