Did You Know? Atlanta Facts from Pre-1899

1. Atlanta was originally founded as Terminus in 1837, serving as the end of a major railroad line.

2. In 1847, the city’s name was changed to Atlanta, derived from the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

3. Atlanta was burned to the ground in 1864 during General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea in the American Civil War.

4. The Battle of Atlanta occurred in 1864, one of the key battles in the Civil War’s Atlanta Campaign.

5. Atlanta was officially incorporated as a city in 1847.

6. In 1868, Atlanta became the capital of Georgia, moving from Milledgeville after the Civil War.

7. The Western and Atlantic Railroad, completed in the 1830s, was crucial to Atlanta’s early growth.

8. Inman Park, Atlanta’s first planned suburb, was developed in 1889 by Joel Hurt.

9. In 1854, Atlanta received its first telegraph line, linking the city to other major Southern hubs.

10. Terminus was initially chosen as a name because the city marked the end of the railroad line before being renamed.

11. Margaret Mitchell’s great-grandfather, Philip Fitzgerald, was one of the early settlers in the Atlanta area.

12. In 1851, Atlanta’s first hotel, The Trout House, was built downtown and served travelers from the railroad.

13. Atlanta Medical College (now Emory University School of Medicine) was established in 1854.

14. Oakland Cemetery, one of Atlanta’s oldest cemeteries, was founded in 1850 and became the resting place for many Civil War soldiers.

15. The Atlanta Daily Intelligencer, one of the city’s first newspapers, began publication in 1849.

16. In 1871, the first public school system in Atlanta was established.

17. The Kimball House, an iconic Atlanta hotel, opened in 1870 and was one of the largest hotels in the South.

18. Atlanta’s first streetcar began operating in 1871, helping the city expand its suburbs.

19. The city’s first African American church, Big Bethel AME Church, was founded in 1847 and played a major role in the Black community.

20. In 1883, Georgia Tech was founded as a school to help with the South’s industrial recovery after the Civil War.

21. The Freedmen’s Bureau established offices in Atlanta in the 1860s, helping formerly enslaved individuals transition to freedom.

22. In 1865, after the Civil War, Atlanta began its rapid rebuilding process, rising from the ashes of Sherman’s destruction.

23. Atlanta University, one of the first African American higher education institutions in the U.S., was founded in 1865.

24. Ponce de Leon Springs was a popular leisure spot for Atlanta residents during the late 19th century.

25. In 1892, the Atlanta Constitution held its first annual Christmas shopping event, which became a city tradition.

26. In 1868, Henry Grady, known as the “Spokesman of the New South,” became editor of the Atlanta Constitution.

27. The Georgia Railroad Depot, completed in 1869, was one of the city’s major rail hubs, promoting commerce in the area.

28. Atlanta’s first fire department was established in 1851 and used horse-drawn fire engines.

29. The 1881 International Cotton Exposition in Atlanta showcased the city’s recovery from the Civil War and its future in industrialization.

30. In 1856, Atlanta hosted its first state fair, drawing attendees from across Georgia.

31. The State Capitol Building, completed in 1889, was built on the site of the old Atlanta City Hall.

32. Peachtree Street, one of Atlanta’s most iconic roads, was originally an old Native American trail.

33. The original Georgia State University, then known as Atlanta Baptist Seminary, was founded in 1867.

34. In 1886, Dr. John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in Atlanta, creating one of the world’s most recognizable beverages.

35. The first public library in Atlanta opened in 1889, serving the city’s growing population.

36. In 1865, Clark Atlanta University was founded, combining Clark College and Atlanta University as premier African American institutions.

37. In 1899, Atlanta’s first electric streetcars began operating, replacing the earlier horse-drawn cars.

38. Sweet Auburn, the historic African American neighborhood, began to develop in the late 1800s, becoming a hub for Black commerce.

39. In 1867, the federal government stationed U.S. troops in Atlanta to enforce Reconstruction policies.

40. In 1858, The Phoenix Club, an elite social club, was established in Atlanta, symbolizing the city’s post-Civil War growth.

41. Atlanta’s population grew rapidly after the Civil War, surpassing 20,000 by the 1870 census.

42. Grant Park, Atlanta’s oldest public park, was established in 1883 and included a zoo by the late 1800s.

43. Joel Chandler Harris, famed author of the Uncle Remus stories, began his journalism career in Atlanta in the late 1800s.

44. The Atlanta Braves, now known for baseball, started as an amateur club called the Atlanta Baseball Club in 1884.

45. In 1870, the Southern Railway was formed, with Atlanta becoming a major railroad hub for the Southeast.

46. Atlanta’s first opera house, DeGive’s Opera House, opened in 1870, attracting national talent to the city.

47. In 1857, Morris Brown College was established as a historically Black college in Atlanta, named after Bishop Morris Brown.

48. The Western Union Building, constructed in 1895, was one of Atlanta’s earliest skyscrapers.

49. In 1873, Hurt Building began construction, becoming one of the tallest and most prominent buildings in the South by the end of the century.

50. The Second Baptist Church of Atlanta, founded in 1866, became one of the city’s largest African American congregations.

51. Atlanta’s first streetlights were installed in 1856, running on gas lamps before the switch to electric lighting in the late 1800s.

52. In 1895, the Atlanta Exposition showcased the city’s industrial progress, drawing international attention.

53. The Chattahoochee River played a key role in Atlanta’s early commerce, with goods transported via ferries and flatboats.

54. In 1885, the first telephones were installed in Atlanta, revolutionizing communication for local businesses.

55. Atlanta’s first police force was established in 1873, with just a few officers patrolling the city.

56. In 1881, Atlanta introduced its first horse-drawn trolley, helping expand the city beyond its downtown core.

57. In 1894, the first electric power plant was established in Atlanta, providing power to local businesses and homes.

58. The Atlanta Crackers, a minor league baseball team, was founded in 1884, becoming one of the most successful teams of the 19th century.

59. The Atlanta Constitution and Atlanta Journal, two of the city’s leading newspapers, began competing fiercely in the late 1800s.

60. In 1865, Freedmen’s Town, an area for newly freed African Americans, was established on the outskirts of Atlanta.

61. The Wren’s Nest, home of Joel Chandler Harris, became a local attraction in the late 1800s for fans of his literary works.

62. The Gate City Guard, a militia unit in Atlanta, helped defend the city during the Civil War and participated in local parades.

63. In 1867, Atlanta became home to one of the largest Freedmen’s Bureau schools, educating newly freed African American children.

64. In 1886, Atlanta installed its first electric streetcar, marking the transition from horse-drawn carriages to modern transit.

65. The city’s first hospital, Grady Memorial, was founded in 1892 and became one of the leading medical facilities in the South.

66. In 1877, Henry Grady gave his famous “New South” speech, promoting Atlanta as a symbol of Southern recovery.

67. Atlanta’s first African American-owned newspaper, The Atlanta Daily World, was founded in 1893.

68. The Atlanta Chamber of Commerce was established in 1858, promoting the city’s business and trade sectors.

69. In 1896, the first horse-drawn fire trucks were introduced in Atlanta, improving the city’s fire response.

70. Atlanta’s first public school for African American students, Gate City Colored School, opened in 1866.

71. In 1867, Ebenezer Baptist Church was founded, becoming one of the most prominentchurches in the city’s African American community.

72. In 1859, Atlanta hosted its first agricultural fair, highlighting local farming and livestock.

73. The Wren’s Nest, the home of Joel Chandler Harris, became a popular destination for literary fans during the late 1800s.

74. In 1893, the Candler Building was completed, serving as one of Atlanta’s earliest commercial skyscrapers.

75. The first horse-drawn trolley system was introduced in Atlanta in 1871, expanding transportation options for residents.

76. In 1887, the Atlanta Board of Trade was founded to promote business growth in the post-Reconstruction era.

77. The Georgia State Capitol, completed in 1889, became one of the city’s most iconic government buildings.

78. Atlanta’s Jewish community began to thrive in the late 1800s, with the establishment of Congregation Ahavath Achim in 1887.

79. In 1866, Atlanta’s first post office opened, helping connect the city to the rest of the country.

80. The Old Fourth Ward was one of Atlanta’s earliest neighborhoods, becoming home to working-class families after the Civil War.

81. In 1892, the first bicycle paths were laid out in Atlanta, promoting the popularity of cycling in the city.

82. The Atlanta University Center, a consortium of historically Black colleges, was established in the late 1800s, contributing to African American education.

83. In 1899, L.P. Grant Park opened, becoming Atlanta’s first large city park and home to the Atlanta Zoo.

84. The Georgia Pacific Railway, which connected Atlanta to other Southern cities, was completed in 1881.

85. The Atlanta Fire of 1854 destroyed several downtown businesses but spurred the city to build a more modern infrastructure.

86. In 1865, the Union Army occupied Atlanta, and the city became a major post-war hub for Reconstruction.

87. The Piedmont Driving Club, one of Atlanta’s oldest private clubs, was founded in 1887 and remains a prestigious social institution.

88. In 1895, the Atlanta Journal newspaper launched its annual Christmas shopping guide, one of the first in the country.

89. The Georgia School of Technology, later known as Georgia Tech, was established in 1885 to support the South’s industrial development.

90. In 1872, Marietta Street became one of Atlanta’s first commercial corridors, attracting merchants and businesses.

91. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a key organization in the Civil Rights Movement, had its origins in Atlanta’s Black churches in the late 1800s.

92. In 1888, Atlanta’s first telephone exchange opened, connecting the city to other parts of Georgia.

93. In 1894, the Atlanta Humane Society was founded, one of the first animal welfare organizations in the South.

94. The Grand Opera House, later known as the Fox Theatre, opened in 1894, hosting some of the earliest stage performances in the city.

95. In 1865, Atlanta’s reconstruction efforts were funded by northern investors, helping the city recover from wartime devastation.

96. The Henry W. Grady School of Journalism, founded in 1891, became part of the University of Georgia’s journalism program.

97. In 1887, Hurt Building, one of Atlanta’s earliest skyscrapers, was built and became a symbol of the city’s post-war growth.

98. The Equitable Building, completed in 1892, was one of Atlanta’s first modern office buildings, setting the tone for future construction.

99. In 1899, The Atlanta Waterworks opened, modernizing the city’s water system and improving public health.

100. Atlanta’s post-Civil War rebuilding was so rapid by the end of the century, it had become one of the most prosperous cities in the South.