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Fulton County
Fulton has enjoyed enormous growth in the last ten years, with new centers of business and commerce
developing along GA 400, Highway 9 (Roswell Road) and 141 (Medlock Bridge Parkway), offering
employment, shopping, fine restaurants and churches.
Easy access to the North Georgia Mountains, Lake Lanier, and the Chattahoochee River Preserve
make this area a great place for family life. The schools are excellent. Most new communities
feature extensive amenity centers, often including Junior Olympic pools, lighted tennis courts,
club houses and nature trails.
The small historic towns of Alpharetta and Roswell offer a touch of small town living with gift
and antique shops and restaurants. West of Roswell Road and north toward Forsyth County,
you'll still see a few horse farms and lovely countryside.
The Northpoint Mall area, located in Alpharetta at Mansell Road and GA 400, offers all the major
department and specialty stores as well as restaurants and hotels. Perimeter Mall, located at
Ashford Dunwoody Road and I-285, is a long time favorite of residents of North Fulton and Dunwoody.
A new MARTA station for rapid transportation opened at Perimeter Mall in the last few years.
HISTORY
1814 The U.S. military outpost Fort Gilmer is established at Standing Peachtree, and Indian Village situated where Peachtree Creek flows into the Chatahoochee.
1821 Permanent non-Indian settlers begin moving into former Creek Indian lands that would eventually become Metro Atlanta.
1830 10,000 settlers inhabited the area now known as Fulton & Dekalb Counties
1833 Hardy Ivy became the first permanent non-Indian settler in what is known as Downtown Atlanta.
1837 Surveyors for the Western and Atlantic Railroad determine southern terminum for rail line from Tennessee. Settlement called "Terminus" began to take shape around that point.
1842 Passenger Train Service - from Terminus began with Christmas Eve run to Marietta and back to Terminus.
1843 Terminus incorporated as the town of Marthasville, named for a daughter of former governor Wilson Lumpkin.
1845 Marthasville renamed Atlanta. The new name, coined by railroad executive J. Edgar Thomason, probably
represented the feminine form of Atlantic.
Georgia Railroad completed, Augusta to Atlanta.
1846 Officially organized churches became part of the Atlanta Scenery, Catholic and Episcopal Parishes formed first, followed by Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian congregations in 1848. The Atlanta Hotel and Washington Hall became the City's first hostelries.
Macon and Western Railroad, now Central Georgia, completed Macon to Atlanta.
1847 Atlanta's first bank "established as an agency of the Georgia Railroad". Around 2,000 inhabitants lived in the newly chartered City of Atlanta.
1848 The City of Atlanta elected its first Mayor, "Moses W. Formwalt", and its first City Council.
1849 Atlanta's first "successful" newspaper, The Intelligencer, started.
Telegraph service was initiated at the Macon and Western depot.
1850 City purchases original acreage of OAKLAND Cemetery.
First Fire Company was formed of Volunteers.
Population: 2,569
1851 The "Moral Party" won over the "Free & Rowdy Party" in a spirited city election .
1852 Atlanta & West Point Railroad was completed to Atlanta.
1853 First official city map of Atlanta drawn by Vincent, Edward A.
City limits radiate 1 mile from the center of the town.
1854 Fulton Co. organized from portions of Dekalb County. A combination City Hall and Fulton County Courthouse erected in spot where the State Capitol now stands.
Atlanta Medical College was chartered.
1855 On Christmas Day the streets of Atlanta were gas lit for the first time.
1856 The Atlanta Gas Light Company officially incorporated.
The AGLC was the City of Atlanta's FIRST INCORPORATION.
1857 Atlanta first designated the "Gate City" for its increasing importance as a Rail Center.
1859 City Directory of Atlanta was published.
1860 4 independent volunteer fire companies merged into a volunteer fire dept.
Population: 9,554
1862 Atlanta becomes a major Confederate Military Post, supply hub and hospital relief center.
1863 Under the supervision of Lemuel P. Grant, the city's defense lines are constructed.
1864 In July Federal forces cross the Chattahoochee in their approach of Atlanta. The City pounded by full-scale artillery assault throught Agusut.
July 27 - Sherman's Army of the Tennessee was now in place along a rural road west of Atlanta that lead to Ezra Methodist Church. They were ready to advance on ground that Hood has vowed that Confederate generals Stephen D. Lee and A.P. Stewart should not give up. Just after noon, the Battle of Ezra Church began. Unfortunately, the Confederates had but three divisions to face the 15th, 16th, and 17th Corps of the Army of the Tennessee. Moreover, command blunders for the Confederates meant their attacks were never coordinated. Despite bravery in the face of death, the Confederates withdrew from the battlefield with terrible loses--3,000 dead and wounded compared to less than 600 for Federal troops. Hood had been under intense pressure from Richmond to produce a victory.
Federal Forces began their occupation of Atlanta on Sept. 2 as Mayor James M. Calhoun officially surrenders the undefended City. General William T. Sherman orders Atlanta citizens to leave the City. By mid-November Sherman's forces end their occupation of Atlanta, they left most of the City in ruins as they begin their March to the Sea. The exiled city of Atlanta residents (Atlantans) began returning home to their devastation in late December.
1865 By order of the Federal Government - Atlanta became a U. S. Military Post. The gradual return of its citizens continued.
1866 New permanent buildings began to appear along the Atlanta streets to replace the ones that were erected so quickly in 1865 upon their return home.
1867 Atlanta University was chartered - Center for Higher Education of Black Students.
The first Rich's store opened in a one-story wooden building on Whitehall St.
Atlanta's Jewish Community formed a Hebrew Benevolent Congregation.
Providing the inspiration for an eventual library system, the Young Men's Library Association was founded.
1868 Atlanta replaced Milledgeville as Georgia's capital.
The Atlanta Constitution was founded, first issue June 16, 1868.
1869 Atlantans elected the first board of education. (Full public school system was in place by 1873). Boys High and Girls High were among the original schools.
1870 1870 - "The Kimball House Hotel opened on the site where the Atlanta Hotel stood in pre-CW days. Despite the controversy surrounding the financial aspects of the Kimball Opera House, opened to the public & on the evening of January 12, 1869, held a gala event. The Atlanta Constitution reported the next morning that - "Last evening presented a scene long to be remembered by our citizens who had the pleasure of being present at the opening of the "so-called" Opera House, which, from dome to basement, was brilliantly illuminated with gas. The exterior of the edifice presents a perfect blaze of light that arrested the attention of every passerby, and the immense throng of people who were hurrying toward the building gave evidence that everybody, and his wife, if not invited, were quite sure to be present on the night of opening this beautiful establishment."
In October 1870, the General Assembly approved state purchase of the Kimball Opera House, with records indicating the Governor Bullock paid $250,000 in Georgia bonds for the building. Twenty years later, the state would sell this building for $132,241.56, with the furniture also bringing in $2,051. Western Union Building was later constructed on this site.
Population: 21,789
1871 Entered the ease and convenience of Atlantas first railed street cars. The street cars were horse and mule drawn.
1872 The radical reconstruction rule ended.
1873 The Church of Immaculate Conception completed its new building.
The Atlanta and Charlotte Airline Railroad (today's Southern), was completed.
1875 Lakewood Park was the site of the first Atlanta's public water works system - went into operation at today's Lakewood Park
1877 Telephones introduced into Atlanta.
1878 At Kimball House - the first official weather office for Atlanta was opened.
1879 Morehouse college moved from Augusta to Atlanta.
The Southern Medical College founded .
1881 Atlanta puts on the first of 3 international cotton expos.
Morris Brown College founded.
Population: 37,409
1882 A paid "professional" Fire Department replaced the Volunteer Dept.
1883 "The Atlanta Journal" begans to cover "DIXIE".
1884 First subdivision of the City of Atlanta was created Peter's Park - near current day GA Tech campus.
The old city hall-county courthouse, which had served as the first statehouse in Atlanta, was put for sale at auction on October 15, 1884. The bid to tear it down that won was for $975, and on October 27th the building was razed. However, salvaged from the old city hall were about 500,000 bricks which would be used in the new state capitol. On November 13, 1884, construction on the new capitol began, although it was ten months before the cornerstone was laid. On September 2, 1885, an estimated 10,000 people were present to watch the setting of the marble cornerstone.
1885 On November 13, 1884, construction on the new capitol began, although it was ten months before the cornerstone was laid. On September 2, 1885, an estimated 10,000 people were present to watch the setting of the marble cornerstone.
The Georgia School of Technology was created by a legislative act.
1886 Baltimore Block was completed - it was the first Atlanta apartment complex.
Coca-Cola was introduced as a new beverage.
1887 Piedmont Expo was held in current Piedmont Park and was attended by President Grover Cleveland.
On December 5, 1877, voters across Georgia reaffirmed Atlanta as the capital city of Georgia by a vote of 99,147 to 55,201
1889 Although the original act authorizing construction of the capitol had stipulated a completion date of January 1, 1889, it was not until March 20, 1889 that construction was formally completed and the keys delivered to Governor John B. Gordon.
The Kimball Opera House had continued to serve as Georgia's statehouse, but on July 3, 1889, the members of the General Assembly marched as a body from the Kimball building to the new capitol. On that next day, July 4th, formal dedication of the capitol occurred. In thanking the members of the commission which had overseen the construction, Governor Gordon concluded his remarks by saying:
Built upon the crowning hill of her capital city, whose transformation from desolation and ashes to life, thrift and beauty, so aptly symbolizes the State's resurrection, this proud structure will stand through the coming centuries a fit memorial of the indomitable will of this people. THUS.... the Georgia State Capitol stood as completed with its gold dome.
Atlantans take first ride in the new electric street cars from Edgewood & Pryor to Inman Park.
1890 Population grew to 65,553
1892 Seaboard Air Line Railroad reached Atlanta.
1893 DeGive's Opera House opened - later known as Loew's Grand Theater.
1895 Piedmont Park was the site of the city's big and final international cotton expo.
1898 The famed Cyclorama painting was acquired by the City and put on display at Grant Park.
1900 Citizen's in Atlanta according to census - 89,872
1901 New creation caused a stir as Atlantas gawked at the first locally owned automobile ... a Locomobile steamer.
1902 The Federal Penitentiary opened.
The Carnegie Library was dedicated
1904 Atlanta extends city limits to include Piedmont Park after they purchased it.
1905 Probably the most severe ice storm in Atlanta in Feb. 1905.
1907 On Capitol grounds the statue of General John B. Gordon was unveiled. (Borglum's bronze equestrian statue).
1909 President William Howard Taft helped Atlanta celebrate the opening of the new Auditorium-Armory.
1910 Population - 154,839
The Metropolitian Opera company arrived for their first opera series.
1911 Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson & Howard Taft were honored guests at the Southern Commercial Congress.
1913 Georgia State University (aka Georgia Tech Evening School of Commerce) founded in the Walton building of downtown Atlanta. It would be three years before it graduated its first 7 students.
1913 One of Georgia's most famous -- and in many ways, most infamous -- trials of the century began in Fulton County superior court, with Leo Frank was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Mary Phagan. The first witness called was Mrs. J.W. Coleman, Mary Phagan's mother. She managed to stay collected during most of her testimony, but finally broke down in tears when asked to identify the clothes her daughter had worn on the day she was murdered. Next on the stand was George Epps, a thirteen-year-old boy who also worked at the National Pencil Factory, where Frank was supervisor. Epps had ridden the streetcar with Phagan the morning of April 26th, and the two had agreed to meet for an ice cream and to watch the Confederate Memorial Day Parade at 1:00 p.m. When Mary didn't show, Epps went to a baseball game. The final witness on this day was Newt Lee, the night watchman who discovered Mary Phagan's body and telephoned police. He testified for over two hours, telling the same story he had told police, that he noticed the body when he went into the basement to the restroom. He also told of Leo Frank being nervous because of the presence of John Gantt, who had been recently dismissed from the factory. That night, Frank called Lee to ask if everything was all right, an unusual practice for him
1914 A new Fulton County Courthouse opened.
Atlanta was named headquarters for the Federal Reserve Bank, 6th District.
1915 Emory University was chartered.
1916 Ogelthorpe University received its first students at its Peachtree Road campus.
1917 Devastating fire temporarily burned out 10,000 citizens in the NE area along Jackson Street and North Boulevard.
1918 Southern Railway opened the Brookwood Station facility - it was designed by Neel Reid.
The last of the horse drawn steamers were cut by the fire dept.
1920 US Census Population - 200,000 in Atlanta.
1922 WSB and WGST - First local Atlanta Stations to air in Atlanta
1925 The City leased (and later purchased) Candler Field for a municipal airport - known as Hartsfield or Hartsfield International in later years.
1926 Atlanta Historical Society inaugurated.
1928 Air Mail Service was introduced in Atlanta.
1929 City Hall completed.
1930 Delta Airlines - in June of 1930 scheduled passenger service from Atlanta.
Eastern Airlines in December of 1930 scheduled passenger service from Atlanta.
Population: 270,366
1931 Gov. Richard Russell signed an act incorporating Milton County into Fulton County, conditioned on approval of a referendum in each county. Voters of both counties ratified the consolidation, which became effective Jan. 1, 1932.
1932 With the annexation of Cambell and Milton Counties and of the Roswell District of Cobb County - Fulton exctended their boundaries.
1935 Atlanta's public housing project - Techwood Homes which was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a pioneering public housing project.
1936 GONE WITH THE WIND is published. ..... David O. Selznick paid Margaret Mitchell $50,000 for the motion picture rights to Gone With the Wind. At the time, more than 200,000 copies of the popular novel had been sold, and the $50,000 was the most ever paid for screen rights for an author's first work. The movie was not premiered in Atlanta until three years later.
1948 WSB-TV launched the City's first television station.
1950 Population 331,314
1977 As of 1977, only 19 years after gold application to the dome of the Capitol, almost half of the gold was gone from the dome.
1992 Georgia swimmer Angel Martino won the first gold medal of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
1996 July 27 - In the early morning hours, downtown Atlanta was shocked with the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. The blast killed one woman and injured more than 100 bystanders. By morning IOC officials decided to continue the 1996 Summer Olympics on this day (though Olympic flags were flown at half staff).
(July 30) On day 12 of the 1996 Summer Olympics, Olympic Centennial Park is reopened three days after the bombing.
1997 July 27 - Over 3,000 explosives were used to implode the 25-year-old Omni coliseum, located several blocks west of the center of downtown Atlanta. Twenty-thousand tons of structure were leveled in seconds. Gone was the long-time home of the Atlanta Hawks, 1988 National Democratic Convention, and countless rock concerts (including a number by Elvis and most of the popular music greats) and other events. What had opened in October 1972 with an Atlanta Flames hockey game will be replaced by a new facility to serve as home court for the Hawks beginning in 1999
ATLANTA PROFILE
Median household income
Local = $34,770
National = $41,994
Source: 2000 census, U.S. Census Bureau
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Atlanta is on the Piedmont Plateau, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Former and merged names include:
· Canebrake
· Marthasville
· White Hall
Much of the city was destroyed by Union troops, but the city grew rapidly after the Civil War.
Public transportation: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit
Crime: The number of violent crimes recorded by the FBI in 2003 was 8,491. The number of murders and
homicides was 149. The violent crime rate was 19.7 per 1,000 people.
Ranked No. 6 among big cities in the ePodunk College Town Index, 2002
Atlanta received national attention for July 27, 1996, bombing during the Summer Olympics.
Filming location for:
· 1989 movie, "Driving Miss Daisy"
· 1977 movie, "Smokey and the Bandit"
· 2006 movie, "Stomp the Yard"
· 2007 movie, "Daddy's Little Girls"
Census 2000 highlights: Among major American cities, ranked No. 7 in percentage black population (61.4%)
Well-known residents have included:
· Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader
· Ted Turner, founder of CNN and Turner Broadcasting
· Spike Lee, director, writer, producer
· Ludacris, rapper
More well-known residents
Local bands (past and present) have included Indigo Girls, S.O.S., TLC, Outkast, Black Crowes, Georgia Satellites
Coffee: National and regional coffee companies with outlets here include Caribou Coffee, Panera Bread, Seattle's Best Coffee, Starbucks
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