Atlanta History & Information
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Atlanta…Rich in History and a Fun Place to Visit!
Atlanta is home to the late Dr. Martin Luther King. You can visit his childhood home where he grew up. Atlanta is surrounded with history. There’s so much to see and so much to do, you couldn’t possibly see everything in one day. I remember the first time I visited this large city in 1991. We went to see my ex husbands sister who lived in the greater downtown area. We were able to shop at the underground mall and we had a great time at the famous 6 flags. It would be 10 years later before I was able to visit Atlanta once again. Atlanta has a certain charm that’s hard to explain. The only thing that kept me from staying was my precious 4 year old son, who was back in Florida waiting for his mom to return home.
Atlanta is the capitol of Georgia and perhaps one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities in the nation, making it one of the largest cities as well-the thirty third largest in the US. Planning my move from Florida I already knew this. I was forewarned of the congestion on I-75 and tried my best to plan around that. But as fate would have it, it didn’t quite work out that way. I found myself inching my way in traffic around 4 in the afternnoon. And to make matters worse, it was July 3rd. Yikes! I had never seen traffic move so slow in my entire life. And here’s another interesting fact: Atlanta is right behind Fort Lauderdale/Miami area as being the most populated city in America. With over 5 million people living in this historic city, it’s no wonder some decide to pack it all up and head for the mountains where small towns offer a less hectic way of life. Still, others choose to stay because of jobs and the plethora of attractions and things to do.
Atlanta has a great advantage because if one wanted to getaway for the weekend, the mountains are only a couple of hours away. Atlanta also isn’t very far from Florida for those who want to travel south for a summer vacation that’s only a few hours away. And here’s some more interesting information. Did you know that Atlanta is the leading headquarters worldwide for ATT Mobility, Delta Airlines, And The Coca-Cola Company? Headquarters for UPS and Home Depot are also located in Atlanta’s surrounding areas.
Now let’s talk about a city rich in history. The trail of tears forced thousands of innocent Cherokee from their homes and resulted in one of the saddest moments in American history. Over 15,000 Indians were forced to leave the only home they knew. And sadly, nearly 4,000 died while trying to make this trip on foot. Atlanta was known as ‘Standing Peachtree’. When the Indians were forced to leave, it became known as the city of Decatur. Now let’s move up a few years to the civil war. Many bloody battles were fought here including: The Battle of Peachtree Creek, and The Battle of Atlanta. In 1864 most of Atlanta was burned to the ground, ordered by Union General William. T. Sherman. All but hospitals and churches were burned after the city was ordered to evacuate. Although it took some time, Atlanta slowly was rebuilt and came back to life.
By the time the 1960’s rolled in, Atlanta was the hot spot for the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Martin Luther King and students from Atlanta’s historical black colleges became leaders in this riveting movement. The most popular civil rights organizations had their headquarters in Atlanta. They were the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The city continued to thrive as time moved on. In 1990 Atlanta was chosen for the site of the 1996 summer Olympics. Atlanta was now the third city in the US to host the Olympics.
Climate has taken a slight shift during recent years. While Atlanta has experienced snow in the past, no one was more shocked than Atlanta residents over the past couple years. In February of 2009 they saw snow while folks like me who live in the mountains of Georgia, saw nothing. This year while we experienced our fair share of snow and ice, the folks in Atlanta were right along side of us. This year left so much snow and ice-leaving many Atlantans feeling perplexed.
You’ve heard of the saying’Georgia Peach’. That’s no mistake. If you happen to visit this gorgeous southern state during the summer months, don’t forget to stop on the side of the road when you see those big words- “Peaches”! You won’t want to miss these mouth watering peaches as you sink your teeth into them!
Last but not least, you’ll want to know what attractions await you as you visit this spectacular city. This time of year you can still visit Snow Mountain. Stone Mountain turns into Snow Mountain where man made snow waits you, for a fun filled day of tubing and snowman building for the whole family. This year more folks probably had an opportunity to sled down the hill in their front yards-unless they lived in more southerly areas. After winter ends, Snow Mountain turns back into Stone Mountain, a theme park packed full of fun. Another famous theme park is Six Flags. I had the opportunity to visit this park in 1991. I must say that was a hot summer, so it was nice to cool off on one of their water rides! Atlanta is also home to one of Americas largest Zoo’s-The Atlanta Zoo. Here you can see gorillas, lions, and pandas at their very best. If you like ocean dwelling occupants, why not travel to Atlanta's Aquarium, Not far from the Zoo, there are special package offers where you can visit both attractions in one day. You won’t want to miss the world’s largest aquarium. Get an up close and personal look at the beluga whale and the African penguin while visiting the Coldwater Quest at The Aquarium. The fun has only begun! You can take a tour of The Coca Cola Factory for less then $30.00 and taste over 60 different products from around the world. You can even take home a free 8 ounce bottle of Coca Cola!
Fun at Snow Mountain February, 2009
While Downtown Atlanta you’ll want to visit Dr. Martin Luther King’s birth home and church on Ebenezer Street. While visiting this historic site, you can view films and exhibits and even view his gravesite. For the shopper there’s underground Atlanta. Shop under the city in six blocks of specialty stores. Up for a game of all American baseball? Then why not travel to the home of The Atlanta Braves at Turner Field and watch them play! For its one, two, three strikes you’re out-at the ole ball game! For those of you who prefer a good football game, then you can watch the Atlanta Falcons score big at The Georgia Dome. The Georgia dome was also the site for 1996 summer Olympics. As you leave downtown Atlanta and travel midtown you can visit the High Museum of Arts for a spectacular display of European painting, 19th/20th century American works, and African –American photography and art.
Traveling east of Downtown you can always visit Little Five Points. This is one of my favorite places to visit. Little Five Points offers a unique combination of alternative stores for those who want something different. If hip is up your alley, then you’ll want to see these groovy little shops!
There’s a long list of attractions and places to see while visiting Atlanta. If you want to know more you can visit this website:
This website can also take you to popular places to eat and stay if you’re spending the night. I hope you enjoy your visit and ya’ll come back now ya hear!