As of the 2000 census, the city proper had a population of 416,474;
greater metropolitan Atlanta had a population of 4,247,981 (a 38.4% increase
since 1990), making it the 11th largest metro area in the US. CNN and the
Atlanta Journal-Consitution have reported that the city's explosive growth,
both in geographic size and number of inhabitants, is the fastest of any
metropolitan area in the history of the world.
Among Atlanta's nicknames is "the phoenix city", as its rise from the ashes
of the Civil War resembles that of a mythical phoenix. It is also called the
"New York of the South." Due to its focus on commerce and role as birthplace
to civil rights leaders, Atlanta is often referred to as "the city too busy
to hate." Locals sometimes affectionately call the city "Hotlanta."
The city of Atlanta operates the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport, one of two airports considered the busiest in the world. MARTA is
the public transit agency, operating the subway and bus system.
History
Atlanta is the fifth city to serve as state capital, after colonial Savannah,
which later alternated with Augusta; then for a decade at Louisville, and
from 1806 through the American Civil War at Milledgeville. The state's
legislature also met at other temporary sites, including Macon, especially
during the Civil War.
The region where Atlanta and its suburbs were built was originally Creek and
Cherokee ("indian") territory. After they were deported to Oklahoma along
the Trail of Tears by the Federal government, white settlement in this area
increased rapidly.
Atlanta was first planned in 1836 as a terminus on the Western & Atlantic
Railroad, hence the original name, Terminus. The railroad terminus for lines
connecting from Birmingham, Chattanooga, Macon, Athens, etc. was originally
intended to be in Decatur, but the citizens of Decatur did not want a
railroad terminal. So an arbitrary spot was picked, around which the village
of Terminus grew up in expectation of railroad traffic. After briefly being
named Marthasville, the city was renamed "Atlanta" in 1847, by which time
several of the railroad lines were already in operation. Besides Decatur,
several other of what are now Atlanta's suburbs pre-date the city by several
years, including Marietta and Lawrenceville.
In 1864, the city became the target of a major Union invasion in the
American Civil War and scene of the Battle of Atlanta, later immortalized in
the novel and film Gone With the Wind. On September 1, 1864, Confederate
General John Bell Hood evacuated Atlanta after a four month siege mounted by
Union General William T. Sherman, and ordered all public buildings and
possible union assests destroyed. Forces under General Sherman entered
Atlanta the next day and Sherman ordered the civilian population to evacuate
on September 7. General Sherman ordered Atlanta burned to the ground on
November 11 in preparation for his punitive march south. Because of a plea
by Father Thomas O'Reilly of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sherman
did not burn the city's churches or hospitals. The remainder of war
resources were then destroyed in the aftermath and in Sherman's March to the
Sea. The fall of Atlanta is seen as a critical point in the Civil War,
giving the North more confidence, leading to the re-election of Abraham
Lincoln and the eventual surrender of the South.
Atlanta was gradually rebuilt after the war, and soon became the industrial
and commercial epicenter of the "new South".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
343.0 km˛ (132.4 mi˛). 341.2 km˛ (131.8 mi˛) of it is land and 1.8 km˛ (0.7
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 0.51% water.
At more than 1000 feet (300 m) above mean sea level, Atlanta is third in
elevation to slightly higher Phoenix and 1 mile (1,600 m) high Denver among
major American cities, sitting atop a ridge south of the Chattahoochee River.
Though now somewhat offset by the urban heat island effect, this still
results in a climate slightly more moderate than many other cities in the
Southern US, despite its common nickname as "Hotlanta".
According to folklore, its central avenue, Peachtree Street, runs through
the center of the city on the Eastern Continental Divide. However, the
divide line enters Atlanta from the southwest through Underground Atlanta.
From downtown, the divide line runs eastward along DeKalb Avenue and the CSX
rail lines through Decatur. Rainwater that falls on the south and east side
runs eventually into the Atlantic Ocean while rainwater on the north and
west side of the divide runs into the Gulf of Mexico.
The latter is via the Chattahoochee River, part of the ACF River Basin, and
from which Atlanta and many of its neighbors draw most of their municipal
water supplies. Being at the far northwestern edge of the city limits, much
of the river's natural habitat is still preserved, in part by the
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Downstream, however, the
area's excessive water use and pollution during droughts has been a source
of contention and legal wrangling.
Climate
Average annual rainfall is about 54 inches or 137cm, typically with late
winter and early spring (as well as July) being the wettest and fall being
the driest. Average annual snowfall is about 1.5 inches or 3.8cm, falling
mostly in January and early February. Snow (or ice) occasionally occurs as
early as December or as late as mid-March; since 1878 snow or flurries has
fallen only three times in October and four in April. Winters are mild, with
January daily lows (minimums) near freezing and highs (maximums) near 50°F
or 10°C. Summers are moderately hot and humid, with July mornings near 70°F
or 11°C and afternoons near 89°F or 32°C, slight breezes, and typically a
20~30% chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
Spring weather is typically very pleasant but quite variable, as cold fronts
often bring strong or severe thunderstorms to almost all of the eastern and
central U.S.. The rain helps wash out Atlanta's abundant oak and pine tree
pollens, however, and fuels beautiful blooms from native dogwood trees, as
well as vibrant azaleas, forsythias, magnolias, and of course peach trees,
both flowering-only and fruiting. This city-wide display runs during all of
March and April, and inspires the Dogwood Festival, one of Atlanta's largest.
Fall is also pleasant, with less rain and fewer storms, lower humidity, and
beautiful leaves changing colors from late October to mid-November,
especially during drier years.
Neighborhoods
Atlanta is often described as a 'city of neighborhoods' each having its own
distinct personality.
Metropolitan area
The following counties are part of the Atlanta metropolitan area
Barrow County
Bartow County
Carroll County
Cherokee County
Clayton County
Cobb County
Coweta County
DeKalb County
Douglas County
Fayette County
Forsyth County
Fulton County
Gwinnett County
Henry County
Newton County
Paulding County
Rockdale County
Spalding County
Walton County
Government and politics
The city has a mayor (currently Shirley Franklin) and a city council. The
mayor may veto a bill passed by the council, but the council may override
with a two-thirds majority. The Atlanta Board of Education runs the Atlanta
Public Schools, and owns and operates radio station WABE-FM at 90.1MHz.
In July 2004, Atlanta became the first city in the state to impose a sales
tax of its own, bringing the total to 8% in both the Fulton and DeKalb parts
of the city. This passed in a referendum during the July 20th primary
election by a 75% to 25% majority, after being allowed by the state
legislature earlier in 2004. The sales tax helped to reduce a huge rate
increase on water and sewer bills, necessary to pay three billion dollars in
bonds to fix the city's aging (and in places decrepit) municipal water and
sewer systems. Combined sewer overflows will also be eliminated, so that
runoff is separated, preventing diluted sewage from overflowing at water
treatment plants during heavy rains.
As the state capital, Atlanta is also the site of most of Georgia's state
government, including the Georgia General Assembly and the residence of the
governor of Georgia in Buckhead. It is also home to Georgia Public
Broadcasting headquarters and Peachnet.
It is the county seat of Fulton County, with which it shares responsibility
for the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System. [1] (http://www.af.public.lib.ga.us)
Demographics
The census of 2000 states there are 416,474 people, 168,147 households, and
83,232 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,220.5/km˛
(3,161.2/mi˛). There are 186,925 housing units at an average density of
547.8/km˛ (1,418.8/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 33.22% White,
61.39% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.04% Pacific
Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 4.49% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 168,147 households out of which 22.4% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 24.5% are married couples living together, 20.7%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.5% are non-families.
38.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.3% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.30 and the average family size is 3.16.
In the city the population is spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18,
13.3% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100
females there are 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $34,770, and the median
income for a family is $37,231. Males have a median income of $36,162
compared to $30,178 for females. The per capita income for the city is
$25,772, and 24.4% of the population and 21.3% of families are below the
poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 38.8% are under the
age of 18 and 20.7% are 65 or older.
Business and development
Despite romantic associations, Atlanta has always been a commercial city,
and not an ante-bellum monument. It is the major center of regional commerce,
and boasts an especially strong convention and trade show business. Several
major national and international companies are headquartered in Atlanta or
its nearby suburbs, including United Parcel Service in Sandy Springs and
home-grown Home Depot. Newell Rubbermaid has recently moved to the area as
well. Looking to the future, Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus is donating
more than 200 million dollars to build the new Georgia Aquarium. Atlanta
also has its own Flatiron Building, built before (1897) the better-known one
in New York City (1902).
On the north side of the city near Midtown, the former Atlantic Steel plant
is being redeveloped as Atlantic Station, a mixed-use urban renewal project
combining housing, retail, and office space, and promoted as one solution to
Atlanta's ever more serious traffic and summer smog problems. The metro area
has one of America's longest daily commutes, and is one of the most car-dependent
cities on the planet, both due to suburban sprawl, and lack of large nearby
lakes or mountains to compress growth. It also has a notorious reputation as
being one of the most dangerous for pedestrians, as far back as 1949, when
Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell was struck by a speeding car and
killed while crossing Peachtree at the corner of Thirteenth near the
apartment that she referred to as 'The Dump' (now a museum open to the
public) [2] (http://www.gwtw.org/). Other significant attractions include
Underground Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park.
The city is a major cable television programming source; the CNN Center
headquarters of the Cable News Network is in Atlanta, where it was founded,
and The Weather Channel broadcasts from just outside of town. In addition to
CNN, Ted Turner's (and now Time Warner's) other networks from Atlanta
include Cartoon Network/Adult Swim and companion channel Boomerang, TNT,
Turner South, CNN International, CNN Headline News, CNNfn, CNN Airport
Network, and TBS. Atlanta's WTBS channel 17 (originally WTCG) was Turner's
start in television in the 1970s, after he bought the struggling UHF TV
station, turning it into a profitable venture which still broadcasts "Superstation"
TBS locally and nationally.
Corporate headquarters
There are many businesses who were founded or have their headquarters in and
near Atlanta. Here is a list of the major ones.
BellSouth
Cingular Wireless
CNN
Coca-Cola
Cox Communications
Delta Air Lines
Earthlink
Equifax
Georgia-Pacific
Home Depot (in Vinings)
Interface
Newell-Rubbermaid
Rayovac
Rollins/Orkin
Russell Corporation (in Vinings)
Southern Company
SunTrust Bank
UPS (in Sandy Springs)
The Weather Channel (in Vinings)
World Airways (in Peachtree City)
Ford Motor Company has a plant here, assembling the Ford Taurus and Mercury
Sable. Alanta is also the location of the CDC or Center for Disease Control.
Skyscrapers
In recent years, Atlanta has become a haven for tall buildings. Here is a
list of the ten tallest:
Bank of America Plaza(the "Pencil Building") [3] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121137/)
SunTrust Plaza [4] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121136/)
One Atlantic Center (the "IBM Tower") [5] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121138/)
191 Peachtree Tower [6] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121141/)
Westin Peachtree Plaza [7] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121254/)
Georgia Pacific Tower [8] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121217/)
Promenade II [9] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121095/)
BellSouth Building [10] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121201/)
Four Seasons Hotel [11] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121101/)
Wachovia Bank of Georgia [12] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121135/)
The Marriott Marquis Hotel [13] (http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/bu/121108/)
is also notable for its bulging base, and is therefore often jokingly known
as the "pregnant building" for its odd shape. More about Atlanta's buildings
can be found at http://www.skyscrapers.com/re/en/wm/ci/101302/.
A 614 metre skyscraper dubbed the "Atlanta Tower" had been proposed. The
idea was rejected, though, because it would have dwarfed the surrounding
skyline. It was to contain 130 stories of office space. The idea never got
far enough for the design to be released to the public. Two good design
ideas can be found at http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b8486.
Educational Institutions
Atlanta is home to numerous institutions of higher education, including
Emory University
Georgia Tech
Georgia State University
Agnes Scott College
Oglethorpe University
Reformed Theological Seminary
as well as the Atlanta University Center, a cluster of historically black
institutions including
Clark Atlanta University
Morehouse College
Spelman College
Morehouse School of Medicine
Culture and recreation
One of Atlanta's most important features is the fact that it was one of the
major centers of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in the city, and his boyhood home on
Auburn Avenue in the Sweet Auburn district is preserved by the National Park
Service as a National Historic Site. Meetings with other civil rights
leaders, including Hosea Williams and current Congressman John Lewis, often
happened at Paschal's, a diner and motor inn which was a favorite for
"colored" people, banned from "white" restaurants in an era of racial
segregation and intolerance. King's final resting place is in the tomb at
the center of the reflecting pool at The King Center.
In addition, Atlanta sports museums, several geared toward children. Two
excellent science museums for kids are the Fernbank museum and SciTrek (now
closed). In the category of art, there is the excellent Atlanta High Museum
of Art.
Atlanta sports historical museums as well. Places worth visiting are the
Atlanta Cyclorama, a huge rotating painting that depicts the Battle of
Atlanta in the Civil War, the Jimmy Carter Museum, and the famous Fox
Theater.
There are many Atlanta FM radio stations that play music of different kinds.
The heart of the city's nature and its festivals is Piedmont Park, which is
to Atlanta what Central Park is to New York City. In 1887, a group of
prominent Atlantans purchased 189 acres (0.8 km˛) of farmland to build a
horse racing track, later developed into the site of the Cotton States
International Exposition of 1895. In 1904, the city council purchased the
land for $99,000, and today it is the largest park in metro Atlanta, with
more than 2.5 million visitors each year. The grounds were part of the
Battle at Peachtree Creek – a Confederate division occupied the northern
edge on July 20, 1864 as part of the outer defense line against Sherman's
approach. Other notable events were the first intercollegiate football game
in the South, Auburn vs. Georgia in 1892, and the international debut of
motion pictures in 1895. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is currently located
next to the park, and Zoo Atlanta is located in Grant Park.
Sports teams
Major League Baseball: Atlanta Braves
American football, National Football League: Atlanta Falcons
Basketball, National Basketball Association: Atlanta Hawks
Hockey, National Hockey League: Atlanta Thrashers
Soccer: Women's United Soccer Association (defunct): Atlanta Beat
Major attractions
Atlanta Botanical Garden: a botanical garden featuring a variety of indoor
and outdoor plant specimens. [14] (http://www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/)
Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum: This large cyclorama and museum
contains a huge painting of the Battle of Atlanta, within which an
auditorium rotates while a program explains the various scenes on the wall
and in relief in front of it. It is right next to Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park.
Atlanta History Center: a historical museum
Centennial Olympic Park: Commemorative park built for 1996 Summer Olympics.
Created in downtown Atlanta from former area of dilapidated buildings, and
operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. [15]
(http://www.centennialpark.com/) [16] (http://www.gwcc.com/)
CNN Studios: The building in which actual CNN worldwide broadcasts are made.
There are many tours available and a gift shop. [17] (http://www.cnn.com/)
Fernbank Science Center: A very large and spectacular museum of science with
many unique exhibits. It houses several complete dinosaur skeletons. [18]
(http://www.fernbank.edu/)
Georgia Aquarium: scheduled to open in 2005 [19]
(http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/)
Georgia State Capitol: topped with gold from Dahlonega
High Museum of Art: Atlanta's largest arts museum designed by modernist
Richard Meier. [20] (http://www.High.org)
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library: Large museum dedicated to Jimmy Carter,
the sole Georgian to be president. Many archives and records of his term in
office. [21] (http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/) [22]
(http://www.cartercenter.org/) [23]
(http://carterlibrary.galileo.peachnet.edu/)
Margaret Mitchell House: museum [24] (http://www.gwtw.org/)
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site: The largest museum in the
world dedicated solely to the famous African-American. [25]
(http://www.nps.gov/malu/)
Piedmont Park Atlanta's backyard and playground. [26]
(http://www.piedmontpark.org/)
Stone Mountain: Stone Mountain is the largest piece of exposed granite in
the world. In the side of it are the carvings of Jefferson Davis, Robert E.
Lee, and Stonewall Jackson. It is also the site of impressive laser shows in
the summer. [27] (http://www.stonemountainpark.com/)
The Varsity: An icon in the city, the main branch of the fast-food chain is
the largest drive-in restaurant in the world.
Woodruff Arts Center: home to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony, High
Musuem and Atlanta College of Art. [28] (http://woodruffcenter.org)
World of Coca-Cola: A musuem dedicated to the education and serving of the
most recognized brandname in the world.
Zoo Atlanta: Zoo Atlanta contains quite a collection of animals and is one
of the few U.S. zoos to contain a panda exhibit. [29]
(http://www.zooatlanta.org/)
Major Events
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Peachtree Road Race
Peach Bowl
Music Midtown
Georgia Renaissance Festival
Sweet Auburn SpringFest
Other
Atlanta in film and television
Atlanta is or was the setting for several television programs, including
The Catlins
Designing Women
Lobo
Matlock
Profiler
as well as several movies, including
Beauty Shop
Driving Miss Daisy
Drumline
Gone With the Wind
Love Crimes
The Slugger's Wife
Famous Atlantans
Martin Luther King, Jr. - civil rights leader
John Lewis - Civil rights leader turned Congressman
Andrew Young - Civil rights activist and former mayor of Atlanta
Maynard Jackson - Former mayor for whom airport's name was augmented
Gladys Knight, Brian McKnight, Richard Marx - singers
Jennifer Paige - singer
Chipper Jones - baseball player
Hank Aaron - Baseball Hall of Famer and the major leagues' all-time home run
king
Spike Lee - film director
Margaret Mitchell - author of Gone With the Wind
William Luther Pierce - neo-Fascist
Joe Scarborough - former US Congressman and MSNBC personality
Steven Soderbergh - film director
Chris Tucker - film actor
Ted Turner - media mogul
Ludacris, Outkast, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes - rappers
Usher, Monica - R&B singers
Ryan Seacrest - TV/radio personality and host of American Idol
Jeff Foxworthy - actor & comedian
RuPaul - singer, songwriter and drag queen
Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston - husband and wife/singers and movie stars
Deion Sanders - two-sport athlete (MLB and NFL)
Dominique Wilkins - former NBA star
Dick Clark - television personality and host of several shows, including
American Bandstand, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, The $25,000 Pyramid
and The $100,000 Pyramid
Sister cities
Atlanta has several sister cities [30]
(http://www.atlantaga.gov/international/listing.aspx):
Ancient Olympia, Greece
Brussels, Belgium
Bucharest, Romania
Cotonu, Benin
Lagos, Nigeria
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Nuremberg, Germany
Port of Spain, Trinidad
Ra'anana, Israel
Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Salcedo, Dominican Republic
Salzburg, Austria
Daegu, Korea
Taipei, Taiwan
Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
Toulouse, France
