INTRODUCTION

The Atlanta area was originally inhabited by Cherokee and Creek Indians, and was named Standing Peachtree. In 1823, the area was opened to white settlement. It remained mostly woods until 1836, when the area was chosen as the southern "Terminus" of a railroad from Chattanooga. A local settlement called "Thrashersville" (near present-day Philips arena, home of the Atlanta Thrashers) was renamed "Terminus," but in 1843 the town was renamed "Marthasville," after the wife of the governor of Georgia. The business community, however, was concerned that such a name wouldn't sell, and a new name, "Atlanta," was chosen in 1845 as much more marketable. Hence, from the start "Atlanta" began as a transportation hub and marketing center. The town was incorporated as the "city" of Atlanta in 1847, and by 1860 the population was 9,554.

Atlanta was largely destroyed by Union forces during the Civil War, but was chosen as the state capital in 1868, having been established as the site of command for Union soldiers and the Reconstruction administration. In the 1880's, a revival was led by newspaperman Henry Grady, who advocated Atlanta as the "capital of the New South." By 1890 Atlanta had 65,000 residents and was one of the 50 largest cities in America, a distinction Atlanta has held for over 110 years. In the 20th century, Atlanta was a center for the American Civil Rights Movement and served as the host city for the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics.

One of the city's nicknames, "The Phoenix City", relates to its rise after the Civil War. The phoenix appears in many of Atlanta's symbols, including its seal and flag. In the 1940s and 1950s, former Atlanta mayor William B. Hartsfield called Atlanta "The City Too Busy to Hate". In addition, it has also been called the "New York of the South" in response to one of Georgia's own nicknames, "The Empire State of the South." Atlanta may also be known as ATL, a colloquialism for the city (also the IATA airport code for the airport).

Atlanta is circled by Interstate 285, which has come to delineate the interior of the city from the surrounding suburbs. This has given rise to calling residents inside the "Perimeter" (local parlance for I-285) as ITP (Inside the Perimeter) and those in the suburbs OTP (Outside the Perimeter). The Perimeter is Atlanta's equivalent to the Capital Beltway around Washington, DC.

Atlanta has such a great economic impact on the state and the surrounding region that cities and towns up to 60 miles away are considered 'exurbs', defined by the fact that people depend on their livelihoods by commuting to work in the city, rapidly growing what is called Metro Atlanta. The city is also arguably the most influential seat of African political and economic power in the globe, Atlanta has not had a non-black mayor for over 30 years and in recent decades nearly all Fire Chiefs, Police Chiefs, and other govenment officials have been African-American.

Geography and climate

Due to its high elevation and distance from a large body of water, Atlanta experiences a climate much more temperate than the subtropical coastal areas of Georgia, with extremes of hot and cold and a high degree of seasonal temperature variation. Though now somewhat offset by the urban heat island effect, this still results in a climate colder than many other cities in the South of the U.S., despite its common nickname, "Hotlanta". At 33 degrees 39 minutes north, Atlanta lies at approximately the same latitude as Los Angeles, Phoenix and Casablanca, but due to its elevation and location in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is much cooler than these places and sees snowfall in winter. Atlanta's record high of 105 F was recorded on July 13 and 17, 1980, still lower than most major cities (even Detroit has reached 106, and New York City 107). The record low temperature in the city is a very cold -9 F.

Local attractions

Learn more

DESTINATION PROFILES
We're adding new destinations every day. Have a look :