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History
Home » Georgia » Atlanta: Overview and History » HistoryAtlanta was only incorporated in 1845, but it immediately garnered a reputation as the transportation hub of the southeast, as its central location made it an ideal location for railroad companies. As was the case elsewhere in the South, cotton was the main cash crop, but Atlanta did have a small manufacturing presence as well.
For Atlanta, however, the watershed moment was in 1864 when General William Sherman burned the entire city on his “March to the Sea.” No buildings of notable size survived Sherman’s work, and the city was forced to rebuild. The city rebuilt quickly, however, and by 1877, Atlanta was Georgia’s state capital. To this day, Atlanta maintains its reputation as a city that flourishes through change and trying circumstances.
The twentieth century has witnessed Atlanta’s continued population, economic, and geographic growth, but the city also played a prominent role in America’s civil rights struggle. Martin Luther King, Jr., grew up on Auburn Street and pastored Ebenezer Baptist Church along with his father. The nation’s first black mayor was in Atlanta, and another black mayor, Andrew Young, was later named as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. More recently, Atlanta gained international prominence in 1996, when the city hosted the Summer Olympics.
If you are particularly interested in the history of Atlanta, there is plenty of information available. When you’re in town, you should visit the Atlanta History Museum, which includes two historic houses. In addition, make sure you check out the Martin Luther King sites, as well as the Confederate Memorial, Civil War museums, and Jimmy Carter presidential library.
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