History of Atlanta Timeline

(1837 - Present)

Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, began in 1837 as a railroad terminus called Terminus. It grew into a major commercial hub of the Southeast, was nearly destroyed during the Civil War in Sherman's March to the Sea, and was rebuilt to become known as the 'Phoenix City.' Atlanta played a central role in the Civil Rights Movement as the home of Martin Luther King Jr., hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics, and today stands as one of America's most important economic and cultural centers. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Settlement

European settlers arrive in the future Atlanta area

1820

Following Indian Removal pressures, white settlers began moving into north Georgia, gradually displacing Creek and Cherokee communities and establishing homesteads near the future site of Atlanta.

Image source: History of Atlanta

Treaty of New Echota cedes Cherokee lands

Dec 29, 1835

The Treaty of New Echota transferred Cherokee lands east of the Mississippi to the United States, opening up territory including the Atlanta area to rapid white settlement and leading to the Trail of Tears.

Image source: Treaty of New Echota

Treaty of New Echota cedes Cherokee lands

Growth and Industry

Atlanta founded as terminus of Western & Atlantic Railroad

1837

Atlanta originated as a railroad settlement at the southern end of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. The zero-mile marker drove into the ground in 1837 is traditionally considered the founding point of the city.

Town incorporated as Marthasville

Dec 23, 1843

The growing railroad settlement was incorporated as Marthasville, named after Governor Wilson Lumpkin's daughter Martha, before being renamed just two years later.

Image source: History of Atlanta

Georgia Railroad reaches Atlanta from Augusta

Sep 1845

The completion of the Georgia Railroad line from Augusta cemented Atlanta's role as a major southeastern rail hub, spurring rapid population growth and commercial development.

Image source: Georgia Railroad and Banking Company

City renamed Atlanta and incorporated

Dec 29, 1845

The town was renamed Atlanta, reportedly a feminized version of 'Atlantica-Pacifica,' reflecting aspirations as a rail link between the Atlantic and the West, and was officially incorporated as a city in 1847.

International Cotton Exposition held in Atlanta

1881

The International Cotton Exposition showcased the New South's industrial potential, drawing national attention to Atlanta as an emerging center of manufacturing and commerce.

Image source: Cotton States and International Exposition

Coca-Cola invented by John Pemberton in Atlanta

May 8, 1886

Pharmacist John S. Pemberton created Coca-Cola at Jacobs' Pharmacy in downtown Atlanta, launching what would become the world's most famous soft drink brand and a cornerstone of the city's corporate identity.

Image source: Coca-Cola

Piedmont Park hosts the Cotton States Exposition

1895

The Cotton States and International Exposition at Piedmont Park promoted the economic recovery of the South and attracted nearly a million visitors to Atlanta, further burnishing the city's national reputation.

Image source: Cotton States and International Exposition

1906 Atlanta race riot erupts

Sep 22, 1906

White mobs attacked Black neighborhoods across Atlanta over several days, killing dozens and injuring many more. The riot exposed deep racial tensions and spurred the growth of Black self-help organizations.

Image source: 1906 Atlanta race massacre

Leo Frank lynching in Marietta

Aug 17, 1915

Jewish factory manager Leo Frank was abducted from prison and lynched by a mob after his conviction for murder, an event that energized both the revived Ku Klux Klan and the Anti-Defamation League.

Image source: Leo Frank

Gone with the Wind premieres in Atlanta

Dec 15, 1939

The film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning novel premiered at Loew's Grand Theatre amid massive celebrations, drawing worldwide attention to Atlanta and boosting civic pride during the Depression era.

Image source: Gone with the Wind (film)

Civil War & Reconstruction

Battle of Peachtree Creek

Jul 20, 1864

Confederate forces under General John Bell Hood attacked Union troops under George Thomas north of Atlanta but were repulsed, marking one of the key engagements of the Atlanta Campaign.

Image source: Battle of Peachtree Creek

Battle of Atlanta

Jul 22, 1864

A fierce day-long battle southeast of the city saw Union forces under William T. Sherman defeat Confederate attacks by Hood's army, bringing Sherman's forces closer to capturing the vital rail center.

Image source: Battle of Atlanta

Fall of Atlanta to Union forces

Sep 2, 1864

Union General William Tecumseh Sherman captured Atlanta after a months-long campaign. The fall of this crucial Confederate supply hub boosted Northern morale and helped secure Abraham Lincoln's reelection.

Image source: Atlanta in the American Civil War

Sherman's March to the Sea begins from Atlanta

Nov 15, 1864

Sherman ordered the burning of Atlanta's military and industrial assets before marching his army toward Savannah, leaving much of the devastated city in ruins and becoming a defining moment in its history.

Image source: Sherman's March to the Sea

Reconstruction era reshapes postwar Atlanta

1865 - 1877

Atlanta rebuilt rapidly after the war, with freed African Americans establishing churches, schools, and businesses, while federal policies and new industries transformed the city's economy and politics.

Image source: Reconstruction era

Reconstruction era reshapes postwar Atlanta

Atlanta becomes state capital of Georgia

1868

After Reconstruction-era political maneuvering, Atlanta replaced Milledgeville as Georgia's capital city, a status it has retained ever since and which fueled its continued growth.

Image source: Atlanta

Civil Rights Era

NAACP founded partly in response to the riot

Feb 12, 1909

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded in New York, with Atlanta's 1906 race riot among the events galvanizing activists to organize nationally against racial violence and discrimination.

Image source: NAACP

Martin Luther King Jr. born in Atlanta

Jan 15, 1929

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta, where he was shaped by Ebenezer Baptist Church and the city's thriving Black middle class before becoming the nation's foremost civil rights leader.

Image source: Martin Luther King Jr.

Student-led sit-ins desegregate downtown lunch counters

Mar 15, 1960 - 1961

Students from Atlanta University Center colleges launched sit-ins against segregated facilities as part of the Atlanta Student Movement, contributing to the gradual desegregation of public accommodations in the city.

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers 'I Have a Dream' speech

Aug 28, 1963

Atlanta native Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech at the March on Washington, cementing his leadership of the civil rights movement and bringing global attention to the struggle for equality.

Image source: I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis

Apr 4, 1968

The assassination of Atlanta's most famous son shocked the nation and sparked grief and unrest nationwide. His body returned to Atlanta, and his funeral drew leaders from around the world to the city.

Image source: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Maynard Jackson elected first Black mayor of Atlanta

Oct 1973 - 1982

Maynard Jackson became the first African American mayor of any major Southern city, expanding minority business participation in city contracts and overseeing the expansion of Hartsfield Airport.

Image source: Maynard Jackson

Maynard Jackson elected first Black mayor of Atlanta

Modern Atlanta

Atlanta airport opens as Candler Field expansion grows

1926

Candler Field, later Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, began operations in 1926 and grew into the world's busiest airport, transforming Atlanta into the commercial capital of the Southeast.

Image source: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield becomes mayor, beginning long tenure

Jan 1937 - 1962

William Berry Hartsfield served six terms as Atlanta's mayor, championing aviation, expanding the airport that now bears his name, and guiding the city toward more moderate racial politics than other Southern cities.

Image source: William B. Hartsfield

Andrew Young elected mayor of Atlanta

Oct 1981 - 1990

Former UN Ambassador and civil rights leader Andrew Young succeeded Maynard Jackson as mayor, promoting international investment and helping position Atlanta as a global city capable of hosting the Olympics.

Image source: Andrew Young

Atlanta selected to host the 1996 Summer Olympics

Sep 18, 1990

The International Olympic Committee awarded Atlanta the Centennial Olympic Games, beating Athens and triggering billions of dollars in infrastructure investment and urban revitalization.

Image source: 1996 Summer Olympics

Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta

Jul 19, 1996 - Aug 4, 1996

Atlanta hosted the centennial celebration of the modern Olympics, welcoming athletes from around the world. The games transformed the cityscape with venues like Centennial Olympic Park despite challenges including the Centennial Park bombing.

Centennial Olympic Park bombing

Jul 27, 1996

A pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park during the Games, killing two people and injuring over a hundred. The incident briefly disrupted the Olympics and led to a years-long investigation of Eric Rudolph.

Image source: Centennial Olympic Park bombing

Shirley Franklin becomes first female mayor of Atlanta

Jan 2002

Shirley Franklin became the first woman elected mayor of Atlanta, focusing on fiscal reform, sewer infrastructure overhaul, and quality-of-life improvements during her two terms.

Image source: Shirley Franklin

Atlanta BeltLine project begins development

2006

Construction began on the Atlanta BeltLine, an ambitious plan converting old railway corridors into trails, transit, and parks encircling the city, spurring redevelopment and becoming a model of urban transformation.

Image source: Atlanta Beltline

Key Facts

Atlanta was founded in 1837 as 'Terminus,' the end point of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and was incorporated as a city in 1847.
During the Civil War, Atlanta was a critical Confederate supply hub and was burned largely by Union forces under General William T. Sherman in 1864 after the Battle of Atlanta.
Atlanta became known as the 'Phoenix City' because it rose from the ashes of Civil War destruction to rebuild rapidly during Reconstruction.
The city was the birthplace and home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
Atlanta hosted the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996, which transformed the city's infrastructure and cemented its status as an international city.

Source

This History of Atlanta timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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