Atlanta History Center

Last updated
Atlanta History Center
Atlanta History Center Logo.png
Atlanta Central.png
Red pog.svg
Location within Atlanta
Established1926
Location130 West Paces Ferry Road
TypeHistory
Accreditation American Alliance of Museums
CEOSheffield Hale
Owner Atlanta Historical Society
Nearest parkingOn site (no charge)
Website Atlanta History Center

Atlanta History Center is a history museum and research center located in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia. The Museum was founded in 1926 and currently consists of nine permanent, and several temporary, exhibitions. Atlanta History Center's campus is 33-acres and features historic gardens and houses located on the grounds, including Swan House, Smith Farm, and Wood Family Cabin. Atlanta History Center's Midtown Campus includes the Margaret Mitchell House & Museum. The History Center's research arm, Kenan Research Center, is open by appointment, and provides access to the archival collections. Atlanta History Center holds one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in the United States.  

Contents

Exhibitions

Atlanta History Center operates three types of exhibitions: permanent, temporary, and traveling.

Permanent exhibitions

Western & Atlantic RR 49, the "Texas," after cosmetic restoration at Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum Texas after cosmetic restoration at Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum.jpg
Western & Atlantic RR 49, the "Texas," after cosmetic restoration at Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum

Temporary exhibitions  

Historic buildings

Smith Farmhouse Tullie Smith Farmhouse.jpg
Smith Farmhouse
Swan House at night ATLSwanHouse.jpg
Swan House at night

Main campus

Goizueta Gardens

Mitchell house Margaret Mitchell house atlanta 2006.jpg
Mitchell house

Midtown campus

History

Atlanta History Center was founded in 1926 as the Atlanta Historical Society (AHS). [23] Initially, the society operated as an institution for historical discussion and appreciation but, by the next year, began publishing the Atlanta Historical Bulletin. The periodical was later named Atlanta History: A Journal of Georgia and the South and was published until 2006. The publication has since been digitized and is searchable on Atlanta History Center's online database, Album.

Walter McElreath an Atlanta lawyer, legislator, and author for whom the center's McElreath Hall is named was the first leader of the Atlanta History Center. Other founders and early officers included Ruth Blair and Franklin Garrett. [24] In the early days the organization rented a ground floor space in the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel, and later a space in the Erlanger Theater building on Peachtree. [25]

In 1946 the group bought the Neel Reid designed Willis B. Jones home at the corner of Peachtree Street and Huntington Road as its headquarters. [25] The Georgian mansion at 1753 Peachtree allowed the group to store and display its large collection of artifacts and photos. [26]

Lack of parking and maintenance issues on the Jones home sparked another search for a new headquarters. In 1966 the group used money from Walter McElreath's estate to purchase the 23-acre Swan House property on Andrews Drive. [25] This property became the current main campus of the History Center. (After it was sold by the Society, the Jones home was rescued from demolition by others and coincidentally moved to 520 West Paces Ferry Road about one mile west of the current location of the center) [27]

In 1986 the still relatively small group received the DuBose Collection of Civil War artifacts, donated by Mrs. Beverly M. DuBose Jr. In 1989, the Atlanta Historical Society built the current museum to house the DuBose collection.

In 1990, the Atlanta Historical Society was renamed Atlanta History Center. The $15 million museum opened in 1993 with five exhibitions, including its first signature Atlanta history exhibition, Metropolitan Frontiers. An $11 million expansion, finished in 1996, added two new permanent exhibitions. The Kenan Research Center library was later expanded and the gardens reorganized, with a fourth permanent exhibition added, Down the Fairway with Bobby Jones.

In 2014, the city of Atlanta announced its intentions to relocate the Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama and its artifacts to Atlanta History Center, including the antebellum Western & Atlantic locomotive, the Texas. The museum constructed an expansion to house the 360-degree panoramic painting, as well as the Texas locomotive, and other pieces in the Cyclorama collection. [28]

After a careful restoration, the Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama opened to the public February 22, 2019. [29]

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References

  1. "Explore: Atlanta '96: Shaping an Olympic and Paralympic City - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  2. "Explore: Cyclorama: The Big Picture - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  3. "Explore: Locomotion: Railroads and the Making of Atlanta - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  4. "Explore: Turning Point: The American Civil War - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  5. "Explore: Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  6. "Explore: Shaping Traditions: Folk Arts in a Changing South - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  7. "Explore: Native Lands: Indians and Georgia - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  8. "Explore: Fair Play: The Bobby Jones Story - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  9. "Explore: Mandarin Shutze: A Chinese Export Life - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  10. "Explore: Any Great Change: The Centennial of the 19th Amendment - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  11. "Explore: Smith Family Farm - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  12. "Explore: Swan House - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  13. "Explore: Wood Family Cabin - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  14. "Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  15. "Explore: Mary Howard Gilbert Memorial Quarry Garden - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  16. "Explore: Smith Family Farm Gardens - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  17. "Explore: Swan House Gardens - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  18. "Explore: Frank A. Smith Memorial Rhododendron Garden - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  19. "Explore: Sims Asian Garden - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  20. "Explore: Swan Woods and Wood Family Cabin - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  21. "Explore: Veterans Park - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  22. "Explore: Margaret Mitchell House - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  23. "About Us - Atlanta History Center". www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  24. Noland, Jane (July 12, 1942). "Atlanta's First Families Mark Marthasville's 100th Birthday". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 9. Retrieved July 28, 2020 via newspapers.com. (Includes photo of Ruth Blair with Mayor Hartsfield and Franklin Garrett)
  25. 1 2 3 Heller, Fred (March 15, 1970). "Historians Maintain City's Pace". The Atlanta Constitution. pp. 8D. Retrieved July 30, 2020 via newspapers.com.
  26. "Historical Society Has Larger Home". Atlanta Constitution. September 8, 1946. p. 13C. Retrieved August 3, 2020 via newspapers.com.
  27. Carter, John (November 15, 1979). "Landlord Oliver Restores Famed Northside House". Atlanta Constitution. p. 32E. Retrieved August 3, 2020 via newspapers.com.
  28. "Atlanta Cyclorama moving: Historic Civil War painting and diorama | Atlanta Arts and Culture Blog". 2015-04-21. Archived from the original on 2015-04-21. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  29. "First Look: Cyclorama debuts at Atlanta History Center". FOX 5 Atlanta. 2019-02-18. Retrieved 2020-07-22.

33°50′34″N84°23′09″W / 33.84282°N 84.38573°W / 33.84282; -84.38573