Little Five Points

Last updated
A street in Little Five Points Little five points atlanta.jpg
A street in Little Five Points
Hallowe'en Parade Little Five Points' Halloween parade.jpg
Hallowe'en Parade
The Vortex restaurant The Vortex!.jpg
The Vortex restaurant
Junkman's Daughter novelty shop Atlanta etc. 011.jpg
Junkman's Daughter novelty shop
A new age shop in Little Five Points Little five points shops.jpg
A new age shop in Little Five Points

Little Five Points (also L5P, LFP, Little Five, or Lil' Five) is a district on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 2+12 miles (4.0 km) east of downtown. It was established in the early 20th century as the commercial district for the adjacent Inman Park and Candler Park neighborhoods, and has since become famous for the alternative culture it brings to Atlanta. It has been described as Atlanta's version of Haight-Ashbury, a melting pot of sub-cultures, and the bohemian center of the Southern United States. [1]

Contents

Name

The name is a reference to Five Points, which is the center of downtown Atlanta. "Little" Five Points refers to the intersection at the center of the neighborhood. Two points are provided by Moreland Avenue (U.S. 23 and Georgia 42), which runs perfectly north/south, and forms the county line dividing Fulton and DeKalb. Two points are provided by Euclid Avenue, which runs northeast/southwest. The fifth point was originally Seminole Avenue, which met the intersection from the northwest, but the Seminole point was converted to a plaza and there is no longer a five-point intersection, though some regard McLendon Avenue, extending east from Euclid's southern intersection at Moreland, as the new fifth point.

History

The first Atlanta streetcars were constructed just south of the Little Five Points in the 1890s. According to the National Park Service, as the population grew on Atlanta's east side, the area where the trolley lines converged became one of the earliest major regional shopping centers. Little Five Points thrived until the 1960s, when a proposed freeway through the heart of the district drove residents out of the neighborhood. [2]

By the 1970s, Little Five Points had fallen into disrepair. A revitalization began as urban pioneers moved into the then-cheap neighborhood and restored the Victorian-style homes. By 1981, local merchants formed the Little Five Points Partnership to continue the restoration and expansion of the retail area, turning what was formerly a gas station into the "484 retail area" — several retail shops aligned in strip-mall style. [3]

Geography

Little Five Points is surrounded by the Inman Park, Edgewood, Candler Park and Poncey-Highland neighborhoods of Atlanta. Immediately to the south on Moreland, just through the DeKalb Avenue and Georgia Railroad underpass, is the Edgewood Retail District, a late-2000s urban infill land development of former Atlanta Gas Light Company land. This provides the area its big-box stores, mostly at the opposite end of the spectrum from the historic Little Five Points. Its smaller shops constructed along Caroline Street, occupied by many chain stores, are done in a small-town "main street" style (with underground parking), and the entire development is done in brick, as Little Five Points originally was.

Culture

Little Five Points is renowned for its alternative culture. [4] It is home to metro-wide indie radio station WRFG FM 89.3 as well as many businesses. The neighborhood is featured in the Cartoon Network show Class of 3000 as well as the Internet Girls series of books by Lauren Myracle, who mentions several of the businesses in Little Five Points by name.

Little Five points is home to the Little Five Points Halloween Festival, which takes place every year on the Saturday of Halloween. The official L5P Poet used to freestyle poetry in the square and has a mural located in the alleyway between Earthtones and Filthy Wealth; he has not been present in 2014. Local vendors sell arts and crafts and the highlight of the celebration is the Little Five Points Halloween Parade. The parade features local celebrities, bikers in costume, live music, hearses, several local marching bands, and many parade floats that are put together by community action groups and local businesses. [5] Little Five is also the host of Little Five Fest, which is an annual music festival featuring 50-100 local bands spread across multiple venues. Little Five Points is also the host of weekly musical meditation open house every Friday evening at the Govinda’s vegan cafe. Little Five Points is one of Atlanta's best neighborhoods for viewing street art. Unlike most of Atlanta's neighborhoods, the street art in Little Five Points is highly concentrated in a compact easily walked area. Works by internationally known street artists can be found as well as works by local artists. Finding the murals can be a bit of a treasure hunt. Many works of street art are tucked away on the back sides of buildings, in alleyways, and in back parking lots. Both the easily visible and hidden gems of street art in Little Five Points are mapped on the Atlanta Street Art Map. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midtown Atlanta</span> Neighborhood in Fulton County, Georgia, United States

Midtown Atlanta, or Midtown, is a high-density commercial and residential neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. The exact geographical extent of the area is ill-defined due to differing definitions used by the city, residents, and local business groups. However, the commercial core of the area is anchored by a series of high-rise office buildings, condominiums, hotels, and high-end retail along Peachtree Street between North Avenue and 17th Street. Midtown, situated between Downtown to the south and Buckhead to the north, is the second-largest business district in Metro Atlanta. In 2011, Midtown had a resident population of 41,681 and a business population of 81,418.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inman Park</span> Historic district on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Inman Park is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, and its first planned suburb. It was named for Samuel M. Inman.

East Atlanta is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The name East Atlanta Village primarily refers to the neighborhood's commercial district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poncey–Highland</span> Neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States

Poncey–Highland is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, located south of Virginia–Highland. It is so named because it is near the intersection of east/west Ponce de Leon Avenue and north/southwest North Highland Avenue. This Atlanta neighborhood was established between 1905 and 1930, and is bordered by Druid Hills and Candler Park across Moreland Avenue to the east, the Old Fourth Ward across the BeltLine Eastside Trail to the west, Inman Park across the eastern branch of Freedom Parkway to the south, and Virginia Highland to the north across Ponce de Leon Avenue. The Little Five Points area sits on the border of Poncey–Highland, Inman Park, and Candler Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia–Highland</span> Neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States

Virginia–Highland is an affluent neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, founded in the early 20th century as a streetcar suburb. It is named after the intersection of Virginia Avenue and North Highland Avenue, the heart of its trendy retail district at the center of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is famous for its bungalows and other historic houses from the 1910s to the 1930s. It has become a destination for people across Atlanta with its eclectic mix of restaurants, bars, and shops as well as for the Summerfest festival, annual Tour of Homes and other events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reynoldstown, Atlanta</span> United States historic place

Reynoldstown is a historic district and intown neighborhood on the near east side of Atlanta, Georgia, located two miles from downtown. The neighborhood is gentrifying and attracting new families, empty-nesters, Atlantans opposed to long commutes; as well as diverse culture of first-time homebuyers, single professionals, artist and students due to its close proximity to other nearby intown neighborhoods, high walkability index, urban amenities and nearby bohemian hotspots on Carroll Street in the adjoined-at-the-hip also historic Cabbagetown neighborhood and in other surrounding communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Avenue station (MARTA)</span> MARTA rail station

North Avenue is an underground train station in southern Midtown Atlanta, GA, serving the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. The station is named after the nearby North Avenue. The walls are made of white tile and painted with a mural of green hills, a blue sky, and clouds. The murals were designed by Gordon Anderson while he was a Professor of Art at Georgia State University. It is among the busiest stations in the system with an average of 15,000 boardings per weekday. The station has a direct entrance to Tower Square and is actually located in the skyscraper's basement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inman Park/Reynoldstown station</span> MARTA rail station

Inman Park / Reynoldstown is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, serving the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. It also serves the Green Line on weekdays, and has two side platforms and two tracks. This station opened June 30, 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgewood/Candler Park station</span> MARTA rail station

Edgewood / Candler Park is a train station in Atlanta, Georgia, on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rail system. Currently, the station also serves as the terminus of the Green Line on weekdays. On weekends, Green Line service instead terminates two stops to the west at King Memorial. The station opened on June 30, 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freedom Park (Atlanta, Georgia)</span>

Freedom Park is one of the largest city parks in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The park forms a cross shape with the axes crossing at the Carter Center. The park stretches west-east from Parkway Drive, just west of Boulevard, to the intersection with the north-south BeltLine Eastside Trail, to Candler Park, and north-south from Ponce de Leon Avenue to the Inman Park/Reynoldstown MARTA station.

Edgewood is a neighborhood located on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) east of downtown Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Fourth Ward</span> Neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States

The Old Fourth Ward, often abbreviated O4W, is an intown neighborhood on the eastside of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The neighborhood is best known as the location of the Martin Luther King Jr. historic site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streetcars in Atlanta</span> Aspect of the history of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Streetcars originally operated in Atlanta downtown and into the surrounding areas from 1871 until the final line's closure in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willis F. Denny</span> American architect

Willis F. Denny (1874-1905) was an architect active in Atlanta, Georgia around the turn of the twentieth century. He was the architect of Rhodes Hall (1903) and the Kriegshaber House, both listed on the National Register, as well as the demolished Piedmont Hotel (1903).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arts in Atlanta</span> Cultural resources in Atlanta

The arts in Atlanta are well-represented, with a prominent presence in music, fine art, and theater.

In recent years, Atlanta has become one of the USA's best cities for street art. Street artists have prominently created murals in Krog Street Tunnel, along the BeltLine, and in neighborhoods across the city. The street art conference, Living Walls, the City Speaks, originated in Atlanta in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia–Highland Summerfest</span> Annual arts festival in Intown Atlanta

Summerfest is an annual arts festival in the Virginia–Highland neighborhood of Intown Atlanta, taking place on two days in June each year. It is one of the largest art festivals in the Southeastern United States, typically attended by more than 50,000 visitors and showcasing more than 200 artists from across the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastside, Atlanta</span> City district of Atlanta, Georgia

Eastside refers to the city district comprising the easternmost portion of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The Eastside generally encompasses the area bounded on the west by Midtown Atlanta and Downtown Atlanta and on the east by the city limits. The central corridor of the district is the BeltLine Eastside Trail, which connects northern Eastside neighborhoods with those to the south. The Eastside is known for its nightlife establishments, craftsman architecture, local eateries, and quirky public art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgewood Avenue</span> Street in Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Edgewood Avenue is a street in Atlanta, Georgia, United States which runs from Five Points in Downtown Atlanta, eastward through the Old Fourth Ward. The avenue runs in the direction of the Edgewood neighborhood, and stops just short of it in Inman Park. Edgewood Avenue was first important as the route of a streetcar line to Inman Park, Atlanta's first garden suburb and home to many of its most prominent citizens. Today, the avenue is known for its restaurants and nightlife around its intersection with Boulevard.

References

  1. Little Five Points Creative Loafing.
  2. Little Five Points in Fulton County (30307) ajchomefinder.
  3. Little Five Points: Atlanta's Alternative Neighborhood city-data.com.
  4. ({http://www.atlanta.com/neighborhoods/little-five-points.aspx})
  5. Special event: Little Five Points Halloween Fest Creative Loafing. 2008-10-18.
  6. "New website provides street art map to murals all over Atlanta". accessatlanta. Retrieved 2017-12-31.

33°45′56″N84°20′57″W / 33.765511°N 84.349122°W / 33.765511; -84.349122