Introduction

Streetcars have had a significant impact on the historic growth of numerous American cities. Studies of the degree and extent of that impact have largely focused on large cities of the northeast. Industrialization began early in these regions of the country and the effect of an industrial infrastructure, like an urban street rail system, was dramatic. However, despite its rural heritage and the setbacks brought about by the Civil War, the City of Atlanta experienced significant growth due to the streetcar lines established during the nineteenth century.

This website was created as a medium for the discussion and dissemination of information concerning Atlanta’s streetcar heritage. One of the goals of this project is to apply a historic perspective to the modern urban fabric through interactive mapping supported by research and geographic information systems (GIS). Another goal is to isolate areas of the city that potentially retain the physical remains of Atlanta’s streetcar past. These remains can take the form of structures (like car barns and power houses) landscapes (like Gillam Park in Kirkwood), or the rails themselves (many residing under the paving of modern roadways). By creating a repository of this ongoing research, the significance of this underrepresented historic resource can be better understood, appreciated, and preserved.

The development of Atlanta’s streetcars, beginning during reconstruction, reflects the metamorphosis the city took from rural train junction to an urban center of the New South. Additionally, the individuals involved in the chartering and operating of each line is a laundry list of Atlanta’s founding fathers, including Joel Hurt and Georgia Adair. The trolleys have also influenced the development of Atlanta’s historic residential neighborhoods from the West End to East Lake. In a broader sense, the technological advancements of this historic industry, from horse traction to steam to electrical, echo the county’s progression from a rural to industrial and into modernity.

The closing decades of the nineteenth century saw a proliferation of streetcar companies and routes. The state government issued numerous charters for service within and out of Atlanta’s urban core. The lassie faire economics of the period provided a volatile environment for would-be streetcar proprietors. Eventually, consolidation swept the industry in the first years of the twentieth century under the company that would become Georgia Power. However, numerous companies made their mark prior to that time. Please click on the links below to view the information compiled thus far.

Please click the contact link below to submit data, comments, or questions.

 
 
   
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