Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park is one of many local highlights that add to the city’s distinct character.
There are so many reasons to love Atlanta. From commendable sustainable redevelopment efforts, to impressive outdoor attractions, to its emerging identity as the “Hollywood of the South,” the city simply exudes a unique character.
That’s not all, though. Atlanta has even more noteworthy claims to fame:
- Atlanta’s Best Traits Are Captured in Its Nicknames While “The ATL,” “The A,” and “A-Town” are self-explanatory, some of Atlanta’s other nicknames are fitting descriptions of the city’s distinctive qualities:
- City in a Forest Approximately half of Atlanta boasts an impressive natural canopy, thanks to more than 100,000 mature trees providing leafy shade. The National Forest Service has in fact acknowledged Atlanta as the most heavily forested urban area in the United States.
- The Big Peach With more than 70 streets named Peachtree around the city, Atlanta may as well be called “Peachtree City” – except it can’t, because there already is a Peachtree City about 30 miles to the south.
- Gate City Before being called Atlanta, the city went by “Terminus,” after the railroad station hub that allowed travel to any south-bound destination. Because of this Atlanta became known as “the Gate City to the South.”
- Atlanta Is Home to the World’s Busiest Airport The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport adds a new dimension to Atlanta’s reputation as the Gate City. For almost 20 years, it has been hailed as the busiest airport anywhere in the world – connecting 275,000 passengers to 150 domestic and more than 75 international destinations each day.
- Atlanta Was the Only City to Have Been Burned down as an Act of War While the fire that razed the city during the Civil War era surely was a terrible thing, the city’s resurgence since the event is worth recognizing.
This is why Atlanta’s symbol is the mythical phoenix – a beautiful creature capable of rising from the ashes.
- Atlanta Is Home to Two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Further proof of Atlanta’s resilient character is the fact that it produced two of the most influential figures in history:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his prominent role in advancing racial equality through nonviolent resistance. Thanks to his efforts, Atlanta became known as the birthplace of the civil rights movement in the United States.
- Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, was also awarded the Prize in 2002 for his work in co-founding the Carter Center. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to advancing human rights and improving the quality of life for people in more than 80 countries.
- Atlanta Hosted the World’s Largest Sporting Event to Date In 1990, Atlanta beat out Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne, and Toronto to claim hosting duties for the 1996 Summer Olympics. The event was a milestone in Olympic history, marking the 100th year since the very first Summer Games were held in Greece.
Several of the venues that shaped that year’s Olympic experience remain open today as one of the popular attractions in Atlanta. The Centennial Olympic Park, for one, transformed a once-blighted district into a historic and cultural touchstone.
Make these city highlights part of your experience by finding your dream home in Intown Atlanta. Real estate gems abound in the communities of Druid Hills, Morningside, the City of Decatur, and many others.
Call Natalie Gregory at 404-550-5113 or email Natalie.Gregory@Compass.com for the latest listings and expert market insights.