Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta redirects here. There are also

• Atlanta, Michigan
• Atlanta, Wisconsin

It was the host city for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Atlanta hosts the William B. Hartsfield International Airport, one of two airports considered the largest in the world.

History The region where Atlanta and its suburbs were build was originally Creek and Cherokee Indian territory. After the Cherokees were deported by the Federal government, white settlement in this area increased rapidly.

Atlanta was first planned in 1836 as a terminus on the Western & Atlantic railroad, hence the original name, Terminus. The railroad terminus for lines connecting from Chattanooga, Macon Athens, etc. was originally intended to be in Decatur, but the citizens of Decatur did not want a railroad terminal. So an arbitrary spot was picked, around which the village of Terminus grew up in expectation of railroad traffic. The name "Atlanta" dates officially from 1847, by which time several of the railroad lines were already in operation.

The city became the target of a major Union invasion in the American Civil War and scene of the Battle of Atlanta, later immortalized in the novel and film Gone With the Wind. The city was destroyed in the aftermath of the battle.

Despite these romantic associations, Atlanta has always been a commercial city, and not an Ante-bellum[?] monument. It is the major center of regional commerce. The city is a major cable television programming source; the headquarters of the Cable News Network is in Atlanta, where it was founded and the Weather Channel broadcasts from just outside of town.

Geography and Climate According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 343.0 km² (132.4 mi²). 341.2 km² (131.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.51% water.

At more than 1000 feet above sea level, Atlanta is second in altitude to mile-high Denver among major American cities. This results in a climate more moderate than in many other cities in the Southern US, despite its common nickname as "Hotlanta". Its central avenue, Peachtree Street, runs through the center of the city on the Eastern Continental Divide so that rainwater on the east side runs eventually into the Atlantic Ocean while rainwater on the west side of the street runs into the Gulf of Mexico.

Demographics As of the census² of 2000, there are 416,474 people, 168,147 households, and 83,232 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,220.5/km² (3,161.2/mi²). There are 186,925 housing units at an average density of 547.8/km² (1,418.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 33.22% White, 61.39% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.99% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. 4.49% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 168,147 households out of which 22.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.5% are married couples living together, 20.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.5% are non-families. 38.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.30 and the average family size is 3.16.

In the city the population is spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $34,770, and the median income for a family is $37,231. Males have a median income of $36,162 versus $30,178 for females. The per capita income for the city is $25,772. 24.4% of the population and 21.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 38.8% are under the age of 18 and 20.7% are 65 or older.

Colleges and Universities Atlanta is home to numerous educational institutions: Emory University, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University[?], and Agnes Scott College[?] as well as a cluster of historically black institutions including Atlanta University[?] and Morehouse College[?].

Sports Teams

Major League Baseball: Atlanta Braves

American football, National Football League: Atlanta Falcons

Basketball, National Basketball Association: Atlanta Hawks

Hockey, National Hockey League: Atlanta Thrashers

Soccer, Women's United Soccer Association: Atlanta Beat

Further Reading

• Frederick Allen. Atlanta Rising. Atlanta: Longstreet Press, 1996. A detailed history of Atlanta from 1946 to 1996, with much about City Councilman, later Mayor, William B. Hartsfield[?]'s work in making Atlanta a major air transport hub, and about the civil rights movement as it affected (and was affected by) Atlanta.
• Darlene R. Roth and Andy Ambrose. Metropolitan Frontiers: A short history of Atlanta. Atlanta: Longstreet Press, 1996. An overview of the city's history with an emphasis on its growth.
• Elise Reid Boylston. Atlanta: Its Lore, Legends and Laughter. Doraville: privately printed, 1968. Lots of neat anecdotes about the history of the city.