Where Atlanta Grew Up

Atlanta was born beside the railroad tracks—but it didn’t stay there for long.

In the years after the Civil War, the city rebuilt itself from the ashes, its heart beating along the rail lines of what is now South Downtown. But as Atlanta grew in wealth, ambition, and confidence, the city’s center began to shift north—toward what would become the Fairlie-Poplar District.

By the 1890s, wood-frame storefronts gave way to fireproof towers of stone and steel. Architects and investors raced to create a skyline worthy of the “Capital of the New South.” The result was a remarkable cluster of early skyscrapers—each one a testament to Atlanta’s determination to rise higher and look forward.

As decades passed, mid-century modern design added a sense of emotion and power to Fairlie-Poplar. Building