Atlanta History Center

If you missed the Smith Farm demos earlier this month, don't worry! This Labor Day weekend, the Smith Farm is coming back to life with exciting activities for all ages. Join us for blacksmithing and other historic craft demonstrations available on Saturday and Sunday. | https://bit.ly/4caSFpe

Don’t forget your blanket and pillow for this month’s Toddler Storytime! We’ll read camping stories, sing campfire songs, and create a fun campsite craft.

Join us on Wednesday, September 4 at either 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. for a morning of engaging storytelling and activities designed for our youngest visitors. Each session includes movement, songs, games, and a craft related to a unique monthly theme.

Register today through the following link: https://bit.ly/3ysdoav

Join us next Wednesday, August 28th, for an engaging discussion with author Paul M. Pressly as he explores his latest book, A Southern Underground Railroad: Black Georgians and the Promise of Spanish Florida and Indian Country. This compelling work offers a powerful counter-narrative in American history, revealing how enslaved individuals sought freedom and human dignity beyond the confines of Jefferson’s “Empire of Liberty” and outside the expanding boundaries of the United States.

Click the following link for tickets and more information: https://bit.ly/3YyeL1V

Party With the Past returns next month on September 18, and trust us, you don’t want to miss it! We’re hosting a block party on Broad Street in partnership with South Downtown to see what's been happening in the area and learn more about the history of one of the oldest streets in Atlanta. Join us for fun games, cold drinks, and a chance to meet fellow young ATLiens!

Entry is free to the public, and alcohol will be available for purchase. Click the following link to register: https://bit.ly/46uX0Cu

Join us tomorrow to kick off the 2024-2025 Homeschool Day season! Designed for elementary to middle school students and their families, Homeschool Days offer immersive exploration of Atlanta’s history. To discover the history of some of the people, places and events that define this city, register today at the following link: https://bit.ly/4c5xaq4

Visit our new campus at the Margaret Mitchell House and discover the captivating legacy of Gone With the Wind. One of America's most iconic novels was born from Mitchell's time in this modest Midtown Atlanta apartment, and the exhibit offers a journey through her life and her book that shaped history, literature and film.

Click the following link to experience it all firsthand! | https://bit.ly/3WSzVq9

Join us on Monday, August 12, for an engaging conversation between Deb Miller, author of A Devil Went Down to Georgia, and Lisa Rayam. They will delve into the 1987 brutal murder of Lita McClinton Sullivan that shook Atlanta to its core, and explore the shocking events that followed.

For tickets and more information, click the following link: https://bit.ly/3YubpwV

🏅 OLYMPIC PIN GIVEAWAY 🏅

Step into Olympic history at the Atlanta History Center! Our Atlanta '96 exhibit showcases rare Olympic artifacts, including torches and medals from every Games since 1936 and a signed relay baton from the 1996 French women’s team. Plus, we are also offering FREE 1996 Olympics collector pins (pictured, one per ticket) to all exhibit attendees for the rest of the Olympic Season while supplies last.

Tap the following link and purchase your ticket today to see these remarkable artifacts and receive a tangible piece of Olympics history — all available for a limited time! | https://bit.ly/4bLLYdj

The Battle of Atlanta cyclorama, painted in 1886, depicts the battle which took place 160 years ago today. ⁠ ✍️ In the summer of 1885, artists from the American Panorama Company in Milwaukee began developing sketches for The Battle of Atlanta painting.

German artists created a series of small-scale drawings to represent the 360º depiction of the 1864 battle, including the one above, which still bears paint splotches from its illustrator. Grid squares allowed the artists to proportionately scale each sketch to the massive size of the painting. This scene depicted the intense fighting around the George Troup Hurt House, which was located on DeGress Avenue in present-day East Atlanta.

⁠Experience Cyclorama: The Big Picture with a general admission ticket to Atlanta History Center! Tap the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/4f5Mzcr

Join Leah Lefkowitz, Manuscript Archivist, and Dr. Alfred Willis, Architectural Historian and Consultant, for a virtual webinar on August 31 about documenting changes to buildings and neighborhoods over time, using recently processed collections!

This is the third webinar in a series planned in conjunction with funds awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission to process collections that document populations and land use in and around Atlanta.

Tap the following link to register: https://bit.ly/3ytTsUv

🌀 Whatizit, affectionately known as Izzy, was designed to engage the digital age as the mascot for the ’96 Games. ⁠Despite criticism for its generic essence and strangeness, Izzy stole the hearts of young Olympic viewers—the mascot’s intended audience. The likeness helped sell souvenirs galore and appeared on television specials and video games.

🌀 Izzy paved the way for more abstract characters that came after Atlanta’s Games and other computer-generated characters, complete with animated backstories, that are now typical of Olympic mascots. ⁠Read more about Izzy—Atlanta’s complicated mascot, at the following link: https://bit.ly/3Lpqfgz

On December 15, 1939, Atlanta’s Loew’s Grand Theater on Peachtree Street lit up for the premiere of David O. Selznick’s epic, “Gone with the Wind.” While the film offered its own lens on the Civil War and Reconstruction, the premiere event itself became a canvas for recreating an embellished version of the 19th century.

Click the following link to learn more, and to see more images from The Atlanta History Photograph Collection: https://bit.ly/4f9oXnl

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are here! For Olympic archival items and stories, we encourage you to explore our Atlanta 96 exhibition. Drawn from Atlanta History Center’s distinctive collections, Atlanta ’96 is filled with iconic and unexpected objects, stories, and expanded memories of the Games. Access to Atlanta 96 is in included with a general admission ticket to Atlanta History Center.

Tap the following link to learn more: https://bit.ly/4bLLYdj

The Atlanta Braves will host the MLB All-Star Game in 2025. The first time Atlanta hosted this event was during the 43rd Midsummer Classic, which took place on July 25 at then-Atlanta Stadium. Dignitaries at the game included Atlanta mayor Sam Massell, Georgia governor Jimmy Carter and former Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen, who was credited with bringing the Braves to Atlanta in 1966. The only Braves player in the 1972 All-Star game was none other than Hammerin’ Hank Aaron.

Learn more about Aaron in our More than Brave exhibition on display at Atlanta History Center through September 2025. This exhibition is sponsored by ⁠the Henry Louis Aaron Fund, The Rich’s Foundation, and the . Click the following link to purchase your tickets: https://bit.ly/3VZ05WM

📸: Atlanta Fulton County Stadium during a Braves game circa 1970s, VIS 71, from the Floyd Jillson Photographs Collection, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center �

Join us on July 31 for an exclusive Author Talk with Howard Bryant. Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN and NPR sports correspondent, will discuss his definitive, highly praised biography "The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron," which explores the life and legacy of baseball legend Hank Aaron. Guests will also have the opportunity to view the exclusive exhibition "More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron" either before or after the event.

Don't miss this chance to delve into the story of an American icon and his fight for racial equality, both on and off the field. Click the following link to purchase your tickets: https://bit.ly/4c02bLQ

An East Point institution, Atlanta Utility Works is a machine shop turned event space that has served the Tri-Cities area for over a century. To get you ready for Party with the Past, we uncovered the history of Atlanta Utility Works and its role in the community that surrounded it.

Party with the Past: Atlanta Utility Works is Thursday, July 25th, 6:30-9:30 pm. Entry is free to the public, and alcohol will be available for purchase. This event is in partnership with the East Point Historical Society.

Click this link to learn more! | https://bit.ly/4dbz2hV

Join us at the Margaret Mitchell House on July 30 for an engaging panel discussion on the history and cultural impact of "Gone With the Wind." The event includes a viewing of the new exhibition "Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and American Memory" and features esteemed panelists Dr. Stephane Dunn, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, and Timothy Frilingos. Doors open at 6pm, panel begins at 7pm.

Visit the following link for tickets: https://bit.ly/3Whz2pX

On this day in 1996, Atlanta made history with the opening of the Centennial Olympic ceremonies. The Games brought 2 million visitors with an economic impact of $5.14 billion. More than 10,000 athletes from 197 nations competed in 271 events and for the first time in Olympics history, all nations that were invited sent athletes to the games.

Learn more stories from the Centennial Olympic Games here: https://bit.ly/4bLLYdj

On July 20, 1976, Hank Aaron hit his 755th and final home run, which stood as the MLB career home run record for 31 years. Here he is outside of Milwaukee County Stadium during his first year playing for the Milwaukee Braves in 1954. His legacy and impact was just beginning. Learn more about Henry Aaron and his extraordinary life and legacy by visiting our More than Brave exhibition. More than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron is sponsored by ⁠the Henry Louis Aaron Fund, The Rich’s Foundation, and The Braves Foundation. Get tickets: https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/exhibitions/more-than-brave-the-life-of-henry-aaron/

Though it’s remembered as a sweeping novel of the Civil War, the Civil War does not make up the majority of Gone With the Wind’s plot. More than half of the novel takes place during Reconstruction, the period directly after the Civil War. Mitchell provides a great deal of background information on Reconstruction. Yet very little of her history holds up to today’s factual standards. Nevertheless, it was acceptable to many scholars in her own time. Read “The Dunning School: The Biased Study of Recontruction that Shaped ‘Gone With the Wind.’” https://atlantahistorycenter.shorthandstories.com/the-dunning-school/index.html

When these barrel-hopping and peanut-loving twin Angora goats came into our lives 7 years ago, they were just a couple of 4-month-old kids. 🥜 Now, Claud and Dorothy and settled into their home on Smith Farm and are widely loved by everyone they encounter 🐐

Join us on July 30 for a panel discussion featuring experts discussing the history and cultural impact of landmark book and film, Gone With the Wind. Guests will have the opportunity to view the new exhibition Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and American Memory before hearing from some of the scholars and curators involved in creating the exhibition. This event will be held at Margaret Mitchell House at Atlanta History Center Midtown. Get tickets: https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/event/telling-stories-gone-with-the-wind-and-american-memory-panel-discussion/

On July 14, 1976, Jimmy Carter secured the democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention. He was still governor of Georgia when he announced his candidacy for president. It was a fierce fight for the original “Washington outsider,” but the Plains, GA native eventually became the first candidate from the deep south to be elected since the Civil War.

📸: President-elect Jimmy Carter with members of his family at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on election night during the 1976 presidential campaign, VIS 71, from the Floyd Jillson Photographs collection, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center.

After four years, the Atlanta History Center's Midtown campus is reopening on July 10!

The Margaret Mitchell House will now feature a new exhibit titled, “Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and the American Memory,” which examines the making and meaning of Mitchell’s novel, the movie’s popularity, and the many ways American culture shifted as a result.

Learn more about this new exhibit here: https://bit.ly/3VZy4y6

Photo Credit: Atlanta History Center

Make plans to join us later this month for the return of Party With the Past, our popular after-hours event series for young professionals in Atlanta!

Join us on July 25 at Atlanta Utility Works to learn more about the city of East Point and the role this institution played in its history. Tap the link below to register!�Entry is free to the public, and alcohol will be available for purchase. This event is in partnership with the East Point Historical Society.

https://bit.ly/4b8jQlF

Happy 4th, Atlanta! 🎈🇺🇸 We’re just days away from unveiling our new exhibition, “Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and American Memory,” at the Margaret Mitchell House. Atlanta History Center Midtown reopens to the public on July 10–get tickets at the link below! ⁠

https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/exhibitions/telling-stories-gone-with-the-wind-and-american-memory/

📸 photos from our Peachtree Road Race viewing party at Margaret Mitchell House/Atlanta History Center Midtown in 2019

What comes to mind when you think of summer? Is it barbecue, the beach, or your favorite fair or festival? In Atlanta, another renowned tradition is recognized across the state and worldwide every July 4—the Peachtree Road Race. 🏃‍♀️💨 ⁠
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Founded by Georgia State University cross country coach and Dean of Men Tim Singleton, the Peachtree Road Race began on July 4, 1970. Since those first 110 participants gathered, the race has become an Independence Day tradition in Atlanta. Tap the link below to see more photos from past races, and let us know in the comments if you’re running tomorrow! 🎽

https://medium.com/theundercurrent/photo-feature-peachtree-road-race-31dbab848f5d

The cornerstone of our Locomotion: Railroads and the Making of Atlanta exhibition is the restored locomotive known as The Texas (which can be seen from West Paces Ferry Road!) The engine was built in 1856 for the famous Western & Atlantic Railroad, which had established its terminus in 1837 at the site that became Atlanta. The Texas served for nearly 51 years on the W&A RR, contributing significantly to Atlanta’s rise as a railroad center and, ultimately, an international city.

The Texas is one of only two surviving Western & Atlantic locomotives; the other is The General. Climb aboard the cab for an engineer’s view the next time you’re on our campus!

June 30, 2024, marks the 88th anniversary of 𝘎𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥, written by Atlanta native Margaret Mitchell. Beginning July 10, we invite you to visit our new exhibition, “Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and the American Memory,” located at Atlanta History Center Midtown, which contains the Margaret Mitchell House. Tickets are available for purchase at the link below! ⁠⬇️

https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/exhibitions/telling-stories-gone-with-the-wind-and-american-memory/

Our Telling Stories exhibition examines the making and meaning of Mitchell’s runaway bestselling novel, the cultural phenomena resulting from the movie’s popularity, and the many ways—both shallow and profound—that American culture shifted as a result. Hours of operation for Atlanta History Center Midtown will be Tuesday-Sunday from 9am–4pm.