Archive Atlanta

Atlanta's Neighborhood Planning Units—or NPUs—have been shaping how residents engage with City Hall for nearly 50 years, but what exactly are they, and why do they exist? This week, inspired by my own quest to explore every NPU in the city, we're diving into the fascinating history behind Atlanta's unique system of neighborhood representation.
From the end of the ward system and the rise at-large voting, to the years of debates over how to structure the NPU system, we'll explore how NPUs came to be, what power they actually have, and why they're still one of the city's most debated institutions today.
 
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This week, I got the chance to interview Megan Maloof, the general manager of Atlanta's iconic Manuel's Tavern. We talked about her grandfather founding the tavern, his hopes for a space for community, the long time employees and patrons. I found out whose ashes are over the bar and what Megan's favorite item is on the walls. This year, Manuel's Tavern is celebrating 70 YEARS with a party on August 6th. 
Manuel's on IG
Manuel's on FB
 
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I am taking a podcasting summer break and will return July 17th.

This week, we're talking about the 1933 kidnapping of prominent Atlanta banker James King Ottley Sr. during the height of the Great Depression, when ransom kidnappings were rising across the country. After being abducted outside his Buckhead estate and forced to write his own ransom note, Ottley convinced 17-year-old accomplice Pryor Bowen to release him. 
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This week’s episode explores the history of Agnes Scott College, from its origins as a small, church-founded seminary in 1889 to its rise as a nationally respected women’s college. Rooted in the 19th-century female seminary movement, the school grew rapidly with support from George Washington Scott and developed traditions like Black Cat Week. 
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From railroad stop to global corridor, Chamblee has lived a lot of lives in just over a century. This week, we trace its evolution from land once inhabited by the Muscogee people, to a tiny rail junction, to a booming military town during World War I with the rise of Camp Gordon.
Along the way, we uncover the surprising origin of Chamblee’s name, and follow its shifts through dairy farms, aviation history at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, and postwar suburban growth. By the late 20th century, Buford Highway transforms into an international lifeline—making modern Chamblee one of the most diverse and dynamic communities in the Southeast.
Huntley Hills Brochure
 
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Still recovering from my appendectomy last week and so I am re-releasing my episode about the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point. We're talking about what a velodrome is, Atlanta’s first velodrome, Dick Lane and the decade long efforts to open this velodrome in East Point.
 
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This week, we’re stepping into the pages of the Negro Motorist Green Book. I am sharing my conversation with my good friend, Cynthia Jennings, who has been uncovering the stories behind the places that offered safety, dignity, and community during the era of segregation - but we’re focusing on the women who made those spaces possible.
Behind these listings were women entrepreneurs, caretakers, and revolutionaries, who opened their homes, ran businesses, and created networks of survival during a time when they weren’t assured visibility and protection.
Cynthia's website
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This week, we explore the long and winding history behind the creation of a Botanical Garden in Atlanta - a dream that took more than 50 years to become reality. The story begins with Eugene Schofield Heath, who first pushed for a garden in the city in 1918. From ambitious Works Progress Administration projects along the Chattahoochee River to stalled plans caused by World War II, Atlanta repeatedly tried, and failed, to establish a permanent botanical garden. It wasn’t until the 1970s, when civic leaders and garden advocates rallied around a new site in Piedmont Park, that the idea finally took root.
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This week, we trace tennis from its 12th-century French origins to its rise in Atlanta, where elite clubs, segregated courts, and growing public facilities shaped the sport’s local identity. From the founding of ALTA by Bitsy Grant to the 1961 desegregation battle at the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, Atlanta’s tennis story reflects the city’s broader fights over access and equity. We also look at the Olympic spotlight at Stone Mountain Park in 1996 and how Atlanta grew into one of the country’s largest recreational tennis hubs.
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