Atlanta, Georgia

Embassy of the United States of America U.S. CITIES

ATLANTA

©Shutterstock.com Capital of New South Beckons Visitors with Old-Fashioned Charm elcome to Atlanta, a it was chosen in 1837 as the site of film Gone With the Wind, which modern city with a a new railroad terminus connect- premiered in Atlanta in 1939. rich history where the ing Georgia with Chattanooga, W City history includes these gracious traditions of America’s Tennessee, and points west. other milestones: Old South fuse with the excite- Dubbed first “Terminus” and then ment of a vibrant 21st-century • 1886 — Jacob’s Pharmacy began briefly “Marthasville,” it became urban center. selling a new headache and hang- “Atlanta” in 1845. By 1861, the over tonic called Coca-Cola. The Your Atlanta experience is exactly beginning of the U.S. Civil War, patent for the tonic, invented by what you choose to make it, as this it was the transportation hub of John S. Pemberton, was purchased “Brave and Beautiful City” offers the Southeast and a valuable prize in 1891 by entrepreneur Asa an impressive legacy of leadership, for Union forces. In 1864, Union Candler, who founded The Coca- progress and inspiration — and General William T. Sherman burned Cola Company the following year. welcomes you with open arms. Atlanta to the ground, destroying about 70 percent of its buildings, but • 1929 — The railroad hub of the Then and Now residents gradually rebuilt the city’s South embraced new transporta- homes and businesses. tion technology in 1929 with the The future city of Atlanta was city’s purchase of Candler Field first settled in 1821 but did not The city’s burning was vividly (now the site of Hartsfield-Jackson become a commercial center until immortalized in the award-winning Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta International Airport), which was handling 16 passenger and airmail flights daily. • 1946 — With a focus on fight- ing malaria, the Communicable Disease Center (CDC) was estab- lished in Atlanta. While it is still known by the initials CDC, the agency today is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. • 1964 — Martin Luther King Jr., minister, civil rights activist and Atlanta native, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Four years later, following his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee, he was bur- The Olympic Rings fountain at Centennial Olympic Park is a legacy of the 1996 Olympic Games. ied in Atlanta. ©AP Images • 1996 — Atlanta hosted the • 2001 — Shirley Franklin was The CNN Studio Tour invites you Centennial Olympic Games. elected Atlanta’s first female to get an up-close look at global Visitors can still enjoy the foun- African-American mayor, the first news in the making as you watch tains at Centennial Park. black woman to be elected mayor broadcasting in action from the of any major Southern city. global headquarters of an international reporting giant. The People Atlanta is America’s most acces- More than 5.5 million people live in the sible city, with direct or nonstop At the Fernbank Museum of Atlanta metropolitan area. The city is service to more than 155 U.S des- Natural History, you can discover more racially diverse than the nation tinations from Hartsfield-Jackson ancient fossils, enjoy interac- as a whole, and also younger, with Atlanta International Airport, the tive science exhibits, marvel at an average age of 34. It is the fastest- second-busiest U.S. airport for the world’s largest dinosaurs and growing city in the United States. international flights. explore the great indoors with Fernbank NatureQuest. The Land The city offers a wide range of Atlanta has no natural boundaries, activities for visitors of all ages Looking for the Old South? The so the metropolitan area is large, and interests. Atlanta History Center lets you encompassing more than 22,000 square step back in time with guided kilometers to the southeast of the The Georgia Aquarium inspires your tours of the 1860s Smith Family Chattahoochee River in the heart of the imagination with a 38 million–liter southeastern United States. Farm, the 1928 Swan House and playground for manta rays, beluga more than 13 hectares of beautiful, whales, dolphins and sharks. The Weather historic gardens and trails. Atlanta experiences all four seasons At the World of Coca-Cola, your It is easy to fall in love with this but temperatures stay mild, with ice taste buds can take a tantalizing and snow rare. That means you can beautiful city’s cultivated charm. tour with more than 60 different enjoy more than 100 golf courses, 200 Come explore Atlanta and discover products from around the world. public tennis courts and hundreds of what moves you. kilometers of hiking and biking trails more than 300 days a year.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE September 2012 BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS