Atlanta as THE Railroad Hub
Sketched June 30th, 1914, Tifton Terminal Railroads had plans to expand their railways near Park Ave. in Tifton, Georgia. This was a continuation of Atlanta's expansion of the railways. In 1837, a stake was placed in the ground, in DeKalb County, that marks the spot of Terminus, and this soon became the metropolis area of Atlanta, Georgia. Western & Atlantic Railroad (1842) was soon joined by Georgia Railroad(1845), Macon & Western Railroad(1846), Atlanta & LaGrange Railroad (1854) to create the pathways that expanded all over Georgia. Sadly, after Sherman's "March to the Sea" 'terminus' soon became ashes. After years and years of failed proposals, P. Thornton Marye's build plans were finally accepted by Atlanta Terminal Company on May 2, 1903. $1.5 million in bonds were sold to start the station's construction. About four hundred workers began to shovel 290,000 square yards of dirt to level the station site. Unfortunately, Terminal Station was closed and padlocked in 1970 and trains moved to the Peachtree Station.
The second image shown is taken from the Library of Congress. It is a map from July 25th, 1864 that shows the pattern created by the city's earliest railroads. The triangle of railroads meeting formed in the middle of the map is known as the "railroad gulch." This created the location of the city's principal rail passenger stations. It also affected development in the city. Buildings and street grids started forming a pinwheel pattern.
Works Cited
Office of Chief Engineer. “A.G.L.R.R” June 30 1914. Tifton Terminal Railroads. Wesley Thomas Hargrett collection. MS 29. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraries.
Steinberg, David H. When Atlanta Took the Train. Arcadia Publishing, 2018.
United States Army Of The Cumberland. Topographical Engineers Office. Atlanta: from Vincent's subdivision map, published by the City Council. [Chattanooga, Tenn.?: Topl. Engr. Office, Hd. Qrs. A. C., in the field, 1864] Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2006459234/>.