The city of Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia and the seat of Fulton County. It is a relatively small city surrounded by a large suburban area. Atlanta is the transportation and commercial center of the southeastern United States. In the 20th century it became a symbol of the so-called New South.

Places of interest

Atlanta has many sites of historical interest. The State Capitol, known for its gold dome, was completed in 1889. The Georgia State Museum of Science and Industry is also located in the building. On the grounds of the Atlanta History Center are a restored 19th-century farm house, a museum, library and archives, and gardens. The city's zoo is located in southern Atlanta. Eastern Atlanta is the site of a complex dedicated to the memory of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Included are King's birthplace, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he preached, and his tomb. Another landmark is the Cyclorama, a 358-foot (109-meter) mural portraying the battle of Atlanta in the American Civil War.

People and culture

The Woodruff Arts Center is one of Atlanta's most prominent cultural institutions. It is the home of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and other performing groups as well as the High Museum of Art. The Nexus Contemporary Art Center is also located in the city. The Carter Presidential Center, a library and museum dedicated to the presidency of Jimmy Carter, is located in Atlanta. Notable research institutions are the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Fernbank Science Center, which has a large planetarium.

The Atlanta area is the home of more than 20 colleges and universities. These include Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and the Atlanta University Center. Atlanta's professional sports teams are baseball's Braves, football's Falcons, basketball's Hawks, and hockey's Thrashers.

Economy

Atlanta is a distribution center for the southeastern United States and an important financial center. The federal government maintains a number of offices in Atlanta. Among other major industries are printing and publishing and insurance.

Factories produce automobiles, electronics and electrical equipment, chemicals, processed foods, and pulp and paper products. The city is home to the headquarters of some of the largest and best known companies in the United States, including Coca-Cola, United Parcel Service, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, and the Cable News Network.

History

Atlanta developed as a travel center because of its location at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains. It became the gateway for overland traffic to get from the southern part of the East Coast to the West. From the beginning railroads were central to the city. In 1837 the site was selected as the southern end of a line being built north to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The settlement that grew up there was first known as Terminus and then named Marthasville, after the daughter of the then governor of Georgia. In 1845 the city was incorporated as Atlanta.

In the early 1860s Atlanta became a supply and manufacturing center as well as a rail hub for the Confederate states during the American Civil War. In 1864 the Union general William Tecumseh Sherman occupied the city, ordered its evacuation, and burned it. Some 90 percent of the buildings of Atlanta were destroyed.

After the war ended, Atlanta recovered quickly. In 1868 it became the temporary capital of Georgia, and in 1877 it was made the permanent capital. Coca-Cola was created and first sold in a drugstore on Peachtree Street in 1886. During the 20th century Atlanta developed a reputation as a progressive city, with often enlightened leadership. In 1973 it became the first major city in the South to elect an African American as mayor. The 1996 Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta. Several buildings and facilities were either constructed or improved for the events. Population (2000 census), 416,474.