Atlanta blends the old-Southern charm and hospitality of its history with the energy of the modern millennial city. Staked out in the 1837 wilderness of northeast Georgia, the site that became Atlanta was identified as the termination point for the as-yet unbuilt railroad line. Since that time, transportation has been key to the city's growth, from its declaration as the Gate City of the South in 1857, its prominence as a distribution center during the Civil War, to its current designation as home of the nation's busiest airport. At the end of the 19th century, Atlanta presented itself to the world in a grand international exposition; it closed the next century by bringing the world to Atlanta as it hosted the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Throughout this drive from rural terminal to urban metropolis, Atlanta has witnessed incredible growth. The scenes in this book document this change as the city's tree-lined avenues and country crossroads gave way to high-rises, busy city interse