How you can visualize Atlanta’s past

Want to get a good look at what Atlanta used to look like? You don't need a flux capacitor. You just need to know where and how  to see what came before. These resources will help put a lens on the city's past:

Historic photos (and more)

Interactive maps

  • Atlanta atlases: Zoom in on Atlanta's street maps from 1878  and from 1930. Another version of the 1930 map includes today's streets overlaid on top, which you can make transparent.
  • Georgia's historical markers: You know, the roadside signs. This map from the Georgia Historical Society's shows where to find them.
  • HistoryPin: A crowdsourced Google Map with geotagged historical photos, many of which come from the Atlanta History Center's collection
  • The War in Our Backyards: A joint project by the Atlanta History Center and the AJC, showing where the Battle of Atlanta took place
The Google Map Street View can be used as a street-level time machine. In the street view, click a clock icon in the upper left box and see what other views from the same location are available from previous years. Here, a view of the new streetcar lines along Woodruff Park are contrasted with an earlier view of the street before the tracks were put in. (Google Maps)

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Historic maps collections

HistoryPin is a crowdsourced Google Map with geotagged historical photos, many of which come from the Atlanta History Center’s collection. (HistoryPin)

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Other visualizations

  • Atlanta Explorer: A video presentation showing a 3D rendering of 1930 Atlanta, created by Emory's Center for Digital Scholarship
  • Aerial photos: GSU's collection of aerial survey photos from 1949
  • Waymarking.com: A crowdsourcing site that collects information on interesting landmarks and locations
  • ARC's interactive maps: The Atlanta Regional Commission's maps, mostly visualizing current data and future projections
  • Google Street View: This link explains how to turn Google Maps into a street-level time machine