Boulevard (Atlanta)
Encyclopedia
Boulevard is a street in the Old Fourth Ward
neighborhood of Atlanta
, Georgia
. The street runs east of, and parallel to, Atlanta's Downtown Connector
. It is bordered by Ponce de Leon Avenue to the north (past which it continues as Monroe Drive), and McDonough Boulevard to the south. Boulevard is notable for being a center of high crime
and drug activity in Atlanta, as well as the location of the highest concentration of Section 8 housing
in the Southeastern United States
.
It was not always so. In 1895, shortly after Boulevard was built, author Margaret Severance, in her book "Official Guide to Atlanta", described it as: "a beautiful avenue, [which] will be a great pride to Atlanta in years to come. Its height, width and number of magnificent homes, with their spacious lawns, assure every observer a boulevard that any city may point to with pride. This is once of the most desirable residence streets in the city."
Boulevard remained a white street through the 1910's even as the side streets became increasingly African-American. This trend was due to Blacks moving eastwards from the Sweet Auburn
area, seeking to consolidate their businesses and residences into safe, primarily black areas after the traumatic race riots of 1906.
One institution in particular anchored the African-American presence on the neighborhood: Morris Brown College
was founded in 1885 at Boulevard and Houston St. (now John Wesley Dobbs Ave.) and in 1922 expanded, acquiring the land at the southeast corner of Boulevard and Irwin St.. (The college later moved to its present location at the Atlanta University Center
).
From the 1920's through the 1940's many of Boulevard's fine homes began to be purchased by prominent African-American "doctors, bishops, ministers [and]...attorneys".
The flight of better-off residents from Intown Atlanta
also affected Boulevard and the fine houses were replaced with apartments, which eventually came to fall under "Section 8".
Many believe that redevelopment and gentrification on Boulevard and the immediately surrounding streets is inevitable, as most areas surrounding it now contain mixed-income or upscale housing.
Old Fourth Ward
The Old Fourth Ward, often abbreviated The Fourth Ward or O4W, is a neighborhood stretching east from Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The Old Fourth Ward is one of the city's most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, but is also one of the city's most eclectic, containing a burgeoning nightlife district...
neighborhood of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The street runs east of, and parallel to, Atlanta's Downtown Connector
Downtown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
. It is bordered by Ponce de Leon Avenue to the north (past which it continues as Monroe Drive), and McDonough Boulevard to the south. Boulevard is notable for being a center of high crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
and drug activity in Atlanta, as well as the location of the highest concentration of Section 8 housing
Section 8 (housing)
Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 , as repeatedly amended, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households...
in the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
.
It was not always so. In 1895, shortly after Boulevard was built, author Margaret Severance, in her book "Official Guide to Atlanta", described it as: "a beautiful avenue, [which] will be a great pride to Atlanta in years to come. Its height, width and number of magnificent homes, with their spacious lawns, assure every observer a boulevard that any city may point to with pride. This is once of the most desirable residence streets in the city."
Boulevard remained a white street through the 1910's even as the side streets became increasingly African-American. This trend was due to Blacks moving eastwards from the Sweet Auburn
Sweet Auburn
The Sweet Auburn Historic District is a historic African-American neighborhood along Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. The name Sweet Auburn was coined by John Wesley Dobbs, referring to the "richest Negro street in the world". The Sweet Auburn district includes:*the Martin Luther King, Jr...
area, seeking to consolidate their businesses and residences into safe, primarily black areas after the traumatic race riots of 1906.
One institution in particular anchored the African-American presence on the neighborhood: Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
was founded in 1885 at Boulevard and Houston St. (now John Wesley Dobbs Ave.) and in 1922 expanded, acquiring the land at the southeast corner of Boulevard and Irwin St.. (The college later moved to its present location at the Atlanta University Center
Atlanta University Center
The Atlanta University Center Consortium is the largest contiguous consortium of African Americans in higher education in the United States. The center consists of four historically black colleges and universities in southwest Atlanta, Georgia...
).
From the 1920's through the 1940's many of Boulevard's fine homes began to be purchased by prominent African-American "doctors, bishops, ministers [and]...attorneys".
The flight of better-off residents from Intown Atlanta
Intown Atlanta
Intown Atlanta is a term very frequently used in metro Atlanta to designate an area containing parts of the City of Atlanta and bordering communities...
also affected Boulevard and the fine houses were replaced with apartments, which eventually came to fall under "Section 8".
Many believe that redevelopment and gentrification on Boulevard and the immediately surrounding streets is inevitable, as most areas surrounding it now contain mixed-income or upscale housing.
Notable sites on Boulevard
From north to south:- Atlanta Medical CenterAtlanta Medical CenterAtlanta Medical Center is a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia operated by Tenet Healthcare. It has 460 beds and over 700 physicians, a Level I trauma center, a Level III neonatal unit, and supports air ambulance service via heliport. It was formerly known as Georgia Baptist Hospital.-History:On...
- Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site
- Oakland Cemetery
- Grant ParkGrant Park (Atlanta)Grant Park refers to the oldest city park in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, as well as the Victorian neighborhood surrounding it.-Park:Grant Park is the fourth-largest in the city, behind Chastain Park, Freedom Park and Piedmont Park...
, Zoo AtlantaZoo AtlantaZoo Atlanta is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited zoological park in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1889, the Zoo is Atlanta’s oldest cultural destination and is one of the oldest continuously operating zoological institutions in the United States.Zoo Atlanta houses over 1,300 animals...
, and the Atlanta CycloramaAtlanta CycloramaThe Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum is a civil war museum located in Atlanta, its most noted attraction being the Atlanta Cyclorama, a cylindrical panoramic painting of the American Civil War Battle of Atlanta... - United States Penitentiary, AtlantaUnited States Penitentiary, AtlantaUnited States Penitentiary, Atlanta is a medium-security federal prison for men in Atlanta, Georgia. It also has a detention center for pre-trial and holdover inmates and an adjacent camp for minimum security male inmates...