Hardy Ivy
Encyclopedia
Hardy Ivy is said to be the first person of European descent to permanently settle in what is now the city of Atlanta, GA.
By 1821 the last of the Native Americans who held claim to the land east of the Chattahoochee River
ceded their land to the state of Georgia
in the "Creek Indian Cession of 1821". West of the Chattahoochee remained Cherokee territory. Shortly thereafter the land was divided into square land lots of 202½ acres each. In 1833 Mr. Ivy, from the Abbeville
district of South Carolina
, purchased Land Lot 51 of the 14th district of what was then Dekalb County from Mr. James Paden for the sum of $225. At that time DeKalb County
included all of what is now Fulton County
in which most of Atlanta City limits currently resides and the lot itself is now bounded by Edgewood on the south, Park Pl. and Peachtree on the west, a line south of Ralph McGill on the north and old Fort St. on the east. His land lot was on the northeastern edge of the heart of the original downtown Atlanta. It is presumed that Mr. Paden had not occupied the land previous to selling it to Mr. Ivy.
At the time Mr. Ivy could not have known that his new real estate acquisition was destined to become the center of a major city. As the driving force behind the growth of the town that eventually became Atlanta was its location as the terminus point of the Western and Atlantic Railroad
which was chartered by the State Legislature of Georgia
on December 21, 1836. Surveying for the railroad was begun in 1837 and by 1838 the now famous 'zero mile post' marking its termination was placed in Land Lot 78 - just west of Mr. Hardy's holdings.
Mr. Hardy built a double log cabin near where the Marriott Marquis hotel now stands at the corner of Courtland and Ellis Street presumbably shortly after he acquired the land. He was thrown from his horse and killed during the winter of 1841–1842. His estate was valued at $714.67. Ivy Street which is in the immediate vicinity of his cabin was named in his honor and remained so named until late in the 20th century when Ivy Street was renamed Peachtree Center Avenue to honor the newly developed mixed use building complex designed by John Portman
. Hardy Ivy Park (33°45′46"N 84°23′15"W) in Downtown Atlanta also commemorates Ivy.
Even though Mr. Ivy and his wife (Sarah Todd Ivy 1782–1886) were the first settlers within the area which was to become downtown Atlanta there were earlier settlers in the immediate vicinity, most notably Sarah Todd Ivy's brother and his wife - Richard Copeland Todd
and Martha Todd. The Todd family had settled nearby in 1823, ten years before Hardy Ivy purchased his land. But their landlot was just outside of the original Atlanta city limits when the city was incorporated by charter on December 29, 1847. The Todd's land lot (17 of the 14th district, also 202½ acres) encompassed much of what is now known as the neighborhood of Virginia-Highland
and is well within the present city limits of Atlanta. One of the oldest known roads in Atlanta 'Todd Road' is clearly indicated on many civil war maps and its route is a direct connection between the Ivy and Homestead and the Todd's. A small portion of 'Todd Road' still exists in Virginia Highland.
By 1821 the last of the Native Americans who held claim to the land east of the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
ceded their land to the state of 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...
in the "Creek Indian Cession of 1821". West of the Chattahoochee remained Cherokee territory. Shortly thereafter the land was divided into square land lots of 202½ acres each. In 1833 Mr. Ivy, from the Abbeville
Abbeville County, South Carolina
Abbeville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2010, its population was 25,147. Its county seat is Abbeville. It is the first county in the United States alphabetically.-History:...
district of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, purchased Land Lot 51 of the 14th district of what was then Dekalb County from Mr. James Paden for the sum of $225. At that time DeKalb County
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
included all of what is now Fulton County
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
in which most of Atlanta City limits currently resides and the lot itself is now bounded by Edgewood on the south, Park Pl. and Peachtree on the west, a line south of Ralph McGill on the north and old Fort St. on the east. His land lot was on the northeastern edge of the heart of the original downtown Atlanta. It is presumed that Mr. Paden had not occupied the land previous to selling it to Mr. Ivy.
At the time Mr. Ivy could not have known that his new real estate acquisition was destined to become the center of a major city. As the driving force behind the growth of the town that eventually became Atlanta was its location as the terminus point of the Western and Atlantic Railroad
Western and Atlantic Railroad
The Western and Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia' is a historic railroad that operated in the southeastern United States from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee....
which was chartered by the State Legislature of Georgia
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
on December 21, 1836. Surveying for the railroad was begun in 1837 and by 1838 the now famous 'zero mile post' marking its termination was placed in Land Lot 78 - just west of Mr. Hardy's holdings.
Mr. Hardy built a double log cabin near where the Marriott Marquis hotel now stands at the corner of Courtland and Ellis Street presumbably shortly after he acquired the land. He was thrown from his horse and killed during the winter of 1841–1842. His estate was valued at $714.67. Ivy Street which is in the immediate vicinity of his cabin was named in his honor and remained so named until late in the 20th century when Ivy Street was renamed Peachtree Center Avenue to honor the newly developed mixed use building complex designed by John Portman
John Portman
John C. Portman, Jr. is an American architect and real estate developer widely known for popularizing hotels and office buildings with multi-storied interior atriums....
. Hardy Ivy Park (33°45′46"N 84°23′15"W) in Downtown Atlanta also commemorates Ivy.
Even though Mr. Ivy and his wife (Sarah Todd Ivy 1782–1886) were the first settlers within the area which was to become downtown Atlanta there were earlier settlers in the immediate vicinity, most notably Sarah Todd Ivy's brother and his wife - Richard Copeland Todd
Richard Copeland Todd
Richard Copeland Todd , was a pioneer from Chester, South Carolina. In 1822 Todd and his wife Martha settled in what is now Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, buying their farm from William Zachary who had bought it in 1812. Their descendants resided on the original Todd homestead site at...
and Martha Todd. The Todd family had settled nearby in 1823, ten years before Hardy Ivy purchased his land. But their landlot was just outside of the original Atlanta city limits when the city was incorporated by charter on December 29, 1847. The Todd's land lot (17 of the 14th district, also 202½ acres) encompassed much of what is now known as the neighborhood of Virginia-Highland
Virginia-Highland
Virginia-Highland is a neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, founded in the early 20th century as a streetcar suburb. It is named after the intersection of Virginia Avenue and North Highland Avenue, the heart of a busy commercial district at the center of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is famous...
and is well within the present city limits of Atlanta. One of the oldest known roads in Atlanta 'Todd Road' is clearly indicated on many civil war maps and its route is a direct connection between the Ivy and Homestead and the Todd's. A small portion of 'Todd Road' still exists in Virginia Highland.