Piedmont Park
Encyclopedia
Piedmont Park is a 189 acre (0.76485654 km²) urban park in Atlanta, Georgia
, located about 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Downtown
, between the Midtown
and Virginia Highland neighborhoods. Originally the land was owned by Dr. Benjamin Walker
, who used it as his out-of-town gentleman's farm
and residence. He sold the land in 1887 to the Gentlemen's Driving Club (later renamed the Piedmont Driving Club
), who wanted to establish an exclusive club and racing ground for horse enthusiasts. The Driving Club entered an agreement with the Piedmont Exposition Company, headed by prominent Atlantan Charles A. Collier, to use the land for fairs and expositions and later gave the park its name.
The park was originally designed by Joseph Forsyth Johnson
to host the first of two major expositions held in the park in the late 19th century. The Piedmont Exposition
opened in October 1887 to great fanfare. The event was a success and set the stage for the World's Fair which was held in the park seven years later in 1895. Both exhibitions showcased the prosperity of the region that had occurred during and after the Reconstruction period. In the early 20th century, a redesign plan called the Olmsted plan, was begun by the sons of New York Central Park architect, Frederick Law Olmsted
. The effort led to the addition of scenic paths in the park and the joining of the park with the Ansley park system.
Over the years, the park has also served as an athletic center for the city. Atlanta's first professional baseball team, the Atlanta Crackers
, played in the park from 1902 to 1904. Several important intercollegiate rivalries were also forged in the park including the University of Georgia vs. Georgia Tech baseball rivalry and Georgia versus Auburn football which has been called the "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
".
Throughout the 20th century, many other improvements have been made in the park including the addition of covered picnic areas, tennis facilities, the Lake Clara Meer dock and visitors center, and two playgrounds. Today, the park is a popular place for gathering, grilling, swimming, fishing, playing and more. In 2008, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for a 53 acres (214,483.6 m²) extension to the park and complete renovation of the bathhouse and swimming pool. The renovated pool opened in summer of 2009.
On April 12, 2011, Mayor Kasim Reed cut the ribbon to open the first phase of a major expansion into the northern third of the park. Areas opened include:
Additional areas at the far north of the park are to be developed next, including The Northwoods, Piedmont Commons and Piedmont Gardens. There are already dirt trails that follow Clear Creek
and the BeltLine
northwards and connect the park with these areas and provide pedestrian access to the Ansley Mall area north of the park, and with the BeltLine trail going further north.
(1882), Georgia School of Technology (now known as the Georgia Institute of Technology) (1885), and Agnes Scott College
(1890). John B. Gordon, a distinguished Confederate general, was Governor of Georgia.
The area soon to be known as Piedmont Park was owned by Benjamin Walker
, who purchased the 189 acre (0.76485654 km²) in the 1830s from a man who had won the land in the land lottery. Walker farmed the land until, in 1887, he sold the land to the Gentlemen's Driving Club, known today as the Piedmont Driving Club
, who planned "to form exclusive club and racing ground for horse enthusiasts". The driving club entered into an agreement with the Piedmont Exposition Company to use the grounds around the track as exposition space. Charles A. Collier, a prominent Atlanta businessman and former lawyer, was president of the company. Soon after, a main building, grandstands, and club house were built for the track.
of 1887, opened on October 10. The main building constructed for the Exposition was 570 feet (173.7 m) long, 126 feet (38.4 m) wide, and two stories high. The first day opened with 20,000 visitors. Samuel J. Randall
opened the Exposition with a speech on the success of the resurrected post-civil war south. When his speech concluded, General Pierce M. B. Young
and his men fired cannons to signal the opening of the events.
Exhibitors showed off a variety of items including works of art, local raw materials like manganese marble, and wood work. Many prominent figures of the day were in attendance to see the displays. Governor David B. Hill
of New York spoke at the event as well as President Grover Cleveland
who attended with his wife, Frances Folsom. Over 50,000 people were in attendance for Cleveland's speech. When the exposition was over, civic leaders said that it had successfully expanded Atlanta's reputation as a place to visit and to conduct business.
The Exposition was also a chance for Atlanta to prove that it was ready to host the World's Fair
. The Executive Committee of the Fair was invited to attend the event under the bidding of Charles Reynolds, Secretary of the Piedmont Exposition Company.
" between Auburn University
(then named Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama) and the University of Georgia
. The game was arranged by former Johns Hopkins
classmates, Dr. Charles Herty
of Georgia and Dr. George Petrie
of Auburn. Auburn won the game 10-0. It was rumored afterward that Georgia's mascot, a goat (it wasn't until 1921 that Georgia officially became the Bulldogs), was the main course at a barbecue held by Georgia fans after the game.
refused. Thus, The park remained in private hands and outside the city limits for another ten years.
The Cotton States and International Exposition
which opened for 100 days beginning on September 18, 1895 and ending December 31, 1895, attracted visitors from the U.S. and 13 countries. Over $2,000,000 was spent on the transformation of Piedmont Park. The government allocated $250,000 for the construction of a government building and many states and countries such as Argentina
also had their own buildings. Also constructed for the fair were the Tropical gardens, now known as the Atlanta Botanical Garden
, and Lake Clara Meer which was originally a pond but was expanded to 11.5 acres (46,538.9 m²) for the event. Today, the stone balustrades scattered around the park are the only part of the enormous main building. The park remains largely as Joseph Forsyth Johnson
designed it for the exposition although some changes were made during the Olmsted planning phase. However, most of the buildings that were constructed for the exposition were made of local Georgia granite and the buildings were dismantled after the event so that the granite could be sold to absolve the debt that the city incurred to hold the fair.
Booker T. Washington
delivered his famous Atlanta Exposition speech at the Expo, which is "widely regarded as one of the most significant speeches in American history". In his speech, Washington pushed for progress but not integration, a point that angered many other black leaders such as W. E. B. Du Bois.
Attractions included Buffalo Bill
's Wild West Show, the Liberty Bell
, and the first public demonstration of C. Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat
's motion picture projection device which they called the Phantoscope
. John Philip Sousa
's "King Cotton" march was created for the expo and was performed at the ceremony, and was conducted by the composer himself.
After the Exposition, the park continued to be extremely popular and was a magnet for growth in the area. State fairs and holiday celebrations were held at the park. Street car lines to the park increased. It was a generally prosperous time.
and Georgia Tech
, then known as the Georgia School of Technology was played. From 1902 until 1904, the Atlanta Crackers
, the city's original professional baseball
team played ball on the fields of Piedmont Park before moving to a stadium on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
agreed to purchase the park, but only if it included those developed areas adjacent to the park which would add approximately $35,000 to $40,000 in tax revenues annually.
The main developer of Collier's land was Edwin Ansley, who created the Ansley Park
subdivision under the guidelines set by the Olmsteds. The result was curvy streets surrounding "mini-parks" comprising a total of 25 acres (101,171.5 m²). In 1912, these parks were deeded to the city.
In 1909, the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted
, landscape architect
for Central Park
in New York, Carey
and Frederick, Jr.
were asked to design the park's master plan while they were at work on Grant Park
. The city agreed to pay $1,800 for the plan, but Olmsted was concerned that Atlanta might not have enough money for the necessary improvements.
In 1910, the brothers submitted a plan for the park that was to include a 5 miles (8 km) scenic path and driveways that would link Piedmont Park to the streets of Ansley Park. Joining the parks was a success and thereafter, the parks were known as Twin Parks. Although never fully implemented, the Olmsted plan had a great effect on the development in the surrounding area.
The park's first bathhouse
was opened in 1911. Swimming in the lake was allowed until 1973, when the city opened a pool in the park.
On January 29, 1913, Calvin Shelverton applied for a building permit to construct the Piedmont Park Apartments. The apartments were designed by Leila Ross Wilburn
and were decidedly middle-class unlike some of the other developments in the area. The apartments remained middle-class up until about 1960 and residents included such prominent Atlantans as accounting company president T. C. Dunlap and lawyer J. B. Stewart. In 1913, seven clay courts were built where the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition's Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building once was. Eight more courts were added in 1914 to accommodate the overwhelming demand.
Notable additions and buildings include the bandstand
, built in 1915; a picnic shelter constructed by the WPA
in 1936; the Noguchi "Playscape", completed in 1976 under the aegis of the High Museum and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
and designed by world-renown artist and sculptor Isamu Noguchi
, noteworthy as the only public work by Noguchi in the U.S. In 2002, the dog park was opened.
The Noguchi "Playscapes" underwent restoration in 2005 under Eddie Granderson, public arts manager of the City of Atlanta. Jablonski Berkowitz Conservation Inc. was selected to do the restoration and assessments began in September of that year. The company was charged with bringing the playground up to safety codes and restoring the original paint.
, Atlanta Pride Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and the Dogwood Festival would not be held in the park due to extreme drought. Some festivals which don't make use of green space were still allowed in the park. The Atlanta Arts Festival ran from September 12–14, 2008 and utilized only paved areas. Other festivals were temporarily moved to alternate venues, such as Centennial Olympic Park
. The drought in Atlanta ended by late 2009. In 2010, several events returned to Piedmont Park, including the Dogwood Festival, the Jazz Festival, and Screen on the Green.
On April 23, 2008, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at the Bathhouse for the 53 acres (21.4 ha) expansion of the Park. The pool and bathhouse are part of a huge Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) renovation that cost around $7.8 million and was completed in early summer 2009. The renovation features accessibility
, a warming kitchen, WiFi
, a pool with beach entry, bubblers, current channel, vortex, fountains, separate splash pad, lap lanes, landscaped deck environment, and concessions. A new area featuring a Bocce ball court and green space with an arbor opened in May 2010.
Most of the expansion area opened in April 2011, with additional areas to open later in the year.
The park hosts several miles of paved paths suitable for walking, running, biking, and inline skating. Skate Escape across from the park at the 12th Street entrance rents both bikes and skates. On weekend afternoons, skateboarders and inline skaters often share the open, paved area inside the 12th Street entrance.
Piedmont Park has picnic shelters located just to the East of the north soccer field. There are also various picnic tables and benches throughout the park. Many visitors choose to picnic on the expansive lawns as well. The first grill in Piedmont Park was erected for the 1895 World's Fair where the administrative offices now sit. There are 22 grills throughout the park. No portable grills are allowed.
The Noguchi "Playscape" is located near the 12th Street Gate. The geometrically shaped, modernist playground includes a soaring swing set, slide, sand pit, climbing dome and more made of bright and exciting colors.
Also in the park is a new playground known as Mayor's Grove. It was designed as a Boundless Playgrounds and features a high level of accessibility and interactive play.
The Active Oval has two softball fields, two soccer fields, and two beach volleyball courts, all ringed by a dirt running path. Kickball leagues also use the softball fields.
At the park's swimming center, once closed for renovations, re-opened in summer of 2009.
, bream and catfish
. A 2002 renovation of the lake added a new bridge connecting the two bodies of water and three fishing piers located around the lake.
Clara Meer Dock is located at the west corner of the lake. Just above the Dock sits the historic Visitor Center building. Clara Meer Dock forms an amphitheater-like space nestled into the western end of the lake. Clara Meer Dock is often used for wedding ceremonies. Rental of the dock also includes the Visitor's Center. The Visitor's Center features a barrel ceiling with a painted mural called "A Day at the Park" by Ralph Gilbert. The center seats 40 persons inside and over 200 more on the adjoining lawn and dock. The Dock seats up to 120 for ceremony, or up to 100 for table dining or possible dance floor area.
Mayor's Grove is the newer of the two playgrounds in Piedmont Park. It was designed as a Boundless playground and features a high level of accessibility and interactive play.
Just north of the Park Road entrance bridge are two fenced-in Dog Parks where friendly dogs (and their owners) can cavort with each other off-leash. Brand new, vastly expanded parks for small and large dogs were opened in Apr 2011.
The Leash-free Alliance of Piedmont Park (LAPP) is a volunteer group that works with the Conservancy on dog park improvements, fundraising efforts, and clean up projects.
community. The park is home to various annual celebrations and events, including Atlanta Pride Festival
, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival
, Music Midtown
, and Festival Peachtree Latino
. A summer series of classic films, Screen on the Green, is also aired in the park for local residents.
On the weekend and holidays the park comes alive with music, intramural sports and fun festivities. In 2004, Georgia Shakespeare Festival added an annual series of free performances entitled "Shake on the Lake" with Lake Clara Meer as a backdrop. A centennial celebration was held for the park in June 2004. In 2007, the Allman Brothers Band and Dave Matthews Band
played a concert with proceeds benefiting the planned expansion to the park. Dave Matthews Band's performance was later released as a live DVD as well as their eighth live album, Live at Piedmont Park
. Sir Paul McCartney performed in Piedmont Park to benefit the conservancy on August 15, 2009. The Eagles are scheduled to play at the park on October 16, 2010, also as a benefit for the conservancy. In 2011, Music Midtown
returned from its five-year hiatus, hosting headliners Coldplay
and The Black Keys
in Piedmont Park.
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...
, located about 1 miles (1.6 km) northeast of Downtown
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
, between the Midtown
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
and Virginia Highland neighborhoods. Originally the land was owned by Dr. Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker is the truncated pen name of George Benjamin Walker, who also writes under the pseudonym Jivan Bhakar...
, who used it as his out-of-town gentleman's farm
Gentleman's farm
A gentleman's farm is an extremely small or non-operative farm. They are generally small acreages that are not used to produce large amounts of food, grain, or livestock for major markets. Gentleman's farms are also used as hobby farms, for horse rearing, or as bed and breakfast establishments...
and residence. He sold the land in 1887 to the Gentlemen's Driving Club (later renamed the Piedmont Driving Club
Piedmont Driving Club
The Piedmont Driving Club is a private social club with two club houses in Atlanta, Georgia. It has enjoyed a reputation as one of the most prestigious private clubs in the South....
), who wanted to establish an exclusive club and racing ground for horse enthusiasts. The Driving Club entered an agreement with the Piedmont Exposition Company, headed by prominent Atlantan Charles A. Collier, to use the land for fairs and expositions and later gave the park its name.
The park was originally designed by Joseph Forsyth Johnson
Joseph Forsyth Johnson
Joseph Forsyth Johnson was an English landscape architect and disciple of John Ruskin.-Early life and career:thumb|left|Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia, where Johnson's work was hugely acclaimed....
to host the first of two major expositions held in the park in the late 19th century. The Piedmont Exposition
Piedmont Exposition
The Piedmont Exposition of 1887 was the first exposition ever held in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia.-Founding of the Piedmont Exposition Company:...
opened in October 1887 to great fanfare. The event was a success and set the stage for the World's Fair which was held in the park seven years later in 1895. Both exhibitions showcased the prosperity of the region that had occurred during and after the Reconstruction period. In the early 20th century, a redesign plan called the Olmsted plan, was begun by the sons of New York Central Park architect, Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
. The effort led to the addition of scenic paths in the park and the joining of the park with the Ansley park system.
Over the years, the park has also served as an athletic center for the city. Atlanta's first professional baseball team, the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, played in the park from 1902 to 1904. Several important intercollegiate rivalries were also forged in the park including the University of Georgia vs. Georgia Tech baseball rivalry and Georgia versus Auburn football which has been called the "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry
The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University and the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia...
".
Throughout the 20th century, many other improvements have been made in the park including the addition of covered picnic areas, tennis facilities, the Lake Clara Meer dock and visitors center, and two playgrounds. Today, the park is a popular place for gathering, grilling, swimming, fishing, playing and more. In 2008, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for a 53 acres (214,483.6 m²) extension to the park and complete renovation of the bathhouse and swimming pool. The renovated pool opened in summer of 2009.
On April 12, 2011, Mayor Kasim Reed cut the ribbon to open the first phase of a major expansion into the northern third of the park. Areas opened include:
- Two oval-shaped plazas:
- "The Greensward"
- "The Promenade", which contains the interactive Legacy Fountain
- the Lower Meadow
- the Six Springs Wetlands
- a vastly expanded dog park
Additional areas at the far north of the park are to be developed next, including The Northwoods, Piedmont Commons and Piedmont Gardens. There are already dirt trails that follow Clear Creek
Clear Creek (Atlanta)
Clear Creek is a stream in Intown Atlanta that feeds into Peachtree Creek, and eventually into the Chattahoochee River. It is the Creek that played to the Union's advantage in their Civil War victory at the Battle of Peachtree Creek. The apparent start is in Orme Park in Virginia Highland near...
and the BeltLine
Beltline
The Beltline is a region of central Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The area is located immediately to the south of Calgary's downtown , and is sometimes considered part of downtown...
northwards and connect the park with these areas and provide pedestrian access to the Ansley Mall area north of the park, and with the BeltLine trail going further north.
History
Opening
Atlanta was a rapidly growing city in the years before Piedmont Park. From 1860 to 1890, the population had jumped from 9,554 to 65,533 residents. Those years saw the opening of many education institutions such as Clark College (1869), Morris Brown CollegeMorris 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...
(1882), Georgia School of Technology (now known as the Georgia Institute of Technology) (1885), and Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
(1890). John B. Gordon, a distinguished Confederate general, was Governor of Georgia.
The area soon to be known as Piedmont Park was owned by Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker is the truncated pen name of George Benjamin Walker, who also writes under the pseudonym Jivan Bhakar...
, who purchased the 189 acre (0.76485654 km²) in the 1830s from a man who had won the land in the land lottery. Walker farmed the land until, in 1887, he sold the land to the Gentlemen's Driving Club, known today as the Piedmont Driving Club
Piedmont Driving Club
The Piedmont Driving Club is a private social club with two club houses in Atlanta, Georgia. It has enjoyed a reputation as one of the most prestigious private clubs in the South....
, who planned "to form exclusive club and racing ground for horse enthusiasts". The driving club entered into an agreement with the Piedmont Exposition Company to use the grounds around the track as exposition space. Charles A. Collier, a prominent Atlanta businessman and former lawyer, was president of the company. Soon after, a main building, grandstands, and club house were built for the track.
The 1887 Piedmont Exposition
The first exposition ever held in Piedmont Park, the Piedmont ExpositionPiedmont Exposition
The Piedmont Exposition of 1887 was the first exposition ever held in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia.-Founding of the Piedmont Exposition Company:...
of 1887, opened on October 10. The main building constructed for the Exposition was 570 feet (173.7 m) long, 126 feet (38.4 m) wide, and two stories high. The first day opened with 20,000 visitors. Samuel J. Randall
Samuel J. Randall
Samuel Jackson Randall was a Pennsylvania politician, attorney, soldier, and a prominent Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives during the late 19th century. He served as the 33rd Speaker of the House and a contender for his party's nomination for the President of the...
opened the Exposition with a speech on the success of the resurrected post-civil war south. When his speech concluded, General Pierce M. B. Young
Pierce M. B. Young
Pierce Manning Butler Young was a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and a post-war politician, diplomat, and four-term United States Congressman from Georgia....
and his men fired cannons to signal the opening of the events.
Exhibitors showed off a variety of items including works of art, local raw materials like manganese marble, and wood work. Many prominent figures of the day were in attendance to see the displays. Governor David B. Hill
David B. Hill
David Bennett Hill was an American politician from New York who was the 29th Governor of New York from 1885 to 1891.-Life:...
of New York spoke at the event as well as President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
who attended with his wife, Frances Folsom. Over 50,000 people were in attendance for Cleveland's speech. When the exposition was over, civic leaders said that it had successfully expanded Atlanta's reputation as a place to visit and to conduct business.
The Exposition was also a chance for Atlanta to prove that it was ready to host the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
. The Executive Committee of the Fair was invited to attend the event under the bidding of Charles Reynolds, Secretary of the Piedmont Exposition Company.
The "Deep South's Oldest Rivalry"
Five years later, Piedmont Park was the location of the second football game and the beginning of the "Deep South's Oldest RivalryDeep South's Oldest Rivalry
The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry is an American college football rivalry game played by the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University and the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia...
" between Auburn University
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
(then named Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama) and the University of Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
. The game was arranged by former Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins was a wealthy American entrepreneur, philanthropist and abolitionist of 19th-century Baltimore, Maryland, now most noted for his philanthropic creation of the institutions that bear his name, namely the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Johns Hopkins University and its associated...
classmates, Dr. Charles Herty
Charles Herty
Charles Holmes Herty, Sr. was an American academic, scientist and businessman. Serving in academia as a chemistry professor to begin his career, Herty concurrently promoted collegiate athletics including creating the first varsity football team at the University of Georgia...
of Georgia and Dr. George Petrie
George Petrie (American football)
-Auburn Creed:Petrie is perhaps best known as the author of the Auburn Creed:The creed has been a well known symbol of the university ever since Petrie wrote it in 1943.-References:...
of Auburn. Auburn won the game 10-0. It was rumored afterward that Georgia's mascot, a goat (it wasn't until 1921 that Georgia officially became the Bulldogs), was the main course at a barbecue held by Georgia fans after the game.
The 1895 World's Fair
In 1894, the Piedmont Exposition Company offered to sell the land to the city of Atlanta for $165,000.00, but Mayor John B. GoodwinJohn B. Goodwin
John Benjamin Goodwin was born in Cobb County, Georgia, USA the son of and attended school in Powder Springs.He moved to Atlanta in 1870 and studied law at Gartrell & Stephens and a year later was admitted to the bar....
refused. Thus, The park remained in private hands and outside the city limits for another ten years.
The Cotton States and International Exposition
Cotton States and International Exposition (1895)
The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at the current Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. It is most remembered for the speech given by Booker T. Washington on September 18, 1895....
which opened for 100 days beginning on September 18, 1895 and ending December 31, 1895, attracted visitors from the U.S. and 13 countries. Over $2,000,000 was spent on the transformation of Piedmont Park. The government allocated $250,000 for the construction of a government building and many states and countries such as Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
also had their own buildings. Also constructed for the fair were the Tropical gardens, now known as the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located adjacent to Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Incorporated in 1976, the garden's mission is to "develop and maintain plant collections for the purposes of display, education, conservation, research and...
, and Lake Clara Meer which was originally a pond but was expanded to 11.5 acres (46,538.9 m²) for the event. Today, the stone balustrades scattered around the park are the only part of the enormous main building. The park remains largely as Joseph Forsyth Johnson
Joseph Forsyth Johnson
Joseph Forsyth Johnson was an English landscape architect and disciple of John Ruskin.-Early life and career:thumb|left|Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia, where Johnson's work was hugely acclaimed....
designed it for the exposition although some changes were made during the Olmsted planning phase. However, most of the buildings that were constructed for the exposition were made of local Georgia granite and the buildings were dismantled after the event so that the granite could be sold to absolve the debt that the city incurred to hold the fair.
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
delivered his famous Atlanta Exposition speech at the Expo, which is "widely regarded as one of the most significant speeches in American history". In his speech, Washington pushed for progress but not integration, a point that angered many other black leaders such as W. E. B. Du Bois.
Attractions included Buffalo Bill
Buffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
's Wild West Show, the Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
, and the first public demonstration of C. Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat
Thomas Armat
Thomas J. Armat was an American mechanic and inventor, a pioneer of cinema best known through the co-invention of the Edison Vitascope.-Biography:...
's motion picture projection device which they called the Phantoscope
Vitascope
Vitascope was an early film projector first demonstrated in 1895 by Charles Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat. They had made modifications to Jenkins patented "Phantoscope", which cast images via film & electric light onto a wall or screen...
. John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
's "King Cotton" march was created for the expo and was performed at the ceremony, and was conducted by the composer himself.
After the Exposition, the park continued to be extremely popular and was a magnet for growth in the area. State fairs and holiday celebrations were held at the park. Street car lines to the park increased. It was a generally prosperous time.
The beginnings of Atlanta baseball
In March 1898, the baseball fields were finally completed. April 16, 1898, the first baseball game between GeorgiaGeorgia Bulldogs baseball
The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team represents the University of Georgia in NCAA Division I college baseball.Along with most other Georgia athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Eastern division of the Southeastern Conference...
and Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Georgia Tech athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, then known as the Georgia School of Technology was played. From 1902 until 1904, the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
, the city's original professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
team played ball on the fields of Piedmont Park before moving to a stadium on Ponce de Leon Avenue.
The Olmsted plan
The year 1904 for was a watershed time for the park. The preceding year prominent Atlantan George Washington Collier died. Collier had owned 202 acre (0.81746572 km²) of land to the west and north of the park that was sold for $300,000 to developers. The city bought the park for $98,000 in 1904, incorporating Piedmont Park into Atlanta's city limits. Mayor Evan HowellEvan Howell
Evan Park Howell was an American politician and early telegraph operator, as well as an officer in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War....
agreed to purchase the park, but only if it included those developed areas adjacent to the park which would add approximately $35,000 to $40,000 in tax revenues annually.
The main developer of Collier's land was Edwin Ansley, who created the Ansley Park
Ansley Park
Ansley Park is an affluent residential neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia, located just east of Midtown and west of Piedmont Park. One of the first suburban neighborhoods in the city designed for automobiles, it features wide, winding roads rather than the grid pattern typical of older streetcar...
subdivision under the guidelines set by the Olmsteds. The result was curvy streets surrounding "mini-parks" comprising a total of 25 acres (101,171.5 m²). In 1912, these parks were deeded to the city.
In 1909, the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, landscape architect
Landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person involved in the planning, design and sometimes direction of a landscape, garden, or distinct space. The professional practice is known as landscape architecture....
for Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in New York, Carey
John Charles Olmsted
John Charles Olmsted , the nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, was an American landscape architect. With his brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., he founded Olmsted Brothers, a landscape design firm in Brookline, Massachusetts. The firm is famous for designing many urban parks,...
and Frederick, Jr.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.
Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. was an American landscape architect best known for his wildlife conservation efforts. He had a lifetime commitment to national parks, and worked on projects in Acadia, the Everglades and Yosemite National Park. Olmsted Point in Yosemite and Olmsted Island at Great Falls...
were asked to design the park's master plan while they were at work on Grant Park
Grant 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...
. The city agreed to pay $1,800 for the plan, but Olmsted was concerned that Atlanta might not have enough money for the necessary improvements.
In 1910, the brothers submitted a plan for the park that was to include a 5 miles (8 km) scenic path and driveways that would link Piedmont Park to the streets of Ansley Park. Joining the parks was a success and thereafter, the parks were known as Twin Parks. Although never fully implemented, the Olmsted plan had a great effect on the development in the surrounding area.
20th century growth and development
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
was opened in 1911. Swimming in the lake was allowed until 1973, when the city opened a pool in the park.
On January 29, 1913, Calvin Shelverton applied for a building permit to construct the Piedmont Park Apartments. The apartments were designed by Leila Ross Wilburn
Leila Ross Wilburn
Leila Ross Wilburn was an early 20th century architect, one of the first women in Georgia to enter that profession.-Early life:Leila Ross Wilburn was born in Macon, Georgia. In the midst of the economic depression of 1895, her family moved to Decatur, Georgia. There, she attended Agnes Scott...
and were decidedly middle-class unlike some of the other developments in the area. The apartments remained middle-class up until about 1960 and residents included such prominent Atlantans as accounting company president T. C. Dunlap and lawyer J. B. Stewart. In 1913, seven clay courts were built where the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition's Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building once was. Eight more courts were added in 1914 to accommodate the overwhelming demand.
Notable additions and buildings include the bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
, built in 1915; a picnic shelter constructed by the WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
in 1936; the Noguchi "Playscape", completed in 1976 under the aegis of the High Museum and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
and designed by world-renown artist and sculptor Isamu Noguchi
Isamu Noguchi
was a prominent Japanese American artist and landscape architect whose artistic career spanned six decades, from the 1920s onward. Known for his sculpture and public works, Noguchi also designed stage sets for various Martha Graham productions, and several mass-produced lamps and furniture pieces,...
, noteworthy as the only public work by Noguchi in the U.S. In 2002, the dog park was opened.
The Noguchi "Playscapes" underwent restoration in 2005 under Eddie Granderson, public arts manager of the City of Atlanta. Jablonski Berkowitz Conservation Inc. was selected to do the restoration and assessments began in September of that year. The company was charged with bringing the playground up to safety codes and restoring the original paint.
2008 drought
In January 2008 city officials announced that the Peachtree Road RacePeachtree Road Race
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race 10K is a 10 kilometer road race held annually in Atlanta, Georgia on July 4, Independence Day. The Peachtree Road Race was until recently the world's largest 10 kilometer race , a title it has held since the late 1970s...
, Atlanta Pride Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and the Dogwood Festival would not be held in the park due to extreme drought. Some festivals which don't make use of green space were still allowed in the park. The Atlanta Arts Festival ran from September 12–14, 2008 and utilized only paved areas. Other festivals were temporarily moved to alternate venues, such as Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA that is owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial...
. The drought in Atlanta ended by late 2009. In 2010, several events returned to Piedmont Park, including the Dogwood Festival, the Jazz Festival, and Screen on the Green.
2011 expansion
Approximately 50 acres (20.2 ha) in the northwest portion of the 187 acres (75.7 ha) park had remained woodlands into the 21st century. In 2007, a park expansion plan called for a new parking deck as well as "open green space, bicycle and walking trails, formal and community gardens, an interactive water feature, children's playgrounds, a skate park, athletic fields and woodlands." The project was expected to cost $72 million.On April 23, 2008, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at the Bathhouse for the 53 acres (21.4 ha) expansion of the Park. The pool and bathhouse are part of a huge Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
(LEED) renovation that cost around $7.8 million and was completed in early summer 2009. The renovation features accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
, a warming kitchen, WiFi
WIFI
WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a brokered format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA, the station is currently operated by Florence Broadcasting Partners, LLC.This station was previously owned by Real Life Broadcasting...
, a pool with beach entry, bubblers, current channel, vortex, fountains, separate splash pad, lap lanes, landscaped deck environment, and concessions. A new area featuring a Bocce ball court and green space with an arbor opened in May 2010.
Most of the expansion area opened in April 2011, with additional areas to open later in the year.
Piedmont Park Conservancy
The Piedmont Park Conservancy is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that is in charge of park improvements and 90 percent of the Park's daily maintenance care and security. The Conservancy was founded in 1989 to revitalize the rapidly deteriorating park. Since then, it has raised and invested $23 million in private funds making the park, once again, the most visited green space in Atlanta.Outdoor activities
Piedmont Park has picnic shelters located just to the East of the north soccer field. There are also various picnic tables and benches throughout the park. Many visitors choose to picnic on the expansive lawns as well. The first grill in Piedmont Park was erected for the 1895 World's Fair where the administrative offices now sit. There are 22 grills throughout the park. No portable grills are allowed.
The Noguchi "Playscape" is located near the 12th Street Gate. The geometrically shaped, modernist playground includes a soaring swing set, slide, sand pit, climbing dome and more made of bright and exciting colors.
Also in the park is a new playground known as Mayor's Grove. It was designed as a Boundless Playgrounds and features a high level of accessibility and interactive play.
Sports
Piedmont Park is a popular place for organized sports. The Sharon E. Lester Tennis Center at Piedmont Park is a fully staffed, public facility with 12 lighted hard courts, offering leagues, lessons, and supplies.The Active Oval has two softball fields, two soccer fields, and two beach volleyball courts, all ringed by a dirt running path. Kickball leagues also use the softball fields.
At the park's swimming center, once closed for renovations, re-opened in summer of 2009.
Fishing and the lake
The lake is located in the south east part of the park. Fishing is permitted in the lake, which is stocked with large mouth bass, crappieCrappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, bream and catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
. A 2002 renovation of the lake added a new bridge connecting the two bodies of water and three fishing piers located around the lake.
Clara Meer Dock is located at the west corner of the lake. Just above the Dock sits the historic Visitor Center building. Clara Meer Dock forms an amphitheater-like space nestled into the western end of the lake. Clara Meer Dock is often used for wedding ceremonies. Rental of the dock also includes the Visitor's Center. The Visitor's Center features a barrel ceiling with a painted mural called "A Day at the Park" by Ralph Gilbert. The center seats 40 persons inside and over 200 more on the adjoining lawn and dock. The Dock seats up to 120 for ceremony, or up to 100 for table dining or possible dance floor area.
Mayor's Grove is the newer of the two playgrounds in Piedmont Park. It was designed as a Boundless playground and features a high level of accessibility and interactive play.
Dogs
With the exception of some festival weekends and special events, dogs are permitted in Piedmont Park, on leashes 6 feet (1.8 m) or shorter for safety reasons. Owners must clean up after their dogs, and the park has a half-dozen plastic bag dispensing stations to facilitate this. Several of the park's water fountains also have a ground-level basin for dogs to use.Just north of the Park Road entrance bridge are two fenced-in Dog Parks where friendly dogs (and their owners) can cavort with each other off-leash. Brand new, vastly expanded parks for small and large dogs were opened in Apr 2011.
The Leash-free Alliance of Piedmont Park (LAPP) is a volunteer group that works with the Conservancy on dog park improvements, fundraising efforts, and clean up projects.
Special events
Piedmont Park is a central focal point of Atlanta's MidtownMidtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
community. The park is home to various annual celebrations and events, including Atlanta Pride Festival
Atlanta Pride
Atlanta Pride, also colloquially called the Atlanta Gay Pride Festival, is a week-long annual lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender pride parade held in Atlanta, Georgia . Established in 1971, it is one of the oldest pride parades in the United States.. According to the Atlanta Pride Committee as...
, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is an arts and crafts festival held each spring at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Originally held for nine days across two weekends and the weekdays between, it is now held only one weekend during early April, when the native dogwoods are in bloom.- External links :*...
, Music Midtown
Music Midtown
Music Midtown was a large music festival held in Atlanta, Georgia from 1994 to 2005. It is once again resurrected for 2011.The festival ran on one weekend each year from 1994 to 2005. The event drew in excess of 300,000 attendees per year during its peak years. Music Midtown started as a two-day...
, and Festival Peachtree Latino
Festival Peachtree Latino
Festival Peachtree Latino is an ethnic festival held annually Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The festival, which celebrates Hispanic-American culture, is the largest multicultural event in the entire Southeast...
. A summer series of classic films, Screen on the Green, is also aired in the park for local residents.
On the weekend and holidays the park comes alive with music, intramural sports and fun festivities. In 2004, Georgia Shakespeare Festival added an annual series of free performances entitled "Shake on the Lake" with Lake Clara Meer as a backdrop. A centennial celebration was held for the park in June 2004. In 2007, the Allman Brothers Band and Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
played a concert with proceeds benefiting the planned expansion to the park. Dave Matthews Band's performance was later released as a live DVD as well as their eighth live album, Live at Piedmont Park
Live at Piedmont Park
Live at Piedmont Park is a live album and video release by the Dave Matthews Band from a 2007 benefit concert in Atlanta. The concert was held at Atlanta's Piedmont Park in front of an audience of over 80,000 people to raise over US $1 million of a US $42.5 million project to expand of...
. Sir Paul McCartney performed in Piedmont Park to benefit the conservancy on August 15, 2009. The Eagles are scheduled to play at the park on October 16, 2010, also as a benefit for the conservancy. In 2011, Music Midtown
Music Midtown
Music Midtown was a large music festival held in Atlanta, Georgia from 1994 to 2005. It is once again resurrected for 2011.The festival ran on one weekend each year from 1994 to 2005. The event drew in excess of 300,000 attendees per year during its peak years. Music Midtown started as a two-day...
returned from its five-year hiatus, hosting headliners Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
and The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
in Piedmont Park.
External links
- Official Park Site (Piedmont Park Conservancy)
- Piedmont Park Conservancy Facebook page - photos of April 2011 opening of expansion areas
- Friends of Piedmont Park
- Atlanta Pride
- Atlanta Jazz Festival
- Atlanta Dogwood Festival
- Screen on the Green
- Then/Now photos of Piedmont Park
- Another set of Then/Now photos of Piedmont Park
- Atlanta, Georgia, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary