Just a short distance from Phillips Arena, the Georgia Dome, and Georgia Congress center lies an integral and historic district of Atlanta. Castleberry Hill is where Atlanta’s business district began and today still holds importance to the city. It is one of the eight regions in Atlanta nationally recognized as a historic district. It is bordered by Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Northside Dr, and McDaniel St. Without the growth and progress of this community Atlanta may not be what it is today. Castleberry Hill is actually named after an early settler named Dan Castleberry who originally purchased the land. As time progressed, Castleberry went from family owned land to what was known as Atlanta’s Red Light District. It was called this because traders came to the area sell their goods and products. This caused the area to be full of bars and drinking establishments which was said to cause the town problems. The things that occurred in the area were frowned upon and the area was ridden with crime. This phase of Castleberry occurred in the mid 1800’s, but shortly after the Civil War occurred.
The war revamped not only the Castleberry area but Atlanta as a whole. It was turning point for the entire city. As did many other towns in Atlanta, Castleberry began to hark on the distribution movement. The district was responsible for much of Atlanta’s growth. An important as well as historic aspect of the growth and progress of Castleberry Hill is the railroad that runs through the area. The community was actually built around its tracks so the railroad out dates the town. The railroad attracted workers from the railroad itself, as well as blacksmiths, carpenters, traders, and other laborers because the town was central to the railroad and encouraged business growth. Areas with Castleberry such as Peter St were deemed residential. Middle class to wealthy White families mainly lived in this area which was comprised of homes and small shops. Walker Street, which neighbors Peter St, was well known for its school as well as fire station. Unfortunately, the school burned down in the late 1800’s. This area was also the first place to have a line for Atlanta’s trolley system. As the first area to use this system, the district was known to be on the forefront of business and technology in Atlanta. Two of the nation’s most profitable companies also called Castleberry Hill home. Notable films such as “Driving Miss Daisy” were filmed in the area. This helped to bring about prosperity within the region.
Around 1892, the area began to slowly make a change from all white residents to a more mixed ratio. As time progressed to the mid 1900’s, industrial movements began to migrate to the suburbs and the outskirts of Atlanta. As they did, so did the development many residential homes. Many businesses began to close, which resulted in abandoned buildings and warehouses. For a while, Castleberry lay forgotten but recently has begun to gain back its notability. The once abandoned buildings have been made use of. Many artists have use the abandoned warehouses as galleries and have turned the area into a new and upcoming art district. This has added a new and unique twist to the urban area. The district even has an annual art stroll. This event allows people to walk through the streets and view galleries of unique art. There is no other event like it in the city. It also encourages business for small shops in the area. Slice, a very notable restaurant in Atlanta, calls Castleberry home. This recent success has attracted other entrepreneurs and businesses to the area. Old facilities have also been converted to lofts for residential living. The population and business aspect of the district has begun to grow again.
New homes and businesses arrive at Castleberry Hill regularly and in turn the population and its notability is returning to the state it once was. A committee has also been formed by residents to ensure that Castleberry Hill will be preserved. The plan was endorsed by Mayor Shirley Franklin in 2006. The committee is also trying to promote the importance of Castleberry Hill by regularly having events to attract tourists. Today, if you go to visit the area, you will be met with beautiful murals and graffiti. There are regular fairs and events in the area that attract many. Businesses range from boutiques, to hair shops, furniture stores, art galleries, and eateries. The mixture of an urban area and an art district make for an experience you will find anywhere else. Castleberry Hill is rich in history as well as culture.
Written by: Olivia McCune
