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We’re proud to share that the historic St. Mark AME Church in Atlanta’s English Avenue neighborhood has been awarded the inaugural Wade and Mary Lu Mitchell African American Heritage Preservation Grant. This $20,000 grant will support urgent masonry repairs needed to stabilize and protect this treasured landmark.

Founded as part of the African Methodist Episcopal tradition, St. Mark AME Church has long served as a spiritual, cultural, and community anchor for generations of African Americans in Atlanta. Through decades of social change, the church has stood as a place of worship, resilience, education, and community organizing, reflecting the rich history and enduring legacy of Black life in the city.

In partnership with The Beloved Community Inc., we are committed to preserving more than a historic building—we are safeguarding the stories, memories, and cultural heritage that define Atlanta’s past and inspire its future.

Throwback to a remarkable piece of architectural heritage. This historic estate showcases the grandeur of early 20th-century design, blending stone masonry, intricate ornamentation, and Mediterranean-inspired details. Built during an era when craftsmanship defined every structure, the building stands as a testament to the vision, artistry, and cultural influences that shaped its time. Today, it continues to inspire visitors, historians, and architecture enthusiasts who appreciate the stories preserved within its walls. Walking through its grounds offers a glimpse into a bygone era, where elegance, innovation, and architectural excellence came together to create a lasting landmark.

ThrowbackThursday Pratt-Pullman Yard, 2020. Over the last several years, the historic Pratt-Pullman Yard has undergone an adaptive reuse rebirth as the , featuring film production offices, dining, and open and entertainment spaces. The site is protected as a City of Atlanta () designated landmark district and is listed as a contributing property in the Kirkwood National Register Historic District.

Built from 1906-1926, Pratt-Pullman Yard encompasses 27-acres and was first home to Pratt Engineering and Machineworks, Inc. From June 1926 through 1950s, the Pullman Rail Car Company used the site as their southeastern repair shop for passenger rail cars. In 1925, African American employees founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African-American labor union to sign a collective bargaining agreement with a major U.S. corporation. By the late 1980s, the site was significantly underused, and sat inactive for the last 30 years.

A postcard from 1905 depicting Terminal Station (Atlanta) captures one of the most important transportation landmarks in early 20th-century Atlanta. At the time, the station was newly built and represented the city’s rapid transformation into a major rail hub in the American South.

Terminal Station officially opened in 1905, designed to serve both passengers and the growing number of rail lines passing through Atlanta, including major services from the Southern Railway. Its grand Beaux-Arts architectural style, featuring a large arched train shed and an ornate façade, reflected the optimism and ambition of the era. The station quickly became a gateway to the city, welcoming travelers, businessmen, soldiers, and migrants moving across the region.

In the early 1900s, postcards like this were extremely popular. They were often used not only as souvenirs but also as a way to showcase modern infrastructure and civic pride. The image of Terminal Station symbolized Atlanta’s role as a transportation center and its connection to the broader economic growth of the United States.

Terminal Station remained a vital part of the city for decades before eventually being demolished in 1970, as rail travel declined and urban redevelopment reshaped downtown Atlanta.

It's Official! St. Mark AME Landmark Site. 🎉

St. Mark AME in the historic English Avenue neighborhood is now a designated landmark site by the City of Atlanta! The APC sponsored the landmark nomination in partnership with Pastor Winston Taylor, Mother Mamie Moore, the Department of City Planning, Landmark Preservation, Council Members Byron Amos and Michael Julian Bond, Dr. Danielle Willkens and students from the Georgia Tech School of Architecture.

Starting the designation process in 2021, the APC helped lead this process from neighborhood meetings ➡️ NPU ➡️ Atlanta Urban Design Commission ➡️ Zoning Review Board ➡️ Zoning Committee ➡️ full City Council ➡️ Mayor's Office.

Built in 1920 for the Western Heights Baptist Church, the church first served a white, working-class congregation. In 1948, as the area’s demographics changed, the church sold the building to St. Mark AME, which used the space until 1976. Since then, the space has remained vacant. Plans are underway to not only preserve the space but develop programming opportunities and schematic design proposals to reinvigorate the building of historic St. Mark AME.

The **Carnegie Library of Atlanta** was one of the city's most important cultural landmarks during the early 20th century. Opened on **March 4, 1902**, it became Atlanta’s first public library and was funded through a generous donation from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie as part of his worldwide Carnegie library program.

Located at the corner of Forsyth Street and Carnegie Way in downtown Atlanta, the library was designed in the elegant **Beaux-Arts architectural style** by the firm **Ackerman & Ross**. Its grand marble façade, classical columns, and impressive reading rooms reflected the City Beautiful movement that influenced many American public buildings of the era.

In the early 1900s, the Carnegie Library served as a center for education, research, and civic life. Thousands of Atlanta residents visited the library to access books, newspapers, and public lectures. In **1905**, it also became home to the **Carnegie Library School of Atlanta**, the first library training school in the American South, helping to professionalize library services throughout the region.

As Atlanta grew, the library became increasingly crowded. Expansions and renovations were completed in later decades, but the original building could no longer meet the needs of the rapidly expanding city. After serving Atlanta for seventy-five years, the historic structure was demolished in **1977** and replaced by the modern **Atlanta Central Library**. Parts of the original building were preserved as historical artifacts.

Today, historic photographs of the Carnegie Library provide a glimpse into an era when public libraries symbolized knowledge, progress, and civic pride in a growing Southern city.

Standing proudly in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Grant Building is one of the city's most significant historic landmarks. Completed in 1898, it was celebrated as Atlanta's first all-steel-frame, fireproof office building, marking a major advancement in architectural and engineering design at the turn of the 20th century.

Developed by philanthropist and businessman Lemuel Pratt Grant, the building became a symbol of Atlanta's rapid growth and modernization following the Civil War. Over the decades, it housed numerous businesses, including the Standard Federal Savings and Loan Association, and remained a prominent fixture of the downtown skyline.

Recognized for its historical and architectural importance, the Grant Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today, more than 125 years after its construction, the landmark is entering a new chapter through an adaptive reuse redevelopment project that aims to preserve its legacy while bringing new life to downtown Atlanta.

The **Kiser Law Building** was one of Atlanta’s most prominent late-19th-century office buildings. Built in **1890** by businessman **Marion C. Kiser**, the eight-story red-brick structure stood at the corner of Pryor Street and Hunter Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Drive) in downtown Atlanta. It was designed primarily to house law offices and quickly became a recognizable landmark in the city’s growing business district.

By **1907**, when the famous photograph was taken, the Kiser Law Building symbolized Atlanta’s rapid economic growth and urban development during the early 20th century. The building was designed by the architectural firm **Bruce & Morgan**, which was responsible for many important buildings throughout Georgia. Its impressive height and red-brick façade reflected the city's ambitions as a modern commercial center in the American South.

The structure remained an important part of downtown Atlanta for decades. However, as the city continued to modernize and redevelop its urban core, the Kiser Law Building was eventually demolished in **1936**. Today, it survives mainly through historic photographs and archives that document Atlanta’s architectural heritage.

#1907

The Kimball House, Atlanta – 1940s

During the 1940s, the historic Kimball House stood as one of the most prominent hotels in Atlanta. Originally established in the late 19th century, the hotel became a central gathering place for travelers, business leaders, politicians, and visitors arriving in the city. Located near the heart of downtown Atlanta, it reflected the city's growth as a major transportation and commercial hub in the American South. Throughout the 1940s, the Kimball House witnessed a period of rapid urban development, serving guests during the years surrounding World War II and the post-war economic expansion. Its grand architecture and reputation for hospitality made it one of Atlanta’s most recognizable landmarks before changing times eventually reshaped the city's downtown landscape.

In 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in the circa 1895 Queen Anne style home and spent his first twelve years of his life living here on Auburn Avenue. Today, the home is a part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and the City of Atlanta Department of City Planning designated Luther King, Jr. Landmark District. Nearby is the Sweet Auburn Historic District, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Sweet Auburn represents the "achievements of African American leaders of the city, state, and nation and was an important part of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s formative years. Its history represents a significant part of our shared past and serves to inform future generations of the stories of segregation, entrepreneurship, the civil rights movement, and organizations that strengthened the community and provided leadership and support throughout its history. It can only continue doing so if what remains is preserved and its integrity can be maintained." (Sweet Auburn National Historic Landmark Assessment).

Trying to preserve various spaces demands that we embrace challenging situations and pursue a greater outcome for all parties and not one group. May we use today as a benchmark of how to equally grow the need of preserving our local historic spaces and our historic experiences as well.
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