Why is Atlanta such a big city?

Ive been to Atlanta. My sister used to live there.

And I have the toughest time trying to figure out its so big. There is absolutely NOTHING around the place...and its not even on a river, or very centrally located in Georgia.

While on a visit we took a road trip to Athens while I was there, and it was nothing but mile after mile of scrub woodland. Its like Atlanta is stuck in the middle of the forest, no farms, not much of anything around town except the suburbs.

So why is this city so big? Youd think maybe a port like New Orleans or Savannah would be the metropolis of the South, or a place like Montgomery or Birmingham or Charlotte, which are somewhat centrally located in their various regions, or Chatanooga or Nashville, which are on a river ....

....but Atlanta??? Who would pick that spot and guess a great city would grow there?

and sprawl.

...and Oklahoma City
...and Phoenix

http://www.okccvb.org/history/okc_history.htm

History of Oklahoma City
Just a little over a century ago, the site of Oklahoma City was a grass-and-timbered land of gently rolling hills flattening out into prairie in the west. Today, Oklahoma City sprawls across 625 square miles of America's heartland. It's metro population numbers over a million - a third of the entire state's population.

During the 1800s, the US government was forcibly relocating Indian tribes from all over the country into the area known as Oklahoma Territory. There was one parcel of land that was never given over to any Indian tribe - the Unassigned Lands. In the 1880s, many frontier Americans wanted to move into this land. Soon, landless pioneers began slipping over into this area without authorization. These were the "Boomers," who were trying to force the government into opening the territory up to homesteaders.

On March 2, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed legislation that opened up the Unassigned Lands. So, on April 22, 1889, about 50,000 homesteaders gathered at the boundaries. Some people snuck over at night to stake out prime land early, hiding from the army patrols. These were known as "Sooners."


(snip)

That's service! Thanks opiate69, you're alright! :hi:

"That's service! Thanks opiate69, you're alright!"

Thanks! Just don't let it get around.. I have a reputation to protect! ;)

http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/CITYGOV/history.html#BORN

Hundreds of years before any of the cities in the eastern part of our country were so much as clearings in the wilderness, a well established, civilized community occupied the land we know as Phoenix. The Pueblo Grande ruins, which were occupied between 700 A.D. and 1400 A.D., testify to our city's ancient roots.
The wide Salt River ran through the Valley of the Sun, but there was little rain and no melting snow to moisten the brown earth from river to mountain range on either side.

Those former residents were industrious, enterprising and imaginative. They built an irrigation system, consisting mostly of some 135 miles of canals, and the land became fertile. The ultimate fate of this ancient society, however, is a mystery. The accepted belief is that it was destroyed by a prolonged drought. Roving Indians, observing the Pueblo Grande ruins and the vast canal system these people left behind, gave them the name "Ho Ho Kam" -- the people who have gone.

Phoenix's modern history begins in the second half of the 19th century. In 1867, Jack Swilling of Wickenburg stopped to rest his horse at the foot of the north slopes of the White Tank Mountains. He looked down and across the expansive Salt River Valley and his eyes caught the rich gleam of the brown, dry soil turned up by the horse's hooves. He saw farm land, predominately free of rocks, and in a place beyond the reach of heavy frost or snow. All it needed was water.

(snip)

Here's a website that should be able to answer your question.
http://www.city-directory.com/Overview/history/history1.htm

It could be argued that the history of Atlanta began at Fort Peachtree, where Peachtree Creek flows into the Chattahoochee River.

Way back when this point was the borderline between the Creek Indian lands to the south and Cherokee territories to the north, there stood a large peach tree (or, depending on who you listen to, it may have been some sort of pine, or "pitch" tree.) The tree gave the name to the nearby creek, which in turn gave the name to the main indian trail in the area, and from that, the street, and so on.

And on this spot in 1814, the Americans built Fort Peachtree to watch over the neighborhood (and maybe also the tribes) during the War of 1812. (The fort in the picture is a latter-day recreation constructed by the Water Department, which today operates a water quality monitoring station on the site.)

Later, this spot was briefly chosen as the location where the railroads would come together to form the city of Atlanta. But later, possibly because rivers and train tracks all coming together in one place would promise too confusing, they decided to locate the terminus several miles to the east.

(snip)

Delta made Atlanta its main hub. That is the main reason why it has become so important. It is the perfect place for so many companies because it is so accessible. I think that that is the biggest reason why it is so big. I think it became so significant pretty recently due to jet travel.

.

The Airport has played a part in keping Atlanta vital, but like many other cities across the country, the initial growth spurt and continued viability was a result of the railroad.

But, I don't think anyone really cares about the railroad anymore. Atlanta was originally fouded as a train junction I believe. However, the only reason why it has become the "capital of the south" is because of its access to air travel.

"But, I don't think anyone really cares about the railroad anymore."

That doesn't matter. If it weren't for the railroad, Atlanta never would have had the initial population boom, and therefore never would have become such a major population center. That's like saying that Boeing is the reason Seattle is the largest city in Washington. If the transcontinental rail terminus had gone to Tacoma or Port Townsend instead, like originally planned, Seattle would be a second-ran metro area. In other words, if it weren't for the past, there would be no present.

I think some stats Ive seen showed it being around the same size as Louisville, Ky, just after WWII. So it really boomed in the postwar era.

I believe it was the 60s when they got the international airport and then Delta hub.

There is a story about Birmingham being the first choice for the airport, but the then steel barons had no desire to have an influx of people that the airport would bring. They were interested in holding onto their power in the small city of Birmingham.

Well, the airport went to Atlanta and the steel industry dried up so the barons lost their power anyway.

Go figure.

Its not even on a river? You must have missed the 410 mile Chattahoochee River.

Atlanta grew because it was at the crossroads of the south's two biggest railroads - W&ARR and the Georgia Railroad.

Also, don't forget - Coca Cola was invented there and is head quartered there.

The suburbs are sprawling and developed. One in particular - Alharetta - was once called the Silicon Valley of the south. It's population will rival that of Atlanta's in 20 years - and it's only 30 miles away. In time, it is predicted that a 100 mile radius of Atlanta will become one huge metropolitan area.

And was once planend to be the biggest 'port' around, despite the fact that there's a noticeable lack of deepwater harbors in and around the city.

Sure, now it's big because of Coke-Cola, Delta, Turner, its universities, and all the rest of it, but the main reason it's so big is 'cos lots of people live there. :-)

Fulton County Population
2000: 816,006
1990: 648,951
1980: 589,904
1970: 607,592
1960: 556,326
1950: 473,572
1940: 392,886
1930: 318,587
1920: 232,606

Does anyone know what accounted for the drop during the 70's? I'd imagine White Flight. I didn't check the other counties in the metro area, but I imagine they've grown even faster. IIRC, the Atlanta metro area is the most sprawling in the US.

due to the river and RR.

You might recall that it was a big deal town when it went up in flames in the Civil War.