Intown Atlanta is an area that is absolutely brimming with character. With many historic districts boasting tree-lined streets, bustling commercial areas, and remarkable architecture, there are endless opportunities for exploration.

Whether you’d prefer to spend an afternoon wandering around a museum or strolling down streets with charming Craftsman Bungalows, traditional Georgians, Tudor Revivals, Victorians, and more, there’s a little something for everyone here.

Where should an architecture aficionado and history buff visit if they were to spend a weekend in Atlanta? Or, taking things a step further, which historic districts offer the most opportunity to live amongst striking architecture, rich historic landmarks, and vibrant culture?

The Historic Districts of Intown Atlanta

If you are an appreciator of all that is overflowing with charm and character, you’ll love exploring the historic districts of Intown, Atlanta. A few homes in Atlanta predate the Civil War, but these are few and far between, as much of the city was burned in Sherman’s infamous “March to the Sea,” in addition to the Great Atlanta fire of 1917.

Architecture lovers have no need to fret, however– plenty of turn-of-the-century homes and mansions are well worth the visit. Wandering through the city’s historic districts, you’ll see architectural styles ranging from Classical Revival and Queen Anne to Victorians and Tudor.

commercial districts. Many of Intown Atlanta’s most historic districts have genuinely flourished in recent years, with homeowners proudly and painstakingly restoring older houses, artists adding flare and creativity, and business owners creating opportunities for visitors and residents alike to shop and dine.

1. Inman Park

With tree-lined streets and beautiful Victorian homes, Inman Park was planned in the late 19th century by a civil engineer and real-estate developer named Joel Hurt. Compelled to build a rural oasis that would be connected to the city by electric streetcar lines, this was the first planned suburb in the entire city. He brought Joseph Forsyth Johson aboard as the landscape designer for the neighborhood, which included plentiful open space and curvilinear streets.

Inman Park was the inspiration for several other garden suburbs around Atlanta, including Druid Hills. Often considered home to the most impressive collection of late 19th-century and early 20th-century residential architecture in the city, you can view Romanesque mansions, high-style Italianates, and Queen Annes in Inman Park along with smaller shotgun homes, bungalows, and foursquare homes.

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2. Druid Hills

Home to the main campus of Emory University, Druid Hills is a historic planned community that contains some of the city’s best-known 19th and 20th-century landmark mansions.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted– the same Olmstead famous for co-designing New York’s Central Park and known as the father of American landscape architecture– this neighborhood is known for its incredible homes, tree-lined streets, and lush gardens.

3. Grant Park

Founded before the Civil War, Grant Park is one of the most historic neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta. Named for a businessman and engineer that was instrumental in building Georgia’s railroads and turning Atlanta into a railroad center, Lemuel Pratt Grant, this gorgeous area still contains the Italianate mansion he once lived in.

Walking through the Grant Park neighborhood is truly a treat– you’ll see everything from Queen Anne houses and Craftsman bungalows to Victorian mansions and quaint cottages.

This neighborhood is home to a park that gives the area its name, a 131-acre green space and recreational area, the oldest city park in Atlanta. When you visit Grant Park, make sure you aren’t so distracted by all the incredible architecture to wander around Zoo Atlanta, too!

4. Cabbagetown

Located on the east side of Atlanta, Cabbagetown was established in the late 19th century as a mill town for the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill, which opened its doors in 1881.

These days, it’s well known for being a hip and artsy neighborhood with colorful historic cottages and shotgun houses, narrow streets, and plenty of street art to enjoy.

5. Virginia-Highland

Established in the early 1900s, Virginia-Highland is a historic neighborhood well known for its vibrant dining and shopping scene, tree-lined streets, and bungalow-style homes.

While in town, one of the must-dos on your list will be visiting the Virginia Highland Commercial District. A bustling spot with many restaurants, shops, and bars, this is an excellent place to shop, take a stroll, and eat some grub.

In this neighborhood, you can visit the beautiful arboretum, Piedmont Park, and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Another landmark worth checking out is Callan Castle, an excellent example of the Tudor Revival architectural style.

Every Saturday, there’s a farmer’s market in Morningside where you can shop for local artisan crafts, flowers, meats, and fresh produce.

6. Ansley Park

One of the best walkable neighborhoods in the city, Ansley Park is an excellent place to visit for those of us who love to gaze at beautiful historic homes and take a stroll through the past. The first suburb designed in the city with the automobile specifically in mind, the streets here are curvilinear and wide.

Named after its developer, Edwin P. Ansley Park is home to some of Atlanta’s most architecturally significant residences. Architecture buffs will be smitten with the impressive list of architects that designed these homes, including P. Thornton Mayre, Philip Trammell Shutze, and Neel Reid.

7. Old Fourth Ward

Just east of downtown, the last few years have treated the Old Fourth Ward well. Quickly emerging as one of Atlanta’s hippest neighborhoods, this area was first settled in the early 19th century.

Here you’ll find the Sweet Auburn Historic District, a historic African-American neighborhood offering endless opportunities to explore iconic locations and gaze at incredible architecture. You can visit the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History and stop by next door to see exhibits on Africa, Atlanta’s African American politicians, African Women in S.T.E.M., and more at the APEX Museum.

Of course, you’ll also want to visit Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park, where you can see his childhood home, explore the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and even go to the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King was a pastor.

Thanks to the proximity to the Atlanta Beltline and Freedom Parkway, O.F.W. has grown remarkably in recent years. The Historic Fourth Ward Park– a seventeen-acre area complete with a two-acre lake, green space, splash pad, athletic field, outdoor theater, playground, and world-class state park– is a truly lovely place to spend a beautiful day.

8. West End

The West End has become one of Atlanta’s most sought-after (and most talked about!) neighborhoods for families and young professionals in recent years. A bike-friendly and walkable community along the Atlanta BeltLine, the West End is a convenient and vibrant place to visit.

Originally established in 1835 as White Hall, you can find the West End three miles southwest of downtown. One of the city’s first streetcar suburbs, these days, the West End is a unique urban community that combines a strong historical identity, old-fashioned neighborliness, southern hospitality, and in-town living.

A renaissance of sorts has been occurring in the West End recently, with resident homeowners restoring lovely turn-of-the-century homes and transforming the area.

The streets of the neighborhood are lined with gorgeous trees, some of which are as old as the homes they shade. With five City of Atlanta parks and a surprisingly affordable cost of living, there is still a lot of potential for growth here.

9. Castleberry Hill

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Castleberry Hill is historically significant as a complete warehouse district that survives to this day. Another neighborhood in the midst of a renaissance, this is one of the most artistically progressive areas of the entire city.

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10. Carnegie Building

The Carnegie Building in intown Atlanta, also known as the Carnegie Education Pavilion, stands as a symbol of Atlanta's commitment to education and historic preservation. The structure was built in 1901 as Atlanta's first free public library and is funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, establishing its historical significance.

Designed in Beaux-Arts style by New York architects Ackerman & Ross, the building served as a library until 1977, after which it housed various organizations. In 1996, it was disassembled, and its facades were reconstructed in Hardy Ivy Park as the Carnegie Education Pavilion.

Today, the pavilion is an outdoor monument and an event venue, holding inscriptions of Atlanta's leading educational institutions. Visitors can expect to see a grand display of preserved architecture set against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers. The original stonework, columns, and a central dome exhibit the building's initial grandeur.

This adaptive reuse project, while being a nod to Atlanta's educational journey, makes the Carnegie Building a significant symbol of Atlanta's progressive spirit that harmonizes its history with the future.

Notable Landmarks in Intown Atlanta

Before we sign off, let’s briefly look at some of the most notable landmarks you won’t want to miss in Intown, Atlanta.

1. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

We mentioned the M.L.K. Jr. National Historical Park in our description of the Old Fourth Ward, but this is such an important collection of landmarks in the city that it bears repeating.

Not only can you visit where Dr. King was born, lived, worked, and worshiped, but you’ll also find dozens of historic buildings here sprinkled over 38 acres right near downtown.

2. Oakland Cemetery

The oldest public park in the city and one of the largest cemetery green spaces, many of the most notable citizens of Atlanta are buried in Historic Oakland Cemetery.

The final resting place of several former Georgia governors, Confederate generals, and Atlanta mayors, it’s even mentioned in Gone With the Wind as the final resting place of Scarlett O’Hara’s first husband.

3. The Fox Theatre

Located in Midtown Atlanta, the Fox Theatre first opened in 1929 as a lavish movie theater after originally being planned to be a part of an impressive Shrine Temple. This truly unique building contains a 4,665-seat auditorium that reflects a combination of Islamic and Egyptian architecture.

Despite its lavish design, the Fox Theatre actually only remained open for a few years initially. However, after the building was foreclosed on in 1932, Paramount Pictures and Lucus & Jenkins bought the entire complex.

These days, you can still see a wide variety of artistic and cultural events at the Fox Theatre, including the Atlanta Ballet, national touring companies of Broadway shows, and a summer film series.

4. Swan House

This eclectic mansion was built for Edward and Emily Inman in 1928, features an amalgamation of many different architectural styles, and was designed by the city’s best-known architect at the time, Philip T. Shutze.

Now a part of the Atlanta History Center, the Swan House is mostly a Renaissance revival mansion inspired by English and Italian classicism, Anglo-Palladian styles, and more.

5. Rhodes Memorial Hall

An Atlanta landmark for generations, Rhodes Memorial Hall, was built in 1904 as the residence of Amos Rhodes, the founder of Rhodes Furniture.

Often said to be one of the finest existing expressions of late Victorian architecture in the entire city, this is one of the last remaining mansions on Peachtree Street.

Are You Thinking About Moving to Intown, Atlanta?

Whether you are drawn by the ample career opportunities, dining, nightlife, cultural attractions, or all of the above, there is a little something for everyone in the Atlanta metro area. It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in finding a quiet suburb to raise your family or if you’re more interested in living in a bustling urban neighborhood; we would love to help you find the home that best fits your needs.

When you work with the Justin Landis Group, you will have a world-class team of experts behind you and a real estate agent that serves as your primary point of contact. This means that no matter what happens along the way, you’ll have an expert in your corner that will step up to bat for you.

We understand just how complex and stressful real estate transactions can be, which is why we make communication and building relationships our highest priorities. So if you’re ready to achieve your real estate dreams and want to know that an entire world-class team of experts is working on your behalf, contact us today to get started.