Atlanta's steady rise in popularity can be traced back to its earliest beginnings. In 1837, the town was a mostly wooded settlement, chosen as the site for a Western and Atlantic Railroad terminal. This railway acted as the trade route to the Midwest and anchored the city--then known as Terminus--as a transportation hub of the South.

The city underwent a name change from Terminus to Marthasville before the title of Atlanta was chosen and incorporated in 1847. During this time, Atlanta was considered to be a gateway city of the South due to its railway terminal, a convergence point for the region's major railways. By the beginning of the Civil War, Atlanta was home to 10,000 residents, all of which were ordered to leave by the Union's General William Tecumseh Sherman once he arrived in town.

When all was said and done, Atlanta had been set ablaze by General Sherman and ultimately had to be rebuilt from the ground up. Like the phoenix on the city's seal, Atlanta literally rose from the ashes and started anew. Gradually, its reputation and the city were rebuilt, and Atlanta once again became the industrial and commercial heart of the South. Today, this reputation still holds true, and many consider it to be the New York of the South.

Another important aspect of Atlanta's history came years later in the 1950s. During this time, Atlanta was a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement, and home to such influential philanthropists as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Hosea Williams, and Congressman John Lewis. Today, the Reverend's boyhood home is preserved as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, and is a popular destination for visitors and residents alike.