Chastain Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chastain Park |
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| Location | Buckhead, Fulton County |
| Nearest city | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Area | 268 acres (1.08 km2) |
| Created | 1940 |
| Operated by | City of Atlanta Chastain Park Civic Association |
| Visitors | 1 million (2014) |
Chastain Memorial Park, often called Chastain Park, is the largest city park in Atlanta, Georgia. It covers about 268 acres (1.08 square kilometers). This big park is located near the northern edge of Atlanta.
Chastain Park offers many fun activities. You can find jogging paths, playgrounds, and tennis courts here. There is also a golf course, a swimming pool, and a special park for horses. The park is also home to a large outdoor theater.
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Where is Chastain Park?
This park is shaped like a wedge. On its east side, you'll find Lake Forrest Drive. Powers Ferry Road runs along its west-southwest side. West Wieuca Road forms the north-northwest border.
Nancy Creek flows through the middle of the park from east to west. The park is surrounded by wooded neighborhoods in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. It sits northwest of the original Buckhead Village.
The area around Chastain Park is also a neighborhood. This neighborhood is on the west side of the park, across Powers Ferry Road. To the north, it borders the city of Sandy Springs. On the west, it meets the Atlanta neighborhoods of Mount Paran/Northside. Tuxedo Park is to the south. In 2010, about 2,398 people lived in the Chastain Park neighborhood.
How Chastain Park Started
The land where Chastain Park now stands was once home to the Creek Native American people. It was near the floodplain of Nancy Creek.
In 1840, DeKalb County bought the land. They used it for town hall meetings. Later, in 1900, the land was sold to Fulton County. The county planned to build a home for people who needed help, called an almshouse.
The North Fulton Alm House opened in 1909. It had separate buildings for different groups of people. The buildings were designed in a Neoclassical style. During the Great Depression, a cemetery was built for the almshouse residents.
In 1940, Fulton County decided to build homes on a large part of the land. The almshouses were planned to be taken down, but the cemetery would stay. Troy Green Chastain, a Fulton County Commissioner, led this project. He got help from the Works Progress Administration, a government program that created jobs.
This project created the North Fulton neighborhood. Out of the original 1,000 acres, 268 acres became "North Fulton Park." The park included the North Fulton Golf Course, a clubhouse, a large swimming pool, tennis courts, a gym, and horse stables. The park was finished in 1945.
A year after Troy Green Chastain passed away, the county honored him. On September 25, 1946, they renamed the park "Chastain Memorial Park."
What Can You Do at Chastain Park?
Walking and Running Trails
The PATH Foundation started building a trail in Chastain Park in 1994. This trail has grown to be three miles long. It goes around Chastain Park and the North Fulton Golf Course.
The PATH Foundation estimates that about 250 people use the trail every hour. Because so many people enjoy it, a second loop is being built in the northern part of the park.
Swimming Pool
Chastain Park has a public swimming pool. This means most of the time, anyone can use it. However, people who are not members might need to pay a fee to enter. There are also times when only members can swim. The Chastain Park Athletic Club swim team practices at this pool.
Chastain Park Amphitheater
The park is home to a large outdoor theater. Many concerts and events are held here. It's a popular spot for entertainment in Atlanta.
See also
In Spanish: Chastain Park para niños
