Johnsontown (Atlanta) facts for kids
Johnsontown was a small community in Atlanta, Georgia. It was located in an area now known as Buckhead. Today, the Lenox MARTA station stands where Johnsontown used to be.
A Community's Beginning
African American families first settled Johnsontown in 1912. It was a close-knit neighborhood. About thirty families lived there for many years. Their homes were on small plots of land, about 23 feet by 143 feet (about 7 meters by 44 meters).
The End of Johnsontown
The Johnsontown community lasted until 1982. At that time, the land was needed for a new rapid transit station. This station was part of the MARTA public transportation system.
Sam Sawyer, a pastor from Johnsontown, explained how things worked back then. He said that if the government wanted your land, they could take it. This was often called "condemnation."
However, the people of Johnsontown got help. T. M. Alexander Jr. was a smart banker and a graduate of Morehouse College. He offered his skills to the landowners. He helped them talk with the government. Because of his help, families received much more money for their land than they were first offered.
Remembering Johnsontown
Before the community was taken down, it was carefully recorded. The Library of Congress documented the neighborhood as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey. This means they made detailed records and pictures of the homes and streets.
Pastor Sawyer noted that if you visit the area today, you would never know a Black community named Johnsontown once stood there. The community even got its first paved street only a short time before it was gone.
