Kirkwood, Atlanta facts for kids
Kirkwood is a cool historic neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia. It's like a small town within the big city! Kirkwood used to be a "streetcar suburb," which means people traveled to and from Atlanta using streetcars a long time ago.
This neighborhood is located in DeKalb County. It's surrounded by other neighborhoods like Lake Claire, East Lake, Edgewood, and Oakhurst. Kirkwood is bordered by DeKalb Avenue to the north, Memorial Drive and Interstate 20 to the south, Montgomery Street to the west, and 1st Ave to the east. A big part of Kirkwood is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Kirkwood Historic District.
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History of Kirkwood
Before the Civil War, some of the main families living in the Kirkwood area were the Kirkpatrick, Dunwoody, and Clay families. The name Kirkwood probably came from mixing the names Kirkpatrick and Dunwoody!
James H. Kirkpatrick, who was from Ireland, moved here in 1827. He owned a lot of land that is now part of northern Kirkwood. His big farm was near the Georgia Railroad line. When he passed away, James Kirkpatrick had one of the largest estates in DeKalb County.
Jesse Clay, from Virginia, had dairy farms on over 850 acres in the southwest part of Kirkwood. His farm was located near what is now Clay Street. Jesse Clay and his family also bought and sold land for development. Today, the only reminder of the Clay family in Kirkwood is a small family cemetery from the late 1800s.
Kirkwood started to grow as a neighborhood in the 1870s. It was known for its "beautiful suburban villas." By 1910, streetcars offered fast trips to and from Atlanta three times a day. Streetcars continued to run on some streets, like Kirkwood Road NE, until the early 1950s.
Kirkwood became its own independent town in 1899. It had its own city council, mayor, water system, schools, and fire department. The old Kirkwood School building, designed by John Francis Downing, is a beautiful example from this time. It's now apartments called Kirkwood Lofts after a big renovation in 1997.
Civil War History in Kirkwood
There are five special markers placed by the Georgia Historical Commission in Kirkwood. These markers explain important events that happened during the Battle of Atlanta in the Civil War. They show how important this area was during those times.
- The "Unexpected Clash" marker is at Clifton Street and Memorial Drive. It tells about a surprise meeting that started some of the first shots fired in the Battle of Atlanta.
- The "Battle of Atlanta Began Here" marker is near Memorial Drive and Clay Streets. It marks where the first two groups of soldiers from the North and South met. This clash started the battle that led to many deaths and the burning of Atlanta.
Downtown Kirkwood
By the late 1990s, Kirkwood's homes were becoming very popular. However, the business area along Hosea L. Williams Drive (which used to be Boulevard Drive) wasn't growing much. A big problem was that the rules for buildings in the business district were all different. In 2001, the community got new rules called Neighborhood Commercial (NC-3) Zoning. This helped make planning easier.
In 2003, a big project started to improve the streets in the business district. This $1.5 million project, along with the new zoning rules, helped attract small businesses and new shops. The street improvements made it safer for people walking by making street crossings narrower and adding protected crosswalks and bicycle lanes. They also added wider sidewalks, historic street lights, decorative bricks, trash cans, and bike racks.
Today, Downtown Kirkwood is known as "the small town in the big city." It has its own post office, a new fire station, a police office, and a public library. People can also find many shops and restaurants, including spas, furniture stores, gift shops, coffee shops, and places for yoga and dance.
The Kirkwood Business Owners' Association (KBOA) helps local businesses. They recently added new signs and plants at the main traffic island on Hosea Williams Drive. They also help promote Kirkwood events and businesses.
The Kirkwood Historic District, which includes 1,788 important buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Festivals & Events
Kirkwood loves to celebrate! Here are some fun events that happen every year:
- Kirkwood Spring Fling: This festival kicks off the warm weather each year. It has music, an artist market, food, drinks, and a special area for kids at Bessie Branham Park. The money raised helps with community projects.
- Kirkwood Wine Stroll: The Kirkwood Business Owners Association hosts this event every summer. People can try wines from all over the world at local businesses.
- Kirkwood Family Find: The Kirkwood Neighborhood and Resonate Church put on a huge Easter Egg Hunt with 8,000 eggs at Bessie Branham Park. There's also face painting, games, and more! It happens every year on the Saturday before Easter.
- Kirkwood Home For the Holidays: The Kirkwood Neighborhood and Resonate Church celebrate the holidays downtown. They have a tree lighting, live music, a holiday market, and Santa!
- B*ATL Event: This event happens every July to remember the Battle of Atlanta during the Civil War. Kirkwood, East Atlanta, and East Lake celebrate together. Events include tours, a 5K run, and re-creations of Civil War scenes with actors and music.
Architecture
Historic Kirkwood has many beautiful homes built in the Victorian and Craftsman styles. There are also new homes that fit in with the traditional look. In 2009, the Kirkwood Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It's the largest historic district in Georgia with nearly 2,000 important buildings!
The Kirkwood School, built in 1910, is also on the National Register of Historic Places. It was turned into loft apartments, which is a great example of how old buildings can be used in new ways.
The Craftsman Bungalow is the most common style of home in Kirkwood. These homes show how the area grew in the early 1900s as a streetcar suburb. Craftsman homes are known for their simple lines and practical design, which was different from the fancier Victorian homes. Local architect Frank Ruggles designed many unique Craftsman homes in the neighborhood. You can still see many of his designs on Warlick Avenue and Howard Street NE. Today, these Craftsman homes are very popular and sought after.
Besides the many old homes, Kirkwood also has new homes that fit modern living while keeping the traditional feel of the neighborhood. Since the mid-1990s, many new single-family homes have been built.
Even though there aren't specific historic protection rules for the whole community, the Kirkwood Neighbors' Organization works with builders and the City of Atlanta. They make sure that new buildings fit well with the existing neighborhood.
Education
Students living in Kirkwood go to schools in the Atlanta Public Schools district:
- Fred A. Toomer Elementary School
- Charles Drew Charter School
- Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
- Maynard H. Jackson High School
Parks and Greenspace
Kirkwood has five public parks! The neighborhood is also working on the Eastside Greenway, which will be a network of parks, green spaces, and trails. The "Trolley Line" of the PATH (Atlanta) network also runs through the community.
Gilliam Park: This park has a long history! Jesse Clay, the first owner of the land, bought it in 1826. He lived in a tent at first and got water from a spring in what is now Gilliam Park. He farmed about 850 acres until he passed away in 1871. His son inherited the land. Most of the land was sold in 1892 after trolley lines were installed, which helped Kirkwood grow. The park's curved shape comes from the old trolley line. The City of Kirkwood was later joined with Atlanta. Rufus F. Gilliam, a former mayor of Kirkwood, helped make this happen. The park was named after him. Today, Gilliam Park has green space, a bike trail (part of the PATH (Atlanta) project), and a community garden.
Coan Park: This park is also along the old trolley line. Coan Park has a playground that kids with disabilities can use, installed in 2011. It also has outdoor exercise equipment. The park is home to the Coan Recreation Center, a baseball field, a basketball court, tennis courts, and a gazebo. It's located between the Edgewood and Kirkwood neighborhoods. Coan Park used to be called the Woodbine Neighborhood Club. Neighbors bought shares to pay for the land in the late 1940s. They built a baseball field, basketball court, and picnic area. Old streetcars were even used as a clubhouse!
Bessie Branham Park (Formerly Kirkwood Park): Bessie Branham was an important community leader in Kirkwood in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, Mrs. Branham bought the land that is now Bessie Branham Park and gave it to the City of Atlanta. She wanted it to be a public park, and the city named it after her. In 1998, Bessie Branham Park was updated with new courts, a ball field, a playground, and a $2 million recreation center. The recreation center has a gym, workout equipment, and a computer center with free classes for Atlanta residents. The park also has Atlanta's only Urban Treehouse, built to help inner-city kids learn about nature. In 2002, the city removed most of the playground equipment. But the Kirkwood Neighbors' Organization, with help from over 700 volunteers, designed and built a new playground in 2003!
Kirkwood Urban Forest and Community Garden: Community members worked together to turn 7 acres of unused land into a park and community garden. This area is now a conservation park, which means it's protected for the environment but open to the public. Volunteers from the neighborhood run it, with support from local groups. The urban forest has trails among different kinds of hardwood trees and a winding creek. The community garden has a young orchard, rain gardens, a frog pond, herb beds, a shade garden, and personal garden plots. There are plans for a community pavilion and a small playground in the future.
Oakview 1 Park: This is a small park located in the middle of Oakview Road SE.
Oakview 2 Park: This is another small park located in the middle of Oakview Road SE.
DeKalb Memorial Park: Located at the southern edge of the neighborhood, this park has two tennis courts, one basketball court, an open athletic field, baseball and softball fields, and a disc golf course.
Filming
In 2018, Kirkwood was a filming location for the movie Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. Film crews were seen in the neighborhood in March, and a big trick-or-treating scene was filmed there.
Notable people
Some well-known people have connections to Kirkwood:
- Hosea Williams
- Future, a rapper
- Stacey Abrams
- Inky Johnson
- Young Scooter
