Standing Peachtree facts for kids
Standing Peachtree was an important village of the Muscogee people. It was located in what is now the Paces neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. This village was special because it sat right where Peachtree Creek meets the Chattahoochee River. It was also near the lands of both the Muscogee and Cherokee nations. People have known about Standing Peachtree for a long time, with records mentioning it as early as 1762.
What's in a Name? Standing Peachtree's Meaning
The name "Standing Peachtree" comes directly from the Muscogee people's own name for the village: Pakanahuili.
Some people have thought that "peachtree" might have come from "pitch tree." They believed it referred to pine trees that produce pitch. However, there is no proof of the "pitch tree" idea before the 1900s. The name "Standing Peachtree" has been used since the 1700s.
Peachtree Street: Following an Ancient Trail
Standing Peachtree was the end of an important path called the Muscogee Peachtree Trail. This trail started near Toccoa and went all the way to what is now Piedmont Hospital in Buckhead. Today, a marker stands there at the corner of Peachtree Street and Palisades Road.
At this spot, the trail split into two directions. One path led directly to Standing Peachtree. Roads like Pace's Ferry and Moore's Mill roads were later built along this old path. The other path went south towards what is now Five Points in Downtown Atlanta. This is why much of Atlanta's main road, Peachtree Street, still follows this ancient Native American trail.
Fort Peachtree and Changing Times
In 1812, a place called Fort Peachtree was built at this location. Later, it was known as Fort Gilmer. This fort was connected to Fort Daniel in Gwinnett County by a path that became known as Old Peachtree Road.
The Muscogee people gave up the land that is now Metro Atlanta in 1821. This happened through a series of agreements that led to Native American nations moving from Georgia. Because of these changes, Standing Peachtree stopped being a trading post for the tribes.
It then became the first post office in the new DeKalb County, even before Decatur. (This area later became part of Fulton County.) A ferry, Montgomery's Ferry, opened across the river at Standing Peachtree in 1837. This ferry was later called DeFoor's Ferry. The area soon became better known by the ferry's name. The post office at Standing Peachtree closed in 1842.
