Our Story
New experiences coming to the oldest streets in Atlanta.
Take a scroll down memory lane...
1837
Georgia legislature had voted to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad to open trade with the Midwest. Atlanta was selected to be the site of the lines depot.
1847
The city was incorporated as Atlanta.
1910s
The area surrounding the depot had become congested with trains, horses and buggies, pedestrians, and automobiles. The area became so congested that the city built iron bridges over a few of the streets for automobile traffic.
1927
In the song “Preachin’ The Blues” Bessie Smith sings about the Viaducts. Down in Atlanta G.A., Underneath the viaduct one day, Drinking corn and hollerin’ hoo-ray, Piano playin' till the break of day. Listen below.
1930's
After prohibition ended, and the need for speakeasies, along with the change in business ownership, the entire subterranean area – a 12 acre, 5 block stretch of street – was completely forgotten about.
1943
Plaza Park was built and later renamed Peachtree Fountains Plaza, which sits at the modern entrance to Underground Atlanta.
1960's
During some construction work, that the area was rediscovered. Almost like a time capsule much of the brickwork, granite archways, cast-iron pilasters, ornate marble, wooden posts and gas street lamps from a century earlier were found in perfect condition. Even the street trash – gum wrappers and cigarette butts – was completely undisturbed.
1967
Two Georgia Tech graduates, Steven H. Fuller, Jr. and Jack R. Patterson, began to plan a private development there to restore and reopen "the city beneath the city" as a retail and entertainment district. Underground Atlanta, Inc. was incorporated May 2, 1967.
1968
Construction on Underground began in November. Underground was also designated as a “Historic Atlanta District” by the city.
1969
Underground Atlanta to open on April 8, 1969. Among the more popular spots in Underground Atlanta were Dante's Down the Hatch, Scarlet O'Hara, The Blarney Stone, The Rustler's Den, The Pumphouse, The Front Page, The Bank Note, and Muhlenbrink's Saloon, where Atlanta's Piano Red, under the name Dr. Feelgood and the Interns, played from 1969 to 1979.
1972
Underground celebrated its highest grossing year with 3.5 million visitors and sales of seventeen million dollars. It was the place to be!
1980
Underground Atlanta finally closed, while some of its businesses hung on for a few more years.
1982
Newly elected Mayor Andrew Young vowed to reopen Underground as part of his plan to resuscitate downtown Atlanta.
1989
On June 15, 1989, Underground Atlanta re-opened as more of a modern shopping mall than an entertainment district.
1990
The World of Coca-Cola, a museum chronicling the history of The Coca-Cola Company and its products, opened adjacent to Underground Atlanta, bringing further influx of tourists to the area.
1995-1996
Underground becomes a central rallying point for celebrations such as the Olympics and World Series.
2014
The City of Atlanta sold the Underground Atlanta complex to a private developer, WRS Inc., who announced plans to convert the area into mixed use properties, including apartments in a project which will invest between 100 and 200 million dollars into the downtown Atlanta economy.
2016
The last peach drops in Atlanta for New Years Eve.
2020
The start of something great...
