Archive Atlanta

This week, I am bringing you a short bonus story about the Bagby Family, mainly brothers William and Hubert, who were known throughout the Bolton area of Atlanta for living along the banks of the Chattahoochee River while evading arrest. In April of 1957, brothers Hubert and William - the “The Ghost” and “Cobb County Roosting Man” - were arrested. Police found them hiding in the chifforobes at their family home and they were charged with 13 counts of burglary and one count of larceny. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we're talking about Roman Catholicism in Atlanta, mainly centered around the city's historic Catholic churches from the 1850s through the 1950s. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, I'm sharing the short history of "Miss Sepia Atlanta", Atlanta's African American beauty pageant that ran from 1947 until 1963.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we're talking about one of Atlanta's most well-known attractions - it's strip clubs. But why and how and when did we get this claim to fame? Why is Atlanta one of the few places that allows full nudity and alcohol? Why are the wings so good? Today we're going to cover all of this and more; from the legislation battles to some of the iconic strip clubs from our history. Lustful Appetites book Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, I am so excited to share an interview episode with Mike Ayling, who is the writer and researcher behind Birds of Kirkwood. We talked about the story of how he moved into his home Kirkwood, Robert Windsor Smith, Atlanta first amateur ornithologist and we talked about birding and the natural environment of Kirkwood 122 years ago.  Birds of Georgia Bird Fest Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram   

This week, we're talking about Druid Hills - one of the most iconic Atlanta neighborhoods known for its housing stock and connection to the Olmsted landscape architecture firm. From Joel Hurt's idea through the most recent annexation; we are talking about historic houses, prominent residents and schools and churches.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we are celebrating Women's History Month by learning the history of three more women from Atlanta's past; Eva Lovett, Emily Norman and Alexa Stirling. One who founded a well-known private school, another a prominent real estate firm and a pioneer in golf.    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we're talking about “We Charge Genocide”, a 1951 petition accusing the United States government of genocide based on the newly adopted UN Genocide Convention. A strong content warning that this is going to be a heavy topic about racialized violence and murder across the US and specifically in Atlanta. Burnham-Nobles Archive Life Magazine Photos of the Stone Mountain Klan Initiation    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram   

This week, we're talking about WEB DuBois' time in Atlanta, which spans two different periods and a total of 24 years. Arriving first in 1897, he lived here during the death of his son, the lynching of Sam Hose, the 1906 Race Massacre and the publishing of several books and magazines. His second arrival was in 1934, where is once again taught at Atlanta University and published several more books.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram   

With my new bi-weekly format, there are two ways you can do this; a rolling schedule or what I did, which is say that the podcast will be out every first and third Friday. That means that a few times a year, we have months with 5 weeks. January is one of them!  So I thought I'd bring you a shorter, but fascinating topic to cover this bonus week. Today, we're talking about Sevananda, the natural foods co-op in Little Five Points that just celebrated its 50th anniversary. This is a story of an Indian spiritual organization, the natural foods movement, and how those collided in Little Five Points in the 1970s.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we're talking about Atlanta's Veterans Hospitals. When I first put this topic on my list, I thought I'd be covering the 1960s-era hospital that is still operating over on Clairmont Road, but I was surprised to learn we had several other variations and the history of caring for veterans in Atlanta is over 130 years old.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

This week, we're talking about Lustron Houses - prefabricated enameled steel houses developed in the post-World War II era in response to the shortage of homes for returning GIs. I'm going to cover the inventor, the Lustron Company, and more importantly, Lustrons in Atlanta - how many were built, who lived in them and how many remain? https://lustronresearch.com/ Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram     

Happy 2025! I started this podcast in September of 2018 and if you told me then I would be here recording in 2025, I would never have believed it. Over six years and over 250 episodes later, I am finally making a material change to Archive Atlanta - and that's format.  We're starting off 2025 with a new, bi-weekly format - that means twice a month - the first and third Fridays. So much has changed in 6 years that I also thought it'd be fun to record a new introduction.  Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram 

My last episode of 2024 is a conversation I had inside Constellations, with the incomparable Gene Kansas, who just wrote a book called Civil Sights: Sweet Auburn, a Journey through Atlanta's National Treasure, which is being released in February of 2025. Every time we get together, our shared love of historic preservation, Auburn Avenue and Atlanta come out and this is no different. University of Georgia Press 50% off coupon code: 08HLDY24   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Today, I am sharing a conversation I had with Abra Lee, Director of Horticulture at Oakland and scholar in Black garden history from Reconstruction to Civil Rights.   Black Flora   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    

To celebrate Halloween, my friends Liz and Cynthia joined me to discuss the mystery of the Atlanta Blood House. On September 8, 1987, Minnie Winston stepped out of the bath and into a pool of blood. But it wasn't her blood or her husbands... The Blood House mystery has never been formally solved, but we discuss the neighborhood, the house, the people, the facts, debunk some theories, share out own theories and even discuss other famous "bleeding houses" like the Amityville Horror.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter      

This week, we're talking about Atlanta's first, official Playboy Club and the place it was located, the people who worked there, went there and when it closed.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about one of Atlanta's most famous thoroughfares - and no, it's not Peachtree Street - it's Cheshire Bridge Road. Each time the city debuted a new thoroughfare, so began the promotion of its caliber and residents. Streets and avenues like Peachtree, Washington, Edgewood and so on would wage the battles of maintaining its status as an upper class section. As Cheshire Bridge Road has made the news recently because of the fight against adult businesses, it was interesting to see this same story play out over time. So today we're covering its early pioneer history, first businesses, the start of its reputation and its significant LGBTQ history. Night at the Sweet Gum Head LGBTQ Context Study Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am checking off another Atlanta neighborhood off the list - Ormewood Park. From its start as a single large estate that bred jersey cows, to the 1890s development, annexation, through its current history and unique landmarks and homes.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am sharing my interview with Peter Bahouth, talking about the Springlake neighborhood, and exploring his treehouse, which AirBnb named it's #1 “Most Wished For” listing. While we talk about the history of  the Battle of Peachtree Creek, the Springlake neighborhood, its connection to the Klan and the efforts to form a park space that can be accessible to the public, the most impactful part of this conversation for me was Peter's thoughts about nature and how important it is for all humans, especially now.     Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter       

This week, we're covering the Great Speckled Bird, Atlanta's alternative press that ran from 1968 through 1976. It was one of the longest-running underground newspapers of the era, publishing articles on Atlanta's political leaders, the women's movement, abortion, racial issues, culture and gay liberation.  https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/GSB Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am re-releasing an episode from waaaay back in August of 2019, all about Atlanta's Carnegie Libraries. It's not only a story of where we keep books, it's also a story of gender, power, race and access to information. Before the age of technology and the internet, books represented knowledge, and knowledge is power. Keeping that power away from people has been a tool used by the ruling party since the dawn of time. Libraries are a physical link to that power struggle and help us tell the story.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am covering one of my most requested topics, the Science & Technology Museum of Atlanta, better known as SciTrek. I didn't grow up here and so I love hearing people's stories of classic Atlanta memories or experiences that really defined their childhood and one of these is definitely SciTrek. The way that current Atlantans reminisce about and their stories of school field trips, etc., makes me wish I could go back in time and experience it. So today we're talking about the idea of a science museum in Atlanta, the people that made it happen, the early history of SciTrek and all the way through it's closing.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about basketball - from the invention of the game, when it arrived in Atlanta, who played it and where, and all the way into the story of our professional teams today.   Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta - and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about an Atlanta radio icon - WABE-FM. Located at 90.1 on your radio dial, the station has a fascinating history that dates back to the 1940s. So this week, we're talking about radio history, the educational radio movement, who funded the station here in Atlanta, who it was for and how it became the public radio institution that we know and love today.      Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter  

This week, in honor of the upcoming Peachtree Road Race, we are talking about the origin of the world's largest 10K and the organization that sponsors it, the Atlanta Track Club.    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Surprise! Yes - I am still on the podcast break and I will be back officially on June 14th with fun new episodes, but while I've been gone I was a guest on another amazing Atlanta podcast, Savory Stories.  Savory Stories is a WABE podcast about Atlanta's rich stories through the lens of cuisine and food history. It's hosted by Chef Asata Reid and culinary historian Akila McConnell, and if Akila sounds familiar, she was a guest on Archive Atlanta way back in Episode 68 talking about Atlanta's culinary history.  On this episode, we talked about the history and food, past and present, of the west side neighborhoods of Westview, West End and Cascade Heights. This is one of my favorite guest appearances and so I really wanted to get it on my podcast feed to share it with more people! Culinary History of Atlanta Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Hey everyone! This week's episode isn't really an episode, but instead a short update for my listeners. As I do each year in May, I will be taking my podcast summer break, returning on Friday, June 14th. If you've been listening along every week, I hope you can be patient with me as I take this time to work on tons of new episodes, flesh out some new ideas, and work with new people on exciting interviews. Even after 18 years in this city, I still find myself in places that I know nothing about. I cannot wait to learn about them and share their stories with you, hoping to spread the wonders that Atlanta holds. Take one of my walking tours here!   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about Vine City. This neighborhood just west of downtown Atlanta has SO much history, I struggled to fit it all in; from quarries, early German immigrants, to the largest nursery operation in the city, Black amusement parks, so many historic homes, and a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, and Dr. King - you do not want to miss this.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I'm talking about Atlanta's International Pop Festival, a concert held in July of 1969, the first of its kind in the South. And while it took place 20 miles south of Atlanta proper, everything about the festival was rooted in this city. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about Italian artist Athos Menaboni. In 1950, Time Magazine declared Menaboni the heir of James Audubon, because of his bird paintings that spanned over 150 different species. But this isn't just a story about art and animals - it's also a love story, a story about finding your calling after the age of 40, and the unsung roles of spouses or partners in someone's success.    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about Waffle House. Opened in 1955, in Avondale Estates, we're covering the two men that started it, the first locations, franchising, expansions, controversies and legal issues and even the Waffle House Index. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

In 1911, Atlanta's population was only 150,000 people and the idea of Commerce Schools was new - only two operated in the South; one at Louisiana State and the other at Washington and Lee. Georgia State was born from Georgia Tech's idea of starting an evening school, was later part of UGA and fought hard to become an independent institution. In this episode we're covering how that idea took shape, who was behind it, when did the names and locations change and how the school became what it is today. Educating the Urban New South Ground Crew Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about Piedmont Hospital. From its start as a small sanitarium in 1904, the doctor that started it, its numerous expansions, the move to Peachtree Street and the impact it had on Atlanta.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Spring is here and if you're in Atlanta, everything has just started to bloom. I decided it's the perfect time to re-release my episode from 2021 about the history of the Dogwood Festival in Atlanta. This year's festival is happening April 12-14th, and so you have time to listen in for a deep dive into this blooming tree, why it's associated with Atlanta, why we celebrate it, when it was created, who came up with the idea and why? Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, we're talking about Georgia's only remaining velodrome - the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point. We're talking about what a velodrome is, Atlanta's first velodrome, Dick Lane and the decade long efforts to open this velodrome in East Point.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

March is Women's History Month, and researching women is my very favorite thing to do. So while I was brainstorming an episode idea, I realized I had this huge collection of women on my list whose stories were very short - in terms of research, not the length of their lives or quality of achievements. This week I have collected these shorter stories into one episode about three different women; educator Bazoline Usher, artist Kate Edwards, and cosmetologist Dale Boring Strebel.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I picked up the story of Coca-Cola after it's sold in 1919 and took it through the Great Depression, World War II, Civil Rights, the Cola Wars, Diet Coke, New Coke and the World of Coca Cola.  Book Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am sharing my conversation with Antar Fierce, a graffiti historian, educator and archivist to learn about the history of graffiti, especially writing. Graffiti is loosely defined as words, drawings, or writings in public view - something that humans have created since the dawn of time. Writing developed first in the 1960s in Philadelphia and then New York City. We cover that early history, Antar's start as a writer, his move to Atlanta, the early writing community here Atlanta's first crew and I also asked him about how crews are structured and what the ethics that govern the culture. Email Antar or follow him on Instagram Documentary Tickets Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week I am re-releasing an old episode from the archives, but I also wanted it to coincide with Black History Month. From the summer of 2021, this is about Lincoln Country Club and the fight for Golf Course Desegregation. Born at the start of the Great Depression, from the need and desire of middle and upper-class Black Atlantans to not only play golf, but to establish a recreation place where they could have parties, and social events and gather. From the 1924 fight to even establish a second African American cemetery in Atlanta, to the 1930 opening of the country club, through the story of Black golfers and their fight to desegregate Atlanta's courses. This is such an interesting history that you do not want to miss. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I had the honor to sit down with Dr. Rhana Gittens Wheeler to ask her about her research of Blandtown, a historically African American neighborhood on the westside of Atlanta that dates to the 1870s. We talked about the neighborhood's history, the wrong history that had been out there, annexation, zoning and developers' efforts to rebrand the westside of Atlanta.  Pre-order her book here and her email is rwheeler@oglethorpe.edu. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter      

This week, we're talking about The Rap Map with Georgia State's Professor Brennan Collins and student Panther Lattimore. The map chronicles a decade's worth of rap lyrics referencing different Atlanta locations, connecting popular culture with local history and pinpoints the lyrics of Atlanta hip hop artists to create a map of the city based on narratives from historically marginalized communities rather than the traditional maps created by those in positions of power. Back in October, I got a message from Rachel at Brave Nu Ventures, asking me if I wanted to come to one of her events at The Dungeon. The event featured a presentation by Panther showing us the The Rap Map, but also breaking down Omeretta the Great's “Sorry Not Sorry”, which came out in 2022. This interview is so different from anything I've done in the past because I typically come in laser-focused, with a very specific topic, but this conversation was broad - it's about what is Atlanta, the changing landscape of rap in Atlanta and how we use data in these fascinating ways.    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Atlanta is home to 242 different neighborhoods that each have their own names and history, but this week, we're talking about the smallest - Just Us. Consisting of two streets sandwiched between the neighborhoods of Mozley Park, Ashview Heights, Hunter Hills and Washington Park, Just Us has a short but fascinating origin story that includes some of the most prestigious Black Atlantans, African Methodist Episcopal history, HBCU history, women's history and even a paranormal story. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week's mini episode is an Atlanta-adjacent topic but one still very intertwined with the city's history. If you're new here, Georgia is the peach state, but in this episode we're going to delve into the history. Why peaches? Where were the peaches? And the most important question of all - why is it named Peachtree Street and why are there so many Peachtree-named streets in Atlanta? Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

If you're listening in real time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, and while many know about his birth home and church, there are so many other places in Atlanta connected to Dr. King and his family that I want to share. So this week I want to go through those sites, give you the addresses, a little history and hopefully allow everyone to do a little DIY tour of all the sites with a deep connection to Martin Luther King, Jr.  Tomb With A View Episode Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    

This week, I am tackling a giant of Atlanta history, the famed soft drink Coca-Cola. There is, understandably, a lot to cover so I am breaking this out into two parts and this week we're talking about Pemberton, Candler, cocaine, caffeine and the only historic Coca Cola building that still stands. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

It's my last episode of 2023 and I thought why not take you along on a highly specific, random rabbit hole that I've recently fallen into. I loved the story of the Alkahest Magazine, because it includes the history of magazines, Lyceum lectures, Chautauqua, the American enlightenment and so much more.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week's episode is about the Junior League, specifically its origins in Atlanta. Who started it, who were members and what did they accomplish in their history? Starting with the Butterfly Ball in 1916, the Junior would open a domestic science school, a speech school, two tearooms, fund a ward at the children's hospital, volunteer at Grady, step in for drafted bank workers during WWII and host two movie premiere balls. And that's only a fraction of their work.    Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week, I am re-releasing an episode from April of 2022, covering the fascinating history of the Atlanta Humane Society, from the formation of the Atlanta Branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1871, to its reorganization as the Atlanta Humane Society in 1890. The early AHS fought for the better treatment of hack and dray horses and mules, banishment of rooster and dog fighting, care for chickens being sold in markets, ending the practice of gifting chicks for Easter, humane euthanasia methods for dogs, and ended the sale of chameleons, which were a fashionable hair accessory in the 1920s.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter    

This week I am sharing a conversation with Eli Dickerson about trees; what kind of trees we have in Georgia/Atlanta, the oldest trees in the city, the largest, and historic. We also cover counting tree rings, Champion Trees, old growth forests and Eli shares the story of a very special beech tree that connected him to history.   NOAA Tree Ring Database:  Atlanta Champion Tree  Georgia's State Champion Tree  National Champion Tree List Georgia Landmark and Historic Tree Registry PBS interview of Harold Dye Old Growth Forest Network     Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

This week we're talking about two pieces of Atlanta history - one, a neighborhood wiped out by urban renewal and the other, the showpiece Atlanta Civic Center that was built in its place.  By the turn of the 20th century, the name “Buttermilk Bottom” was used to describe the area bordered by Piedmont Avenue on the West, North Avenue on the North, Boulevard along the East and Forrest (today Ralph McGill) on the South. This African American community dealt with constant flooding issues, as well as racial terror. The City of Atlanta established an Urban Renewal Department in 1957 and by 1959, created the Housing and Slum Clearance Code. This new department identified five urban renewal areas, one being the 160 acre Buttermilk Bottoms tract, with 1,543 houses targeted for demolition. By December of 1963, the City of Atlanta formed the Citizens Auditorium Advisory Committee, who's stated purpose was to advise on architect, engineer and design and recommend a “proper” site of the new municipal auditorium. They chose the 70-acre tract on the fringe of the Buttermilk Bottom site and Robert & Co as architects.   Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter