8 Things You Didn’t Know About Atlanta

Read Time:3 Minute, 43 Second

By  USDR

 

Home of the world’s busiest passenger airport (with a terminal the size of 45 football fields!) and known for its welcoming southern hospitality, Atlanta is the capital of the US state of Georgia. We have Atlanta to thank for musicians such as Usher, TLC, and John Mayer and world-class sports teams like the Falcons, the Braves and the Hawks (to name just a  few).

Everyone knows Atlanta, but here are 8 things you didn’t know about the City in a  Forest.

 

  1. The civil rights movement was born in the streets of  Atlanta.

Atlanta was home to many of the leaders and organizations key to the civil rights movement. These leaders include perhaps the most well know civil rights figure, Martin Luther King Jr. The Martin Luther Jing Jr Site Tour has become one of the most popular attractions in Atlanta with over 650,000 visitors every  year.

  1. Atlanta is one of just two cities in the world to be home to two Nobel Peace Prize  winners.

We’ve mentioned one of the Nobel Peace Prize winners already, Martin Luther King Jr, but Atlanta is also the home of Jimmy Carter. Jimmy Carter was presented with the prize in 2002 for his work at the Carter Centre. This makes Atlanta one of only two cities in the world to be home to two  winners.

  1. Atlanta may be the capital of Georgia now, but it’s the fifth city to be given the  title.

It’s hard to believe that the busy city of Atlanta was ever not the capital of Georgia. It is, in fact, the fifth; Savannah, Augusta, Louisville, and Milledgeville have all been named the capital of the state in the  past.

  1. If it weren’t for Atlanta, we’d yell “Beano” instead of  “Bingo”.

When the game we now know as Bingo first came to North America in 1929, it was named “beano” – not as catchy, right?. It was first played in the US in a carnival just outside of Atlanta. Edwin S. Lowe, a toy salesman from New York, was playing “beano” and misheard the winning shout. He renamed the game “bingo” and thus was born the game we know today. Since then, bingo has become one of the most popular games in the world, leading to an enormous rise in online bingo and online slot games, which are often hosted on bingo  websites.

  1. Looking for the largest Hindu temple outside of India? It’s just 10 miles out of  Atlanta.

In Atlanta, you’ll find over 1000 places of worship, from churches to synagogues. Perhaps the most impressive, however, is the Hindu temple situated just 10 miles OTP. The temple is a spectacular sight, with hand-carved stone spires as high as 75 feet tall! Though it’s not the oldest, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta is still the largest of its kind outside of  India.

 

  1. Atlanta rose from the ashes just like the mythical phoenix (which is why the phoenix is the symbol of the  city).

Atlanta is the only North American city to have been burnt down as an act of war. It perished during the Civil War (also known as the War Between the States) in November 1864. Following the fire, the city rose from the ashes, just like the phoenix. It is now a beautiful, thriving city, home to almost 5.8 million people and the travel destination of over 50 million tourists each  year.

  1. Atlanta is home to the world’s largest drive-through  restaurant.

Atlanta has been home to the world’s largest drive-through, Varsity, for over 75 years. The restaurant serves the highest amount of Coca-Cola in the world (around 3 million servings each year). Since Varsity opened its doors, drive-throughs have popped up here, there and everywhere in the A-town, but if you’re looking for the best onion rings around, Varsity is apparently the place to  go.

  1. There are over 70 roads in Atlanta that include the word  Peachtree.

Whatever you do, don’t type the word “Peachtree” into your SatNav in Atlanta. You’ll be inundated with results due to the fact that there are over 70 roads in the city with that name. Funnily enough, though, the name “Peachtree” has nothing to do with peaches. Many believe that it’s simply a mispronunciation of the Creek and Cherokee Indian village of “Standing Pitch  Tree”.

So there you have it. If Atlanta wasn’t on your bucket list before, it sure will be  now!

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