Buckhead History

Buckhead has a rich and diverse history that encompasses the Civil War, grand estate homes, enterprising pioneers and civic leaders, and much, much more. Explore the links below to learn more about the evolution of Buckhead, the historic buildings in the community, and the events represented by the historic markers seen along the area’s busy streets.

History of Buckhead

Did you know that for most of its history, Buckhead was a rural farming community? Read a brief overview of how Buckhead has grown since its establishment in the mid-19th century.

Articles

From time to time, Buckhead Heritage contributes a column to the Buckhead Reporter about the community’s history, including early settlement, Civil War battles, community landmarks, and noteworthy events and people.  Check out our Buckhead Reporter Series page to read these articles.

Historic Buildings

Buckhead is graced by architecturally and historically significant buildings that visually convey the story of the community’s history. Visit Buckhead’s Historic Buildings page to learn more about the homes, churches, and apartment buildings in Buckhead that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places!

Historic Neighborhoods

In the early 20th century, the advent of the automobile and the extension of the trolley car along Peachtree Road from downtown Atlanta to Buckhead made the community an attractive area for new neighborhoods. Five architecturally and historically significant neighborhoods in Buckhead are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All lie adjacent to Peachtree Road.

Historic Cemeteries

There are ten historic cemeteries in Buckhead. New Hope AME Cemetery and Sardis Cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with their respective historic churches. Mt. Olive Cemetery and Piney Grove Cemetery are historic African-American cemeteries, and Harmony Grove Cemetery also has some African-American burials.

Historical Markers

For her student project in a GIS course at Georgia State University, Master’s degree candidate Angelica Dion worked with Buckhead Heritage to create a research design to map all of the known historical markers in Buckhead. With ArcGIS software, she created maps that illustrate where the markers are located, what themes the markers represent as well as the years represented by the markers. Visit Buckhead’s Historical Markers page to explore her remarkable work!