Piedmont Park is the 189 acre "Central Park" of Atlanta, Georgia, located in Midtown, north of the city center. Originally the land was owned by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Walker, who used it as his out-of-town gentleman's farm and residence. He sold the land in 1887 to the Gentlemen's Driving Club (later renamed the Piedmont Driving Club), who wanted to establish an exclusive club and racing ground for horse enthusiasts. The original Walker residence has been incorporated as a room in the clubhouse. The Driving Club entered an agreement with the Piedmont Exposition Company to use the land for fairs and expositions and later gave the park its name.^[2] Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 860 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation... “Atlanta” redirects here. ... John Charles Olmsted (1852-1920) was a noted American landscape architect. ... Federick Law Olmsted, Jr. ... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ... is the 133rd day of the year (134th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ... “Atlanta” redirects here. ... Midtown Atlanta is a district in Atlanta, Georgia situated between the commercial and financial district of downtown to the south and the affluent residential, shopping, and nightlife district of Buckhead to the north. ... For other uses, see Farm (disambiguation). ... A residence may be a house, a place to live, like a nursing home. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... The Piedmont Driving Club is a prestigious private country club located at 1215 Piedmont Avenue, Ne. ... A country club is a private club that offers a variety of recreational sports facilities to its members. ...

History and design

Lake Clara Meer.

The Piedmont Exposition of 1887 held the first commercial viewing of a motion picture in the U.S. The park today is largely as Joseph Forsyth Johnson designed it for the exposition.^[3] In 1892, Piedmont Park was the location of the second football game in the South between Auburn University and the University of Georgia (Auburn won the game 10-0).^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 880 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 880 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... The Piedmont Exposition was a fair held in Atlantas Piedmont Park in 1887. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Joseph Forsyth Johnson (1850–1910(?)) was an English landscape architect and disciple of John Ruskin. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a state university located in Auburn, Alabama, USA. With more than 23,000 students and 1,200 faculty, it is the largest university in the state,[5] and according to U.S. News & World Report, has a selectivity rating of more selective. ... The University of Georgia (UGA) is the largest institution of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. ...

The Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895 attracted visitors from around the world to the future site of Piedmont Park. President Grover Cleveland presided over the opening of this World's Fair in October of 1895. John Philip Sousa's "King Cotton" march was created for the expo and was performed at the ceremony, and was conducted by the composer himself.^[5] Booker T. Washington delivered his famous Atlanta Compromise speech at the expo, which is "widely regarded as one of the most significant speeches in American history".^[6] Attractions included Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and the Liberty Bell.^[7] Most of the buildings that were constructed for the exposition were made of local Georgia granite. The buildings were dismantled after the event, mainly so that the granite could be sold to absolve the debt that the city incurred to hold the fair. The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at the current Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, and the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). ... Worlds Fair is any of various large expositions held since the mid-19th century. ... Portrait of John Philip Sousa taken in 1900 John Philip Sousa (November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor known particularly for American military marches. ... Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author and leader of the African American community. ... The Atlanta Compromise was an address by African-American leader Booker T. Washington on September 18, 1895. ... Buffalo Bill Cody William Frederick Buffalo Bill Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917) was an American soldier, bison hunter and showman. ... The Liberty Bell. ...

Part of the park with the Midtown Skyline behind.

In 1904, the city bought the park for $98,000.^[8] In 1912, the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted (landscape architect for Central Park in New York) John and Frederick, Jr. were asked to design the park's master plan while they were at work on Grant Park.^{[citation needed]} That plan was never fully implemented. During the 1980s and 1990s, revitalization efforts used the Olmsted master plan as the major guide in making improvements, but recent improvement efforts focus on projects which will allow the Park to handle more and larger special events. The 12th Street entrance at the building on the west end of Lake Clara Meer, the entrance and pedestrian walkway at The Prado, the large oval, and other features are the design of the Olmsted Brothers. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 786 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 786 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was a United States landscape architect, famous for designing many well-known urban parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Landscape architecture. ... Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... John Charles Olmsted (1852-1920) was a noted American landscape architect. ... Federick Law Olmsted, Jr. ... All Saints Chapel in the Cathedral Basilica of St. ... A plan is a proposed or intended method of getting from one set of circumstances to another. ... Grant Park Grant Park is the oldest city park in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... 1999 photograph looking northeast on Chicagos now demolished Cabrini-Green housing project, one of many urban renewal efforts. ...

A centennial celebration was held for the park in June 2004. A centennial is a 100-year anniversary of an event, or the celebrations pertaining thereto. ... 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: June 2004 in sports Deaths in June • 28 Anthony Buckeridge • 26 Naomi Shemer • 26 Yash Johar • 22 Bob Bemer • 22 Thomas Gold • 22 Francisco Ortiz Franco • 16 Thanom Kittikachorn • 10 Ray Charles • 5 Ronald Reagan...

Current usage

2006 Dogwood Festival with Midtown Atlanta skyline in background

Piedmont Park is considered the focal point of the vibrant Midtown community of Atlanta. The park is home to various annual celebrations and events, including Atlanta Pride Festival, the Atlanta Jazz Festival and the Atlanta Dogwood Festival. A summer series of classic films, Screen on the Green, is also aired in the park for local residents. In 2004, Georgia Shakespeare Festival added an annual series of free performances entitled "Shake on the Lake" with Lake Clara Meer as a backdrop.^[9] The park is occasionally a host to local cross-dressing street performer Baton Bob. In 2007, the Allman Brothers Band and Dave Matthews Band played a concert with proceeds benefiting the Piedmont Park Conservancy's planned 53 acre expansion to the park. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixelsFull resolution (2077 × 1200 pixel, file size: 536 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Piedmont Park Metadata This file contains... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixelsFull resolution (2077 × 1200 pixel, file size: 536 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Piedmont Park Metadata This file contains... The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is a arts and crafts festival held each Spring at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Screen on the Green is an annual summertime event in Atlantas Piedmont Park hosted by Turner Classic Movies. ... Georgia Shakespeare (formerly Georgia Shakespeare Festival) is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company located in Atlanta, Georgia. ... Baton Bob in a wedding dress. ...

Sports and Exercise

Piedmont Park is a popular place for organized sports. The Piedmont Tennis Center is a fully-staffed, public facility with 12 lighted hard courts, offering leagues, lessons, and supplies.^[10] The Active Oval has two softball fields, two soccer fields, and two beach volleyball courts, all ringed by a dirt running path. Kickball leagues also use the softball fields.

There are also several miles of paved paths suitable for walking, running, biking, and inline skating. Skate Escape across from the park at the 12th Street entrance rents both bikes and skates^[11]. On weekend afternoons, skateboarders and inline skaters often share the open, paved area inside the 12th Street entrance^[12]

Dogs and Dog Park

With the exception of some festival weekends and special events, dogs are permitted in Piedmont Park, on leashes 6 feet or shorter for safety reasons. Owners must clean up after their dogs, and the park has a half-dozen plastic bag dispensing stations to facilitate this. Several of the park's water fountains also have a ground-level basin for dogs to use.

Just north of the Park Road entrance bridge is a separate, fenced-in Dog Park where friendly dogs (and their owners) can cavort with each other off-leash. There is even an additional fenced-in section exclusively for small dogs to play in.

This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures. Some or all of this information may be speculative, and the content may change as building construction begins.

Image File history File links Gnome_globe_current_event. ... Image File history File links Applications-development. ...

Planned expansion

Approximately 50 acres in the northwest portion of the 187 acre park have never been accessible into the public. As of 2007, the plan called for a new parking deck as well as "open green space, bicycle and walking trails, formal and community gardens, an interactive water feature, children’s playgrounds, a skate park, athletic fields and woodlands."^[13] The project is expected to cost $72 million and the completion date is set for early 2010.^[14]

Parking garage controversy

In May, 2004, the Piedmont Park Conservancy unveiled a proposal sponsored and funded by the Atlanta Botanical Garden to build a 6-story, 800 car fee-based parking garage in the interior of Piedmont Park. Opponents, led by Friends of Piedmont Park, wanted the decision-making process to start over so that all alternatives could be explored and the best solutions implemented. Virtually every Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU), over 50 civic and neighborhood groups and the Atlanta Urban Design Commission voted to oppose the proposed parking deck. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a 30 acre (12 hectare) botanical garden located within Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The Atlanta Botanical Garden contains several different landscapes to display a variety of plants. ...

Despite the public's opposition, on November 21, 2005, the parking garage was approved by the Atlanta City Council and signed by Mayor Shirley Franklin with a planned ground breaking in 2007. However, on January 17, 2007, Friends of Piedmont Park and several citizens filed a suit in Fulton County Superior Court to halt construction of the parking garage.^{[citation needed]} is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shirley Clarke Franklin (born May 10, 1945) is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the current mayor of Atlanta, Georgia since January 7, 2002. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

References

1. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
2. ^ Park History. Piedmont Park Conservancy. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
3. ^ History of Piedmont Park. Midtown Atlanta.US. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
4. ^ Georgia Football History. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
5. ^ Atlanta History. City-Book.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
6. ^ Atlanta Compromise Speech. New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
7. ^ Atlanta History. City-Book.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
8. ^ Piedmont Park Apartments. City of Atlanta Online. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
9. ^ Piedmont Park. VisitUSA.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
10. ^ Piedmont Tennis Center Official Site. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
11. ^ Skate Escape Bike and Skate Rental. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
12. ^ Atlanta Peachtree Road Rollers Group Skates. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
13. ^ Northern Expansion. Piedmont Park Conservancy. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.
14. ^ Pendered, David. Piedmont Park set for expansion. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved on 2007-05-30.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official Park Site
• Friends of Piedmont Park
• Atlanta Pride
• Atlanta Jazz Festival
• Atlanta Dogwood Festival
• Screen on the Green
• Then/Now photos of Piedmont Park
• Another set of Then/Now photos of Piedmont Park
• Maps and aerial photos for 33°46′36″N 84°22′13″W / 33.77659, -84.37017Coordinates: 33°46′36″N 84°22′13″W / 33.77659, -84.37017
  • Maps from WikiMapia, Google Maps, Live Search Maps, Yahoo! Maps, or MapQuest
  • Topographic maps from TopoZone or TerraServer-USA

  Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...