West End Trivia Bits
Chances are you may not know much about the West End, Downtown’s southwestern neighbor and home of the Atlanta University Center. Here’s a few trivia facts for you to get in the know:
- Settled in 1835, the original name of the West End was White Hall (after the White Hall Inn); it was renamed in 1867 after London’s theatre district.
- White Hall Inn, a two-story building located on the corner of Lee Street and Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, was so named because it was painted white when most buildings of the time were unpainted.
- White Hall Inn was also the stagecoach shop, tavern, post office and home of the 503rd Militia district, as well as the election precinct.
- West End officially became a part of Atlanta on January 1, 1894.
- The West End District was the first locally designated historic district in the City of Atlanta.
- The layout of the original West End was a main street and adjacent grid pattern streets; three right turns and you were back where you started.
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Sources: The West End Newsletter, Kay Wallace, National Park Service
Don’t forget. Highest amount of mortgage fraud in the city of Atlanta. All of West End not the historic part.
I moved to West End (Historic District) 1 year ago and I’m even more in love with the neighborhood. I appreciate WEND (West End Neighborhood Development) for not letting the neighborhood get used and abused by Corp giants like CVS and ACE Hardware. For example no cookie cutter stucco’d condos like Auburn Glen or Capitol Gateway are being built here. Sky Lofts is a class act that will be enjoyed by generations. Also, there have been forward thinking zoning changes to make sure that compatible “historic looking” infill homes are constructed. One of the biggest problems the area faces is mortgage fraud as mentioned. Not in the sense of inflated property values, but because there are vacant homes being sold and resold to white collar criminals. The good news is there is a crackdown on the mortgage fraud that was taking place. There are still many fair priced homes in West End, but don’t think you are going to get a Victorian or Craftsman for 100k! You are 5+ years too late for that. A strong Neighborhood Association (WEND) and Historic District status have done wonders for West End. I think West End is one of Atlanta’s best kept secrets, but not for long. The neighborhood is increasingly becoming diverse, and the homes in the area are some of the most beautiful Victorians and Craftsmans in Atlanta. Many date back to the 1800s. Gen Sherman didn’t burn them down, because West End was not annexed into the city of Atlanta (another neat WE fact). He also spared Churches and Hospitals.