Link
May 09, 2011
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Wikipedia's History of Morningside

Two years later, real estate agents James R. Smith and M.S. Rankin build eight homes in Morningside Park. Advertisements stressed a 70-foot (21 m) wide paved street in front of homes with Murphy beds and a servants’ toilet in the basement. Morningside was touted as a “new type of suburb.” Commuters traveled to and from their homes by streetcar and, if they were fortunate enough, by car.

The new development prospered after the city annexed the area in 1925.

“The section known as Morningside, one of the newest subdivisions around Atlanta, was experiencing a boom. Many new homes had already been built and many others were under construction. The streetcar line and pavement were being extended out North Highland Avenue from Virginia Avenue to Lanier Place. Kimballville Farm, the fields east of Highland Avenue and the woods west of Highland, were being swiftly replaced by new homes and these were being occupied by young families of industrious, hopeful and friendly people.” -Mini-history of Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church (1976)

Video
November 04, 2010
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Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed at the Park Pride Greenspace Conference

(Source: morningsideparks1)

Text
November 04, 2010
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Get Outside

The nature movement is alive and well in Atlanta.  Richard Louv, author of the popular Last Child in the Woods and creator of the Children and Nature Network, spoke at Buckhead’s Trinity Presbyterian Church to a packed house.  Mr. Louv’s thesis is simple - children today do not spend enough time outdoors.  

Mr. Louv’s premise starts with childhood memories of the woods near his home, which predictably were soon marked with surveyor stakes, then bulldozer tracks, and then a stripmall.  He describes his sense of loss and longing for “his” woods throughout his book.  Even his son wonders, “Dad, how come it was more fun when you were a kid?”  Mr. Louv hopes that today’s children will begin to turn away from the cycle of indoor electronics-based play, obesity, and resultant health problems, and reconnect to all that is green.  Ted Turner, speaking at the Piedmont Park Conservancy’s Landmark Lunch on May 13th, echoed Mr. Louv’s memories when he described the woods near his Savannah childhood home, which were similarly lost to development, and called for Atlanta to vigorously support its parks and green spaces - especially in these tough economic times.

Morningside Parks hopes that the City will continue to join Mr. Louv’s movement and that we get outside!  For more information on the Children and Nature Movement, you can visit this site and watch this short video.

Photo
November 03, 2010
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The Morningside Nature Preserve Bridge links two large urban greenspaces and nearly doubles the length of its trails.  The bridge is now complete - check it out when you can.  Thanks go out to the City of Atlanta, the MLPA, and our neighbors for getting this done.

The Morningside Nature Preserve Bridge links two large urban greenspaces and nearly doubles the length of its trails.  The bridge is now complete - check it out when you can.  Thanks go out to the City of Atlanta, the MLPA, and our neighbors for getting this done.

Text
November 02, 2010
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Interstate in your Backyard

I485

How did Sidney Marcus and John Howell Parks come to be?  Why on North Pelham are there a group of homes looking as though they were built in the 80s among 1929 bungalows?  Why was the MLPA originally created?

All neighbors should read this very interesting 2003 article by the MLPA about I-485 - the highway (yes highway) that almost was.  It’s hard to believe that there was a time when bulldozers were in our backyards.