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Destination
Atlanta (Buckhead), Georgia
About Buckhead
A Buck's head and a Tavern
Buckhead has a reputation as Atlanta's most affluent and elegant district. But its name preserves the legacy of its frontier beginnings, when hunting in the virgin forests was the main local enterprise.
As a community, Buckhead traces its origin to Henry Irby's general store and tavern, which was founded in 1837, according to an Irby descendant. It was located at what is now the northwest corner of West Paces Ferry Road and Roswell Road. Irby's tavern became the stopping place for travelers rich and poor in the thinly populated wilderness and the community that grew up around it was known as Irbyville. He maintained it until well after the Civil War. Irby, who died in 1879, is buried in the Sardis Methodist Church cemetery on Power's Ferry Road near its intersection with Roswell Road.
It was Irby, according to his descendant, who killed a large deer and mounted the "buck head" where travelers could see it. Why this display made such an impression on people who came across it is hard to say. Some sources describe it as a sort of joke, a way of poking fun at European noblemen who displayed hunting trophies on their walls. At any rate, the name Buckhead proved durable, and a campaign in the late 19th century to rename the area Northside Park was unsuccessful.
In the late 19th century and much of the 20th century, Buckhead was still lightly populated, but it was no longer a wilderness. It had become a posh suburb of Atlanta, where wealthy people lived serenely on lush, well-tended estates.
One of these estates, the country home of the Ottley family, became the site of Lenox Square mall in 1959. The building of Lenox Square was an important moment in the history of Atlanta, and the mall itself is the modern equivalent of Irby's tavern, a social and commercial hub for Buckhead.
Atlanta Attractions
Atlanta is a city of great diversity, our many museums, theaters and historic landmarks will keep visitor and resident alike busy all year round. Whether you enjoy being up-close and personal with nature, want to experience the thrill of some of the great sports teams, or you want to experience the arts and culture first-hand, Atlanta has something for everyone in the family to enjoy!
The attractions in Atlanta are as diverse as the people that live and visit here. There are plenty of things to do, sightseeing, and attractions that will allow you to experience everything that this exciting city offers.
We invite you to visit the Atlanta History Center, located on 33 acres in the heart of Buckhead. The History Center includes one of the Southeast’s largest history museum; two historic houses including Swan House and Tullie Smith farm; Centennial Olympic Games Museum; historic gardens; and the Kenan Research Center. The History Center also includes the Margaret Mitchell House, located at our midtown campus.
Centennial Olympic Games Museum
The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games changed Atlanta forever and accelerated its transformation from Southern capital to international city. For seventeen days, Atlanta was the focus of the entire world. Those seventeen days in 1996 represented a decade’s worth of aspirations, striving, and triumphs. That remarkable achievement is preserved and celebrated at the Centennial Olympic Games Museum at the Atlanta History Center.
The Millennium Gate’s mission is to preserve and interpret Georgia history, architecture, culture and philanthropic heritage as well as highlight Georgia’s historical and aesthetic relevance to the United States and to the world.
The Millennium Gate is a classically-styled monumental arch located inside Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta, historically called "The Gate City." The Gate is designed in the tradition of classical Roman triumphal arches that have been built around the world over the past 2,500 years. The Gate houses a 12,000 square foot museum that narrates Georgia's and Atlanta's history through interactive technology, film, and exhibitions.
Journey into the heart of CNN Worldwide for an exciting glimpse of news and broadcasting in action! The Inside CNN Studio Tour takes you behind the scenes of the Global Headquarters of CNN in Atlanta.
The World of Coca-Cola is the only place where you can explore the complete story - past, present, and future - of the world's best-known brand!
Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum
Take a stirring journey through time in Atlanta's Cyclorama. Sit at the center of a sweeping panorama of the Battle of Atlanta, fought on July 22, 1864, during the American Civil War.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site & Sweet Auburn District
The area of Sweet Auburn served as the thriving center of Black enterprise in Atlanta from the 1890s through the 1940s, and is the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, explore his birth home, visitor center, historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and The King Center, where Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize is on exhibit. The crypt and gravesite of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, are also located at The King Center.
*For more information and additional attractions, please visit Atlanta's visitor's Bureau.