A gift to the city of Atlanta in 1883, Grant Park now welcomes over two million visitors each year.
Lemuel P. Grant saw the need for a great city park (1882) and stipulated in his donation of 100 acres that "the land should be used for park purposes for all Atlantans."
The popularity of the park grew with the addition of the zoo (1889) and Cyclorama (1893). John C. Olmsted, of the famous Olmsted landscape design firm, visited Grant Park and was commissioned to provide a design/development plan in 1903.
Today, Grant Park is the oldest surviving city park in Atlanta. It now encompasses 131.5 acres. Although many come to the park to view the painting at the Atlanta Cyclorama or enjoy the exotic animals at the zoo, the park offers a wide range of amenities including picnic facilities, historical structures, athletic fields, children's play areas, botanical diversity, natural areas, quiet walks and more.
This urban green space, just a stone's throw from the bustle of Peachtree Street, is conveniently located to other points of interest such as Historic Oakland Cemetery (est. 1850), the Gold Dome of the Georgia State Capitol, the Olympic Caldron (1996), Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame and Museum, Turner Field, Martin Luther King National Historic Site, the Fulton Cotton Mill, the Grant Park residential neighborhood (Atlanta's largest historic district), Inman Park and more.
Who is Judge John Erskine?
The beautiful little fountain on Cherokee Avenue at Ormond Street was given to the city in honor and memory of Judge Erskine. Charles Lyon, a professional photographer, has researched the life of the Judge.
Singer Sewing Exhibition Held High Over Lake Abana
A huge crowd gathered in Grant Park to see a one of kind event. The Singer Sewing Machine Company sponsored a high flying sewing exhibition 90 feet above Lake Abana.
A Gift of 100 Acres — The Deed Formalizing the Gift to the City of Atlanta
The original deed of land for Grant Park was drafted and signed by Lemuel Pratt Grant on May 17, 1883. It was recorded in Fulton County on May 26, 1883.
May 1948 Dedication of Bust Honoring Thomas W. Talbot
In a circle of grass surrounded by asphalt, a solitary bust on a marble base stands in honor of Thomas Wilson Talbot (1849-1892), founder of the International Association of Machinists. Why in Grant Park?
