PODCAST · history
Archive Atlanta
by Victoria Lemos
A weekly history podcast about the people, places and events that shaped the city of Atlanta, GA.
Episodes
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Crematoria (Interview w/ Liz Clappin) - REPLAY
This week, I am re-releasing an episode from 2023 with Liz Clappin (Tomb With A View) where we talk about the history of cremation and why Atlanta did not get its first crematorium until the 1980s, which is a century behind the rest of the United States. It’s a story of race, religion, class and...
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Pizza
In this short episode, we're covering pizza: from an Italian immigrant food into an American obsession. Pizza first shows up in Atlanta in 1948 and by 1955, it's the latest food craze. We’ll meet the people and places that helped introduce Atlanta to pizza, from Cesar’s and Biuso’s to Gigi’s…
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Home Park + Atlantic Steel
This week, we’re heading to Home Park to trace the story of a neighborhood that grew alongside Atlantic Steel - from working-class homes and booming industry to student rentals and, eventually, the transformation of the old mill into Atlantic Station. Along the way, we’ll dig into labor strikes,...
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Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
This week, we’re covering the story of the Sixth Federal Reserve District, or the Atlanta Federal Reserve, as it was often called. We’re covering why the Federal Reserve was started, its choosing of Atlanta for a district branch, it’s three different locations and how it fared through WWI, the...
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Murder of John Garris
In April 1949, Metropolitan Opera singer John Garris came to Atlanta to perform at the Fox Theatre—but by the next morning, he was dead in an alley off Marietta Street. His murder launched a bizarre investigation that sent detectives across the country chasing mysterious men, possible lovers,...
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Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU)
Atlanta's Neighborhood Planning Units—or NPUs—have been shaping how residents engage with City Hall for nearly 50 years, but what exactly are they, and why do they exist? This week, inspired by my own quest to explore every NPU in the city, we're diving into the fascinating history behind…
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Manuel's Tavern (Interview w/ Megan Maloof)
This week, I got the chance to interview Megan Maloof, the general manager of Atlanta's iconic Manuel's Tavern. We talked about her grandfather founding the tavern, his hopes for a space for community, the long time employees and patrons. I found out whose ashes are over the bar and what Megan's...
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Summer Break!
I am taking a podcasting summer break and will return July 17th.
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Ottley Kidnapping
This week, we're talking about the 1933 kidnapping of prominent Atlanta banker James King Ottley Sr. during the height of the Great Depression, when ransom kidnappings were rising across the country. After being abducted outside his Buckhead estate and forced to write his own ransom note, Ottley...
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Agnes Scott College
This week’s episode explores the history of Agnes Scott College, from its origins as a small, church-founded seminary in 1889 to its rise as a nationally respected women’s college. Rooted in the 19th-century female seminary movement, the school grew rapidly with support from George Washington…
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Chamblee
From railroad stop to global corridor, Chamblee has lived a lot of lives in just over a century. This week, we trace its evolution from land once inhabited by the Muscogee people, to a tiny rail junction, to a booming military town during World War I with the rise of Camp Gordon. Along the way…
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Dick Lake Velodrome - REPLAY
Still recovering from my appendectomy last week and so I am re-releasing my episode about the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point. We're talking about what a velodrome is, Atlanta’s first velodrome, Dick Lane and the decade long efforts to open this velodrome in East Point. Want to support this...
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Atlanta Women of the Green Book (Interview w/ Cynthia Jennings)
This week, we’re stepping into the pages of the Negro Motorist Green Book. I am sharing my conversation with my good friend, Cynthia Jennings, who has been uncovering the stories behind the places that offered safety, dignity, and community during the era of segregation - but we’re focusing on…
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Atlanta Botanical Garden
This week, we explore the long and winding history behind the creation of a Botanical Garden in Atlanta - a dream that took more than 50 years to become reality. The story begins with Eugene Schofield Heath, who first pushed for a garden in the city in 1918. From ambitious Works Progress...
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Tennis
This week, we trace tennis from its 12th-century French origins to its rise in Atlanta, where elite clubs, segregated courts, and growing public facilities shaped the sport’s local identity. From the founding of ALTA by Bitsy Grant to the 1961 desegregation battle at the Bitsy Grant Tennis…
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Atlanta Student Movement - REPLAY
When people think of sit-ins, they think Greensboro. But the movement didn’t start, or stop, there. This episode looks at how the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins inspired Atlanta’s Black college students to challenge segregation in a city that called itself “too busy to hate.” From An Appeal for Human...
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Time Zones
Atlanta gets nearly an extra hour of evening sunlight compared to cities east of us—and it turns out that’s no accident. In this episode, we unravel how railroads invented time zones, why Georgia was once split between Central and Eastern Time, and how Atlanta spent decades fighting over what…
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Oakland City + Bush Mountain
In this episode, we follow the land from rural farmland to an independent city with its own mayor, streetcars, schools, and sharp racial divides. You’ll hear how Bush Mountain became a vital Black community, how segregation shaped education and housing, and why progress so often bypassed certain...
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The First Hot Air Balloon Ride
Before airplanes and AI, Atlanta once stopped in its tracks to watch a hot air balloon rise into the sky. In this episode, I cover the story of the city’s first balloon flight in 1869. Balloon pioneer Samuel Archer King and the “Dare Devil Dentist” Dr. Albert Hape ascended nearly a mile above...
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USS Atlanta
From ancient superstitions to nuclear submarines, the name Atlanta carries a remarkable legacy across the seas. In this episode, we trace the centuries-old traditions of ship naming, before diving into the history of the vessels called USS Atlanta. You’ll hear how one ship served both the...
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Tami Roche
Tami Roche was named Miss Burlesque in 1966 and her career took off, performing across the country and on Broadway, before moving to Atlanta in 1969 to headline at the Body Shoppe for a few weeks. Weeks turned into years and she made her way to the Domino Lounge, where she developed her famous...
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Atlanta Freedom Bands + Voices of Note
A special bonus episode to share my interview with Cliff Norris and David Aurilio to learn about the histories of the Atlanta Freedom Bands, a nonprofit community music organization made up of LGBTQ+ musicians and allies that includes a full concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, and several...
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Chosewood Park
Before Chosewood Park was a neighborhood with winding streets, skyline views, and a curious little road called Climax Street, it was Muscogee land—until Georgia land lotteries, and forced removal reshaped the entire region. From John Miller Clark Reed’s 600-acre homestead… to the Nolan sisters…
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Oral History (Matthew Norwood)
This week, I am sharing an oral history recording I did last year with Matthew Norwood, pastor of Bible Way Ministries. His father developed Norwood Manor, where he still lives, and he shared about his life, calling for the ministry and small congregation in Atlanta grew into a pillar of hope and...
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Fortune Telling
From crystal balls to courthouse battles, this episode with Liz Clappin and Cynthia Jennings, dives into the history of fortune telling — from the start of Spiritualism, to Atlanta as a hotspot for spiritualists, mediums, and prophets, a place where faith, folklore, and hustles collided. We talk...
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Listener Q&A - Vol. 5
Ever wonder what I’d do with $5 million if saving it was off the table? Or which unsung women of Atlanta’s past I’d invite to a dinner party? In Volume 5 of my Q&A series, I’m answering 12 listener questions — from my favorite neighborhoods and nerdy research habits to the most frustrating parts…
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Dancing in Darktown (Interview w/ Dr. Julie B. Johnson)
This week, I am so excited to share my interview with my friend Julie B. Johnson, where we talk about her latest project, Dancing in Darktown. I’m honored to collaborate with her new work focusing on Black dance halls in Atlanta from 1890-1920. Dancing with Digital Archives in Atlanta workshop…
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Black Press (Interview w/ Stan Washington)
This week, I am sharing an interview with Stan Washington, veteran journalist and editor-at-large of The Atlanta Voice. We discuss his career in PR, radio and how he arrived at The Voice, and his unwavering commitment to the Black press. This is a conversation about journalism and a call to...
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Minister's Manifesto
In 1950s Georgia, faced with school desegregation, the governor’s plan was simple: abolish public schools. This episode dives into Atlanta’s tense response to Brown v. Board, the courage of 80 white ministers who spoke out against segregation, and the backlash that followed. rom sermons and...
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WRFG-FM
In the fall of 1971, a group of volunteers in Atlanta set out to build a radio station by the people, for the people. By 1973, WRFG was on the airwaves, amplifying voices that mainstream media refused to touch: Black activists, women, laborers, LGBTQ, ex-convicts, and musicians from every walk of...
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Oakland Cemetery
Before it became Atlanta’s most iconic cemetery, Oakland Cemetery was just six acres of farmland owned by the Woodings. But as the city grew, so did its need to bury its dead. From Confederate obelisks to disinterred graves, this is the story of the cemetery that tells Atlanta’s story. Oakland...
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City Hall - REPLAY
This week, I am re-sharing an episode from 2021 where I cover the history of Atlanta’s City Hall...not just the Art Deco masterpiece you can see today, but also the places that no longer exist. Where they were, how we got them and what their fate was. Our current City Hall (the 4th one in…
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The Atlanta Expressway
Before Atlanta was crisscrossed with interstates and highways, there was a bold plan—born from the Great Depression, inspired by Germany’s Autobahn, and fueled by fears of another economic collapse. In this episode, we rewind to the 1930s to unpack how the U.S. highway system began, why Atlanta...
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Atlanta Food Franchises
This week, we’re talking about Atlanta’s most famous food franchises. Atlanta has been the birthplace of almost a dozen food franchises, including Chick-fil-A, Huddle House, Mellow Mushroom, Great American Cookies, Applebee's, Flying Biscuit and Moe's Southwest Grill. Want to support this…
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"Built for Legacy" Canopy Atlanta - Collier Heights
Even though this is a bye week for me, I wanted to share a bonus episode related to a special project that I got to do recently. I worked with Canopy fellow Damius Smith on his piece "Built for Legacy". Collier Heights was designed by and for Black people, with the architectural design of every...
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"Lakewood Cutting"
This week, we’re talking about the Lakewood Cutting - the story of the murder of Fred Thompson. I’ve said a million times that I’m not a fan of true crime, but centuries-old murders in Atlanta’s past seem to have worked their way into my heart. But this week’s story isn’t just a murder story…
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Bowers v. Hardwick (Interview w/ Martin Padgett)
This week, I am SO excited to share a conversation that I had with Marty Padgett about this new book, The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS. Sodomy laws had been used to discriminate against queer people for centuries, but in 1986, the US Supreme…
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The Bagbys
This week, I am bringing you a short bonus story about the Bagby Family, mainly brothers William and Hubert, who were known throughout the Bolton area of Atlanta for living along the banks of the Chattahoochee River while evading arrest. In April of 1957, brothers Hubert and William - the “The...
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Roman Catholicism
This week, we’re talking about Roman Catholicism in Atlanta, mainly centered around the city’s historic Catholic churches from the 1850s through the 1950s. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: [email protected] Facebook | Instagram
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"Miss Sepia"
This week, I'm sharing the short history of "Miss Sepia Atlanta", Atlanta’s African American beauty pageant that ran from 1947 until 1963. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: [email protected] Facebook | Instagram
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Strip Clubs
This week, we’re talking about one of Atlanta’s most well-known attractions - it’s strip clubs. But why and how and when did we get this claim to fame? Why is Atlanta one of the few places that allows full nudity and alcohol? Why are the wings so good? Today we’re going to cover all of this and...
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Birds of Kirkwood (Interview w/ Mike Ayling)
This week, I am so excited to share an interview episode with Mike Ayling, who is the writer and researcher behind Birds of Kirkwood. We talked about the story of how he moved into his home Kirkwood, Robert Windsor Smith, Atlanta first amateur ornithologist and we talked about birding and the...
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Druid Hills
This week, we’re talking about Druid Hills - one of the most iconic Atlanta neighborhoods known for its housing stock and connection to the Olmsted landscape architecture firm. From Joel Hurt's idea through the most recent annexation; we are talking about historic houses, prominent residents and...
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Women of Atlanta - Part IV
This week, we are celebrating Women’s History Month by learning the history of three more women from Atlanta’s past; Eva Lovett, Emily Norman and Alexa Stirling. One who founded a well-known private school, another a prominent real estate firm and a pioneer in golf. Want to support this podcast?...
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"We Charge Genocide"
This week, we’re talking about “We Charge Genocide”, a 1951 petition accusing the United States government of genocide based on the newly adopted UN Genocide Convention. A strong content warning that this is going to be a heavy topic about racialized violence and murder across the US and...
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W.E.B. DuBois in Atlanta
This week, we’re talking about WEB DuBois’ time in Atlanta, which spans two different periods and a total of 24 years. Arriving first in 1897, he lived here during the death of his son, the lynching of Sam Hose, the 1906 Race Massacre and the publishing of several books and magazines. His second...
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Sevananda
With my new bi-weekly format, there are two ways you can do this; a rolling schedule or what I did, which is say that the podcast will be out every first and third Friday. That means that a few times a year, we have months with 5 weeks. January is one of them! So I thought I’d bring you a…
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Veterans Hospitals
This week, we’re talking about Atlanta’s Veterans Hospitals. When I first put this topic on my list, I thought I’d be covering the 1960s-era hospital that is still operating over on Clairmont Road, but I was surprised to learn we had several other variations and the history of caring for veterans...
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Lustron Homes
This week, we’re talking about Lustron Houses - prefabricated enameled steel houses developed in the post-World War II era in response to the shortage of homes for returning GIs. I’m going to cover the inventor, the Lustron Company, and more importantly, Lustrons in Atlanta - how many were built,...
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A Reintroduction + Podcast Format Update
Happy 2025! I started this podcast in September of 2018 and if you told me then I would be here recording in 2025, I would never have believed it. Over six years and over 250 episodes later, I am finally making a material change to Archive Atlanta - and that’s format. We’re starting off 2025 with…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A weekly history podcast about the people, places and events that shaped the city of Atlanta, GA.
HOSTED BY
Victoria Lemos
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Archive Atlanta have?
Archive Atlanta currently has 303 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Archive Atlanta about?
A weekly history podcast about the people, places and events that shaped the city of Atlanta, GA.
How often does Archive Atlanta release new episodes?
Archive Atlanta publishes regularly with 303 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Archive Atlanta?
You can listen to Archive Atlanta on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Archive Atlanta?
Archive Atlanta is created and hosted by Victoria Lemos.
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