The Railroad Gulch- Reminiscences of a place that shaped Atlanta by sakshi nanda

The Railroad Gulch Reminiscences of a place that shaped Atlanta

Sakshi Pavan Priyanka Nanda Georgia Institute of Technology Master of Science in Urban Design Independent Research (3 credits)- Summer 2021 Primary Advisor: Zorana Matić Isautier, Secondary Advisors: Richard Dagenhart and Danielle Willkens

Figure 1: Photomontage

Acknowledgements I am forever grateful to my pillars of strength - Priyanka Nanda, Pavan Nanda and Rahul Nanda for supporting, motivating and bringing the best in me. I am thankful to my advisors and mentors at Georgia Tech- Zorana Matic Isautier, Danielle Willkens, Richard Dagenhart, Ellen Dunham-Jones and Raha Rastegar for their constant support and guidance. Special thanks to Phillip Jones for capturing the best aerial photographs and teaching me how to fly a drone. I am obliged to my friend Zhexin Yu (Josie) for accompanying me to the site multiple times so I could have the perfect photographs. I am fortunate to have conversations with Ian Michael Rogers and David Mitchell, Richard Rothman, Jeffrey Morrison, Hannah Palmer, Jennie Lynn Rudder, Debmalya Ghosh and Scott DeMyer. Thanks to Haythem Shata for sharing work related to Downtown and Proctor creek. I am thankful to Jennifer Ball for introducing me to this site while conducting the Downtown walk with School of City and Regional Planning, Georgia Tech. Lastly, I would like to thank my friends Rutuja Dhuru and Keerthana Jayaseelan for being there always even though we are in different time-zones.

Figure 2: Site Photograph

“Walking near the Gulch, I stop and ponder how the start of this city has been left devoid of the people. Freight and rail roads, once the backbone of this vibrant city are left to decay. A new vision for the future is being envisioned but will they account for its past? I wonder why isn’t this place being appreciated of its heritage, its history and the events it witnessed for decades. The epicenter of this city remains a hollow space, not accessible and unrecognized by its residents. Through this study I wish to pay tribute to the site, its history and the memories attached to it.” -Sakshi Nanda, February 2021

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Abstract As a city, Atlanta is often considered a product on-site documentation. The study forms the of spontaneous decisions rather than planned preliminary work for an in-depth future research efforts. However, the formal organization of about the urban morphology of Atlanta. the city can be traced to Georgia’s first railroad tracks, laid in the mid-1830s (Allen, 2014). Since then, transportation has continued to play an integral role in the city and a dominant force in shaping Atlanta’s urban form. The area in downtown Atlanta often referred to as The Gulch (formerly known as the Terminus), was a significant intersection of the Western and Atlantic railroad lines. Despite being an integral part of the downtown, this junction acts as a forty-acre void in the heart of the city. The confluence of railroads determined the overall urban form of the city. The foundation of Atlanta is now left as an empty, under-utilized, un-maintained parking lot. Currently vacant land, it is the talk of the town for massive redevelopment proposals. However, due to the area’s significance and the associated layers of history, this site deserves in-depth research. This research project aims to utilize the rich resources available on Atlanta’s history and document the transformation of the Gulch area over the decades. Using the mixed-method approach, this study will combine primary and secondary data. The archival research will be complemented with ethnographic research methods, oral histories of local residents, and Figure 3: Site Photograph, captured at the intersection of MLK Jr. DR and Ted Turner Dr

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Materials and Methods

Study Design

The primary method for this research was based on the site-specific case study approach. The principal research questions for the study are: 1. How did the city forget its origins? Why is Atlanta’s center point void of its history and people? 2. What is the role of memories that created a sense of place?

Data Sources Data Collection for Secondary Data Sources The archival maps and photographs were used to understand the history of the site and its boundaries. Historical research and archival maps were obtained from books and articles from Georgia Tech Library, the Atlanta History Center, the Library of Congress, Digital Library of Georgia, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and references. The Sanborn Fire Insurance maps were obtained from the Library of Congress website. The David Rumsey Map collection was an important web-resource. Data on current site conditions were obtained from Google Street imagery, on-site photography, aerial photography, Geographical Information System (GIS) database, articles, blogs and news reports.

backgrounds were used to develop a deeper understanding of different perspectives. Oral history was an important tool to collect personal memories and observations. While technology and historical documents are vital for recording and interpreting cultural heritage, living memory can convey both tangible and intangible aspects of a site such as alterations, use, cultural significance, and meaning. (Marcus, 2008)

The qualitative research was focused on a semi-structured, in-depth interview which was used to collect data based on personal experiences and observations. Six interviews were conducted between May and July. The interview guide was developed depending on the interviewees background, for example a resident was asked about the events they visited there or how they perceived the place a decade ago? Whereas a professional working on the redevelopment scheme was inquired about the project specification and whether they are connecting the history of the site to the new scheme. The subjects were identified through personal connections, school and LinkedIn. The interviews were held on various platforms like Microsoft Teams, email and via phone. Interviews conducted act as a source of documentation and will support the future study on this subject. The litertaure review focussed on books, articles and archival data from various sources. This helped in better understanding of the subject and developing a structure for the study.

Problem Statement- Background While there is a lot of research on the historicity of Downtown Atlanta and Georgia’s railroads, there is a gap with respect to this site. Before the redevelopment takes place, it is important to acknowledge the site’s history and impact on Atlanta’s morphology. It is a monumental void that has strong associations to the past and present and lives through the people’s memories.

Data Collection for Primary Data Sources Five site visits were conducted between May and July 2021 to record and document the current conditions. In addition, the conversations and interviews with people from diverse Figure 4: Food for thought

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Timeline

Figure 6: Timeline of the work flow for this study

Overview

Figure 5: Site Photograph, looking to the south from Mitchell Street

Figure 7: Overview of the study

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Railroad Urbanism Railroads1 played a significant role in developing the urban form of many cities across different parts of the world. In North America, they led to the development of railroad towns, whereas in Europe, they were known as station towns or railway towns. In America, the first railroads appeared in the 1830s and brought a new dimension to trade, connectivity and city planning. The network grew strong along the east coast connecting New York, Jersey, Washington, Philadelphia, Carolinas and Georgia (Stover, 1997). Railroad towns boomed from 1850 to 1910; these towns became an integral part of the beginning of urban settlements in different states across America (Josef, 2021). Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Denver, Portland, Pittsburgh, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Sacramento are the significant examples that have emerged due to railroads. It is vital to understand the morphology and expansion of the railroad towns as they have moulded today’s city centers. Later on, the city’s form evolved with the advent of interstate highways forming the backbone of American transportation.

The Gulch in Downtown stimulated me to study more about the city’s past and present conditions. Understanding how the city was shaped by railroads and how it evolved is vital for the study. The Gulch is an informal term for a loosely defined area in the Downtown area. It hosts parking lots and is predominantly known as the Gulch. There is no official street address for the Gulch. One can find the area by driving to the parking lots to the west and north of the Richard B. Russell Federal Building at 75 Ted Turner Dr., SW. Either going west on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive or turning west off of Forsyth Street at MLK or Alabama Street. There is also a new ramp that leads cars to the parking lot opposite the State Farm Arena (Todd, 2018).

Figure 8: Site Photograph, intersection between cars and the freight rail

My quest to understand the role of railroads in shaping the city’s morphology starts with the case study of Atlanta, Georgia. This being experience of an American city, it intrigued me. 1 Railroad is a track on which trains run which is same as railways. However, there is one exception when it comes to the United States. Railroad is the only term used to refer to trains running long distances on rails or tracks in the US. While other countries use both railway and railroad to refer to the tracks on which a train runs, US only uses railroad to refer to this track. It is important to note that before 1850, UK and commonwealth used railroads for railways. (Difference Between Railway and Railroad, 2011)

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Figure 9: Site Photograph, residue of the earlier rail tracks appearing over the concrete parking lots

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Atlanta Atlanta is a city different from many cities of the United States. It has evolved continually and is composed of stories. Everyone has a different take on its history. The city has risen from ashes during the war. It grew with different times, expanded to its suburbs and is the birthplace of many revolutionary idols and enterprises. A significant railroad town of the south, the city was shaped by the people, the railroads, the industries and then- the car centric development. However, one thing that remains unchanged over the years is the Railroad Gulch area in the Downtown area. This is the start of today’s major city-Atlanta—a noteworthy confluence of railroads, watersheds and now the busy streets.

The geometry of the railroads followed their own logic: a combination of high ground for drainage and flat land for intersection (Harley F Etienne editor & Faga, 2014).

Atlanta is not a city; it is a landscape (Bernadó & Prat, Koolhaas, 1995)

The railroads expanded and by early 1860s, large masonry structures like roundhouse and turntables were built. These were the initial structures in the Gulch area. During the Civil war, the railraods were disrupted and this area was targeted. The area was rebuilt and the area saw great development in the late 1800s. The Guch became a major passenger hub of the South till mid 1900s (Patch, 2013).

Figure 10: 1919 Aerial sketch of the area showing Terminal Station and confluence of railroads along with the then landmarks of Atlanta, Source: Library of Congress

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Figure 11: Aerial Photograph of the site captured from Ted Turner Dr at an elevation of 160 feet by Photographer Phillip Jones

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The birth of a railroad town

1.Mineral Spring (Proctor creek) 2.Intrenchment Creek Springhead 3.Clear Creek Springhead (Walton’s Spring) 4.Tanyard Springhead Figure 12: Topography and water

Atlanta is located on the southern slope of Appalachian, Piedmont. The Peachtree Ridge is significant from the topographical perspective as it resulted from the folding of substrata. The site was selected near the Mineral Spring, a flattened area (encircled in the figure above). This spring is the start of Proctor Creek that connects to the Chattahoochee river. The history of different spring heads suggest a direct relation to the active creeks of 1700s. This suggests that the native tribes resided near a watershed; it may have been a major source of travel and transportation.

Figure 13: Railroads, major streets and Zero-Mile Post, 1847

Figure 14: Rail Expansion

Cities are often planned along a source of water; Atlanta was founded along the intersection of three railroads. The site was chosen by Colonel Stephen Harriman Long along the Peachtree Ridge and the site was marked with the train station and a Zero-mile post in 1839. The post marked the South eastern end of the Western and Atlantic Railroad coming in from Chattanooga. This end was the starting of a town that radiated about one-mile from the Zero-mile post. This area was known as the Terminus.

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The Terminus that was supposed to be the last point of railroads coming to the south, expanded and created a network in Georgia. There was a rise of railroad towns in Georgia like Valdosta, Athens, Waycross, Lavonia, Forsyth, Augusta, Roswell and Decatur. Although there was a decrease in the rail travel, even today Georgia has the largest rail network in the southeast. The location connects Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States (GDOT, n.d.)

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Timeline The timelines represent major events that happened on the site and present the contextual basis for Atlanta’s growth and evolution. The timelines are drawn from 1763 to 1929 and include some major events including the removal of Native Americans, beginning of the railroads, town, cotton and steel industries, Battle of Atlanta.

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“There was nobody here, people passed through but nobody lived here. So, it had no name initially. The only name that it had was the number of land lots and the name of the paths at that time. It was called the Terminus then Marthasville and then Atlanta.” -Richard Dagenhart

Like the historic storefronts of Underground, the Zero Milepost survived beneath the streets while most everything above was rebuilt many times over. Despite its significance, it remained locked away for decades, out of view, like a precious artifact in a vault, preserved only because no one quite knew what to do with it. But the wrecking ball of progress could not be held off forever, and the Milepost was uprooted and relocated for its own protection, just before the building that had enclosed it was torn down. History is not preserved here, or celebrated, but like a ghost it lingers, and its presence cannot be denied (Morrison, 2019).

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Archival Photo-mapping around the site

Then and Now 1911

2021

Fire Insurance Map

Figureground map

Not to scale

Figure 16: Figureground map, Arc GIS 2021

Figure 15: Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1911

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The Sanborn map (left) highlights the rail-owned buildings in red, the dense network of rail tracks and significant buildings in green. The building typology in the vicinity was majorly businesses, factories, small scale industries. The map (above) shows the building profiles, presently. Today there is no rail-owned building on site. The area has predominantly commercial buildings and major stadiums. The rail tracks are sparse with majority space being used as a parking lot.

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Transition of the urban form

1888

The map has been rastered from hand surveyed map of 1888 USGS collection. It shows high density of blocks immediately next to the intersection of railroads. This was a bustling town center. The initial streets were aligned parallel to the railroads, and lots were planned at right angles to the streets. Smaller block sizes suggest higher density of people living or working near the Union Station.

1901

The map has been rastered from hand surveyed map of 1901 from the David Rumsey Georeferencer. This was a bustling town center. The initial streets were aligned parallel to the railroads, and blocks were planned at right angles to the streets. It shows a change in the density of blocks, bigger and asymmetrical in form. The map highlights the Union Depot, W &A Freight Depot, Central Freight Depot, New County Court house and Atlanta Cotton factory.

1954

Street grid and Block sizes

The map has been rastered from hand surveyed map of 1954 from USGS. This was the density post the great fire of Atlanta 1917. The Great fire did not have a huge impact on this site. The railroads, the streets and blocks suggest an active town. The northern portion suggests a decrease in the density of blocks and the southern side shows a change in the form.

1997

The map has been rastered from hand surveyed map of 1997 from USGS. The decline in the use of passenger trains suggest the change of form of the site, this was the start of the void. The blocks surrounding the Gulch were merged and occupied by GWCC, Omni Colosseum and Georgia Dome. The Interstates were being laid out, I-75 and I-85, there was a shift towards a card driven city. The railroad town was fading, the city was had grown from the Downtown to its suburbs. The form of Interstates determined the grid that emerged from Atlanta (beginning in 1970’s)

2021

The map has been traced from Google earth. Today, the void has grown into a huge empty parking lot surrounded by the best stadiums and close to the ground of 1996 Olympics. Extreme right side highlights the prominent interstate that has taken over the railroads as a form of transportation. The plots are similar to the nineties, filled with highrisecommercial where people drive in from suburbs. The Gulch is devoid of people because one cannot walk on the streets neighboring it nor can one go down there.

Confirguration of the Void

The above maps show the configuration of a constant white space that emerged due to the intersection of railroads. This space evolved in form and use over time. Earlier housed the freight depots and rail lines and today is used as a parking lot and a popular movie set. Although, it is in a desolate state presently, it has strong memories associated with it.

Rail Lines Denser Sparse Rail owned Buildings

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Figure 17: Aerial Photograph of the site captured from Ted Turner Dr at an elevation of 160 feet by Photographer Phillip Jones

Before or after a match at nearby stadium, I see heaps of people enthused and overjoyed, they occupy the Gulch This energy revives the space for time being, People travelled through this place when it was a Terminus, But the Space was always a void, It is the temporal aspect of people, their movement and the events that happened here which gave it sense of place. Afterall it is the people who make spaces to places. 28|Georgia Institute of Technology// Sakshi Nanda// Independent study // Summer 2021

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Narratives Jennie Lynn Rudder is a practicing landscape architect and Atlantan, passionate about the city, its hydrology and history. She is the fifth generation of her family who was born and brought up in Atlanta. Here is a part of her memories of visiting the site and its connection to the city. Interviewed on 03 June, 2021. “I love the Gulch; it is interesting, and I thought it was a specific Atlanta- landmark till I visited Nashville which also has one....When I was little, we used to go to the circus at the Omni and the festival of Trees at the Georgia World Congress Center. These were the events that happened every year, and were a part of growing up, so it is weird for it to be torn down-at least The Omni that was torn down. The last thing I saw there was a Smashing Pumpkin concert in 1996.”

Figure 18: Omni Colosseum, Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution 1997 John Spink

The Omni was located on the present site of State Farm Arena (formerly known as Philips Arena). The Omni, which helped revitalize downtown and served as the home of Atlanta’s first NBA and NHL teams, came down without leaving a trace (Byrnes, 2015). The building was brought down in 1997 as it suffered severe Corten erosion and leakage. “I like the train connection to Atlanta; now the Gulch has been there for so long that it feels like an ancient place. It is cool that the parts that are still there, like the train traffic, continue so the rail lines have to stay. Until recently there were very old bridges that were still intact and it was fun to explore those bridges, and kind of climb around where you are not supposed to be there. In addition to this, there was a beautiful train station that used to be there; a tiny part of it was still intact till a year ago.”

Figure 19: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Being an ardent Atlanta United fan, Jennie Lynn appreciated the efforts taken by the team in creating a site-specific imagery. A sports team associating their identity with rail history does some justice to the physical space where their home stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) is located. “Gulch is special because you cannot move a rail line as easily you can move a road or a building. It’s interesting to note that it one of the few things that stayed more or less the same in Atlanta for almost 200 years.”

As of 2018, most oral history projects do not fall under IRB approvals (45 CFR 46, Subpart A) since they are simply collecting information.

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Narratives Ian Michael Rogers and David Mitchell from Atlanta Preservation Center, spoke about their take on the upcoming redevelopment of the site. It was an interesting conversation leading to the question of how can one recreate a memory of that space? Interviewed on 25 May, 2021.

Hannah Palmer, Atlantan, Urban Designer, Author and an advocate for investigating about the American rivers was interviewed on 14 July, 2021.

“The 40-acre site, which was once green is merely asphalt. Will it create a sense of memory and culture after its regrading and remediation? The site is significant from environment and water point of view. To build anything on the site, approximately ten years of remediation would be required.”

“My parents were the last generation that experienced Atlanta as a railroad town. It was a time when the towns grew and died because of the rail networks. The decline of trains coincided with the racial segregation in the South. When my parents travelled in the sixties, the rail travel was segregated. This shifted the major mode of travel to the cars.”

“It is important to know how is the new proposal branding itself? Being located in the historic district next to Fairlie Poplar, Sweet Auburn, Portman complex and South Downtown. It is important to understand how will one remember the space?”

“My kid often asks me why most of the streets near the Gulch are one way; I wonder it is because to route the people more efficiently to the highway. We have turned many of our roads to on-ramps and off ramps, we have changed the orientation and neglected the street life, especially in Downtown. There are busy one-way streets that want you to take you out of the city onto the highway.”

Figure 21: Redlining in Atlanta, pink was classified as the most hazardous neighborhood and primarily occupied by millowners, factory workers and laborers. The map shows the railroads in the center, Source: Digital Scholarship Lab- Mapping Inequality.

Figure 20: Site Photograph, parking space for the upcoming Centennial Yards and people attending matches nearby

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“When I last went to the site (Gulch), the weed grown over there reminded me of the High Line. The way High Line in New York is connected to the industrial time and the poignant decay of the rail has been revitalized as a public space.”

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Void and memories Strange, obsolete, disconnected, inaccessible, segregated and void. Today the Gulch is addressed by negative connotations. Urban voids are a part of our cities, and a reminder of events, nostalgia, deterioration and identity. The void needs to be addressed not only in conjunction to the surrounding built but also through the inactive elements that have lost a sense of identity today. Urban voids can be understood as a historical consequence and through specific urban design interventions specific area of the city can be revived. A void may have been in use directly or indirectly and is subject to change at any point of time. Redevelopment schemes or temporary events can bring in life to spaces. One often associates memories of events that have happened or one witnesses on a site. Memories play a significant role in the creation of place. The sense of place can be lost in a single generation if the history and the site is not valued. People build their own memories and heritage (García & Esmeralda, 2017). The Gulch is a site rich with people’s experiences, be it temporal or shortlived. The site is left with very few details that can be preserved historically, but is rich with the memories associated with it.

Roger Trancik in his book Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, has defined the concept of anti-space and lost landscape in the cities. Every modern city has a great amount of vacant, unused land in its downtown core.

“The Gulch is only a couple of blocks away from the zero mile post – and it used to be a hub of Atlanta’s rail history. Two statuesque railroad stations used to adorn downtown – the Terminal Station and Union Station – serving dozens for passenger trains each day. When Atlanta allowed the demolition of those two train stations, it actually killed a part of our soul and our raison d’être.” (Atlanta Searches for Its Soul – Lost in the Gulch and Our Hidden Zero Mile Post, 2018)

For example, in Pittsburgh, there are about 4,930 acres of industrial land, 260 acres of underutilized railroad land and 17.5 miles of riverfront available for redevelopment within city boundaries (Trancik, 1986). He has classified- Lost Space as leftover unstructured landscape surrounded by the high-rise or unused sunken plaza away from the pedestrian activity. This co-relates to the landscape of the Gulch in Atlanta.

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Figure 22: A link between the void and creation of a sense of place.

Sense of place can be revived by acknowledging the site’s history, memories associated to it and its current state of deterioration. In the case of Gulch, it is important to understand timeline of events, its relation to the city and establishing a purpose- a place for the people. “Cities have the capability of providing something for everbody, only because, and only when, they are created by everbody.” -Jane Jacobs

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Figure 23: Site Photograph, overlay of different landscapes

Figure 25: Site Photograph, unoccupied- fenced barren ground below the MLK Driveway

Figure 24: Site Photograph, water stagnation at some parts

Figure 26: Site Photograph, captured at the intersection of Richard B Russell Plaza and MLK Driveway

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Urban Heritage Conservation and creation of a place Urban Heritage Conservation has a subjective scope and meaning and has been evolving since the Athens Charter of 1931 (Ouf, 2001). The essence of past can be re-imagined by the creation of pleasant experiences. In the case of the Railroad Gulch, exact restoration of the site would be a daunting task. The character of place has changed overtime, but the memory of the place can be retained by developing the site partly. The idea of reinvigoration of its heritage can be achieved by acknowledging the multiple stories. Downtown Atlanta lacks a place solely for the people. Most cities have a city square, that hosts events, protests and celebrates a city. The Gulch area in the heart of downtown is bounded by stadiums, offices and transit. It is a perfect opportunity for a place that reminds the city of its multi-layered history, acts as a recreation ground and help in creating memories for the future. It is easier to keep the authenticity and preserve a piece of architecture, whereas the scope of Urban Heritage conservation is broad for a site of nearly forty acres. Urban conservation can have endless possibilities, one of which is making sure that the site is respected in all aspects of its preservation (Ouf, 2001).

far extents of the city. The purpose of conservation is not limited to the physicality of a place but affects the intangible aspect of culture and history. Our cities are a testimony for our existence and help to build a stronger foundation for the future. The presence of historic buildings, street pattern and stories give a local character to each city. Their presence is important in our understanding of the sense of place, belonging and identity (Shinbira, 2012) “Architecture exists as a physical entity and therefore registers as a place that we come to remember. Architecture, whether or not it still stands, can exist or be found beyond the physical site itself in our memory of it (Hornstein, 2011).” The place is a symbolic representation that connects our idea or image of a place to its physical actuality. The site plays a crucial role in developing one’s association with a place. Visual images of sites (any place of interest) can generate constructed images that in turn can create a memory of a place. It is easier to examine the extreme destruction of property and far more difficult to understand what we remember or forget with everyday cases. When the physical traces of a place are destroyed, there is an elimination of the memory of the icons of that community.

Story telling forms an integral part of Atlanta’s heritage. It is a city that is everevolving, but the people’s memories make it special. The city’s urban form that started from this void, has had a significant influence on the

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Figure 27: Site Photograph, a place with great opportunities and layers of history

This space activates due to the temporal movement of people visiting the places around the site. But mostly acts as a parking lot, with no historical connotation or a pedestrian friendly space. This site has a lot of potential to be conserved not just physical restoration but an urban design intervention that focusses on creating a human-centricopen ended space. Atlanta’s history is unique, and having a place to acknowledge the evolution of this railroad town at the original site would be an opportunity for the past, present and future generations. The Gulch is an opportunity for reviving Atlanta’s cultural heritage and should not become an example like the rest of downtown (tall, commercial expensive real estate). The site is special, it could have a park and a museum. A museum that celebrates the many stories and struggles of Atlanta. A space that hosts events for the people and by the people. A museum of rail, memories, and people.

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A city is more than just a collection of buildings. It is also spaces in-between. It is a public place where people linger, strolling about chatting and people watching- Emma Gilleece

References

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7. Ambrose, A. (2020, September 16). Atlanta [Text]. New Georgia Encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia. org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/atlanta 8. Atlanta searches for its soul – lost in the Gulch and our hidden zero mile post. (2018, February 5). SaportaReport. https://saportareport.com/68716-2/main-slider/maria_saporta/

11.

Stover, J. F. (1997). American railroads (Second edition). Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press.

9. Atlanta: The city that keeps changing America | CNN Travel. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2021, from http://edition.cnn. com/travel/article/atlanta-city-changing-america-cmd/index.html

12.

Trancik, R. (1986). Finding lost space: Theories of urban design.

10.

GIS Story Map link Summer GIS Project: Atlanta’s Railroads https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/33aa7eed5e2e47c2a3c4c2c0b3b1136d

Azhar, J., Gjerde, M., & Vale, B. (2018, April 12). Urban Leftover Spaces: Transformation from “Within.”

11. Byrnes, M. (2015). The Arena That Helped Revitalize Downtown Atlanta. Bloomberg.Com. https://www.bloomberg. com/news/articles/2015-04-24/a-look-back-at-the-omni-coliseum-and-how-it-helped-revitalize-downtown-atlanta 12. Darin Givens, Author at Atlanta Magazine. (n.d.). Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved June 11, 2021, from https://www. atlantamagazine.com/author/darin-givens/ 13. De Silva, R. (1998). Urban void as a public space: A study on under-utilized urban voids and their potential as urban public spaces. http://dl.lib.uom.lk/handle/123/973

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Bibliography 14. Emory, D. (2018, January 23). Gulch plans knock passenger rail off track. ThreadATL. https://www.threadatl. org/2018/01/23/gulch-plans-rule-out-expansion-of-rail-transit-in-downtown-atlanta/ 15. Graham, P. K. (n.d.). Edward Arista Vincent: Antebellum Immigrant, Cartographer, and Architect. Paul K. Graham. Retrieved July 8, 2021, from http://www.pkgraham.com/edward-arista-vincent/ 16. Minihane, B. R. Q. and J. (n.d.). The city that keeps changing America. CNN. Retrieved July 14, 2021, from https:// www.cnn.com/travel/article/atlanta-city-changing-america-cmd/index.html 17. Molly, S. (2017, July 18). The Trouble With Atlanta’s Proctor Creek. 90.1 FM WABE. https://www.wabe.org/thetrouble-with-atlantas-proctor-creek/ 18. Todd. (2018, March 27). Before It Was Home to the World’s Busiest Airport, Atlanta Was a Railroad Hub. Southeastern Railway Museum. https://www.train-museum.org/2018/03/27/before-it-was-home-to-the-worlds-busiest-airport-atlantawas-a-railroad-hub/ 19. Xujiahui, Shanghai: Reclaiming Forgotten Public Spaces—Ennead lab. (n.d.). Retrieved July 6, 2021, from http:// www.enneadlab.org/projects/xuhui-activation-study 20. Zero Mile Post was moved to Atlanta History Center, and some preservationists are peeved—Curbed Atlanta. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2021, from https://atlanta.curbed.com/2018/10/30/18042442/downtown-zero-mile-post-atlanta-historycenter-preservationists 21. Architectural details from Atlanta Terminal Station, demolished 1972, Atlanta, Georgia, 1972. - Atlanta JournalConstitution Photographs—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/ajc/id/1444/rec/1 22. Atlanta Preservation Center. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://www.atlantapreservationcenter.com/place_ detail?id=341&pt=1&year=all 23. Atlanta’s Terminus in 1865—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/ id/125/rec/6 24. Blass, K. S., Rose, M., & Atlanta History Center (Eds.). (2003). Atlanta scenes: Photojournalism in the Atlanta History Center Collection. Arcadia. 25. Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/ guidebook/id/103/rec/31

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26. First Two-Story House in Atlanta, Built in 1843, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/ collection/guidebook/id/148/rec/53 27. Flashback photos: Aerial Atlanta, the city from above 1905-1988. (n.d.). Ajc. Retrieved June 5, 2021, from https:// www.ajc.com/lifestyles/flashback-fotos-aerial-atlanta-the-city-from-above-1905-1988/1Nx7wU0rWoBpp7VFGwrNrK/ 28. Forsyth Street Viaduct, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/ id/141/rec/54 29. L. & N. Frieght Terminal, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/id/1/ rec/73 30. Military guard stands watch as President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s body is transported to Washington D.C., 1945. (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/ajc/id/11181/rec/3 31. Mitchell Street Viaduct, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/ id/181/rec/81 32. Nelson Street Viaduct, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/ id/96/rec/82 33. Photograph: African-American laborers moving cotton bales along railroad. (n.d.). Georgia Historical Society. Retrieved July 19, 2021, from https://georgiahistory.com/education-outreach/for-educators/business-history-initiativeeducator-resources/economics-resources-for-georgia-studies-by-standard/ss8e1-the-four-systems-of-transportation/ photograph-african-american-laborers-moving-cotton-bales-along-railroad/ 34. Terminal Hotel, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/id/115/rec/138 35. Terminal Station, 1907—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/guidebook/id/12/rec/139 36. The Georgia School of Technology, 1898—Historic Atlanta Guidebook Images—Georgia State University Library Digital Collections. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2021, from https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/ guidebook/id/31/rec/153 37. Birds eye view of the city of Atlanta, the capitol of Georgia 1871. (n.d.). [Image]. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved July 9, 2021, from https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3924a.pm001210/ 38. Insurance maps, Atlanta, Georgia, 1911 / published by the Sanborn Map Company—Digital Library of Georgia. (n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2021, from https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_sanb_atlanta-1911#item The Railroad Gulch: Reminiscences of a place that shaped Atlanta I 49

Appendix- Interview (stories) 1. Ian Michael Rogers and David Mitchell from Atlanta Preservation Center, spoke about their take on the upcoming redevelopment of the site. It was an interesting conversation leading to the question of how can one recreate a memory of that space? Interviewed on 25 May, 2021 via MS Teams. “The 40-acre site, which was once green is merely asphalt. Will it create a sense of memory and culture after its regrading and remediation? The site is significant from an environment and water point of view. To build anything on the site, approximately ten years of remediation would be required.”-David Mitchell “It is important to know how is the new proposal branding itself? Being located in the historic district next to Fairlie Poplar, Sweet Auburn, Portman complex and South Downtown. It is important to understand how will one remember the space?” Ian Michael Rogers “Atlanta has been ever evolving, be it fashion or the way the city looks. But does the approved project do justice to the forty-acre site? Is the politics going to dictate what will happen? They are going to maximize the space without respecting the space. This development should not follow a path like Atlantic Station or Ponce City Market, its location is very crucial with the city around it.” David Mitchell “The Gulch cannot heal the nation; it is now an abandoned space. Preservation and promotion of what remains is important but people are avoiding this large space. Think of the space in its own identity, it is the only remaining space in Downtown. This space was never groomed to make a site of remembrance but is always seen as a potential to make more money economically. There is lack of empathy for this space. The site has a strong narrative, any future proposal should have a sense of purpose economically but it should not forget the memories.” David Mitchell The conversation was thought provoking and it made me realized that any project should be driven by not just economics but also address the memories. It is important to empathize the past, not by merely making statues, memorials or markers but by preserving some part of it. 2. Jennie Lynn Rudder is a practicing landscape architect and Atlantan, passionate about the city, its hydrology and history. She is the fifth generation of her family who was born and brought up in Atlanta. Here is a part of her memories of visiting the site and its connection to the city. Interviewed on 03 June, 2021 via MS Teams. “I love the Gulch; it is interesting, and I thought it was a specific Atlanta- landmark till I visited

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Nashville which also has one. When I was little, we used to go to the circus at the Omni and the festival of Trees at the Georgia World Congress Center. These were the events that happened every year, and were a part of growing up, so it is weird for it to be torn down-at least The Omni that was torn down. The last thing I saw there was a Smashing Pumpkin concert in 1996.” “I like the train connection to Atlanta; now the Gulch has been there for so long that it feels like an ancient place. It is cool that the parts that are still there, like the train traffic, continue so the rail lines have to stay. Until recently there were very old bridges that were still intact and it was fun to explore those bridges, and kind of climb around where you are not supposed to be there. In addition to this, there was a beautiful train station that used to be there; a tiny part of it was still intact till a year ago. It was as if the big beautiful building had been demolished almost like fifty years ago, I never saw that but this small part was still there like a mighty little soldier and then it was demolished too.” Being an ardent Atlanta United fan, Jennie Lynn appreciated the efforts taken by the team in creating a site-specific imagery. A sports team associating their identity with rail history does some justice to the physical space where their home stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) is located. “Gulch is special because you cannot move a rail line as easily you can move a road or a building. It’s interesting to note that it one of the few things that stayed more or less the same in Atlanta for almost 200 years”. 3. Professor Richard Dagenhart, architect and senior lecturer at Georgia Institute of Technology. Interviewed on 12 June, 2021 and reviewed my final presentation on 28 July, 2021 via MS Teams. “There was nobody here, people passed through but nobody lived here. So, it had no name initially. The only name that it had was the number of land lots and the name of the paths at that time. Then it was called the terminus-Marthasville-then Atlanta.” The discussion helped me with various resources and to think from a different perpsective for this documentation project. Professor provided a correlation with some of the important buildings that existed in the vicinity of the Gulch- First National Bank, connection between Underground Atlanta, Peachtree Arcade and the parking lot. This information was useful and it will help me in further analysis of drawing connection between the Gulch and the surrounding. 4. Scott DeMyer is the Vice President of CIM’s commercial office leasing platform in the Southern region. He is leading the upcoming Centennial Yards’ office leasing program in Downtown Atlanta. Interviewed on 17 June, 2021 via Linkedin and phone call. The primary questions asked were about the redevelopment proposal’s impact and contribution to

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the site’s history, the role of community participation in the redevelopment scheme and the scope of new and existing transit lines.

Line. The way High Line in New York is connected to the industrial time and the poignant decay of the rail has been revitalized as a public space.”

“I am a huge history buff and a big supporter of making sure the history of the site is shared. Our history is what makes areas authentic and this area is rooted in Atlanta’s history.”

“I remember the revitalization of Underground Atlanta that happened in the nineties, it was very much of an experience of going underground to a mall. As a child I really appreciated it, it was mysterious and dark and it was very eccentric to visit a candy store underground. Then more recently, I visited the zero mile post, it is not the original post anymore and it is isolated. I could not imagine the homeless community living there below, It made me realize about how climate change has an impact on the poor. When I was down there, it was flooded and there were industrial trucks pumping out water.”

How would the remediation take place? What will be its impact on the rail lines that exist presently? “The site is accessible to the two Marta Stations at two ends of the project and there is a possibility of a future streetcar and beltline looping through the Centennial yards. The current freight lines will not be disturbed and continue to run underneath the site.” I came across groups of people that are against the proposal, is there any community participation happening simultaneously? The thing about community engagement is, that we have been quiet over the last few years, but are looking to be more engaged in the coming times. We certainly want to be a project for the people. The Project could take ten to fifteen years to be fully completed. Will the new project be similar to the Atlantic Station redevelopment? “Yes, It is on a similar scheme but with a major focus on an entertainment district that connects Downtown and Centennial park. The project will focus on commercial offices, residences and mixed use spaces including a museum.” 5. Hannah Palmer, Atlantan, Urban Designer, Author and an advocate for investigating about the American rivers was interviewed on 14 July, 2021 and reviewed my final presentation on 28 July, 2021 via MS Teams. “My parents were the last generation that experienced Atlanta as a railroad town. It was a time when the towns grew and died because of the rail networks. The decline of trains coincided with the racial segregation in the South. When my parents travelled in the sixties, the rail travel was segregated. This shifted the major mode of travel to the cars.” “My kid often asks me why most of the streets near the Gulch are one way; I wonder it is because to route the people more efficiently to the highway. We have turned many of our roads to on-ramps and off ramps, we have changed the orientation and neglected the street life, especially in Downtown. There are busy one-way streets that want you to take you out of the city onto the highway.” “When I last went to the site (Gulch), the weed grown over there reminded me of the High-

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“Whenever I am walking in that area, I have always been in awe of the desolate beauty in that area with wild flowers and weed that are flourishing there. It reminds me of Chelsea, New York of the two thousands. Before the Highline was renovated. It was in urban decay with railroad history.” “You could propose a project where children could come and experience and think why there was a shift from railroads to highways. My kid often asks me why most of the streets near the Gulch are one way; I wonder it is because to route the people more efficiently to the highway. We have turned many of our roads to on-ramps and off ramps, we have changed the orientation and neglected the street life, especially in Downtown. There are busy one-way streets that want you to take you out of the city onto the highway.” 6. Richard Rothman, Atlantan, Architect, Urban Designer, History enthusiast and a renowned writer. It was an honor talking to him and listening to his work on the Gulch area in late seventies on 21 July, 2021 via Google meet. I was fortunate to have him for my final presentation on 28 July, 2021. “The site has always been in flux due to property ownership. This was the most interesting square mile of Atlanta back then. Apart from the Gulch it was also referred to as lower Downtown, South of Five points.” “When MARTA was being built from Five Points to Mitchell street, they were going to demolish tremendously and opted for Cut and Cover instead of Cut and Tunnel.” “40 years back, AIA hosted bicycle tours where four architects planned tours in four quadrants of the city, I chose the Downtown.” Richard Rothman has conducted many historic walking and bike tours in the Downtown area. He is the pioneer in writing and making maps for various organizations like Central Atlanta Progress, AIA and his firm has taken initiaitves in documenting the Downtown in the late eighties.

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