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Typical houses and streetscape
of Adair Park Historic District
National Register photograph by Yen Tang
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The Adair Park Historic District is a residential neighborhood located
southwest of downtown Atlanta and adjacent to the Norfolk Southern
Railroad tracks. This bungalow suburb was developed from the 1890s
to the 1940s, when Atlanta was transitioning from a "railroad town"
to a true city. Shortly after the Civil War, land speculators, notably
George Washington Adair, John Thrasher and Thomas Alexander, began
purchasing land in this area anticipating future growth. To increase
the value of this land, Adair joined with Richard Peters in 1870 to
form the Atlanta Street Railway Company to provide trolley access
to the area. He also established the Atlanta Real Estate Company,
and continued purchasing land for development. Adair's company became
the largest developer of property in Atlanta before he died in 1889.
His sons, George and Forrest, continued the company, and began designing
the Adair Park subdivision and selling lots in 1910.
![[photo] [photo]](buildings/ada2.jpg)
Typical houses and streetscape
of Adair Park Historic District
Courtesy of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission |
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Similar to neighboring West End, the predominate house type
within the neighborhood is the bungalow with Craftsmen style detailing.
Architectural styles represented include Folk Victorian, Queen Anne,
and English Vernacular Revival. There are also a few apartment buildings
within the district. Residential front yards within the district are
generally small due to narrow lots and houses placed close to the
street. Landscaping is informal with grass yards, mature trees and
shrubs. There are some sidewalks, granite curbing, steps from the
street to the yards, and retaining walls within the district. The
few historic commercial buildings are generally one-story freestanding
or attached neighborhood stores. Most are constructed of brick and
feature storefront bays. Community landmark buildings include the
George W. Adair School. Constructed in 1912, the school is a two-story
brick building designed in the Academic Gothic Revival style with
red brick. Other community buildings include the Stewart Avenue Methodist
Episcopal Church South and the Adair Park Baptist Church. The recreational
park in the district was established in 1922. Adair Park comprises
20 lots originally designated for houses that were not sold due to
the sloped topography and swampy ground. Landscaped with open areas,
mature trees, and historic walkways, the park has on its grounds a
one-story brick bathhouse built in 1930.
The Adair Park Historic District is roughly bounded by Metropolitan
Pkwy., Lexington Ave., Norfolk Southern Railroad and Shelton Ave.
The houses in the district are private residences and are not open
to the public.
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