Atlanta NPU Archives - To Die for Images

Continuing my plan to walk Atlanta’s neighborhoods, in January, my randomizer chose NPU D, which is in northwest Atlanta near the Chattahoochee River. After doing some scouting along Google Street View, I chose Whittier Mill Village.

Whittier Mill Village was established to house workers of the Whittier Textile Mill. In 1895, Whittier Cotton Mills of Lowell, Massachusetts expanded operations to the South. Choosing Atlanta, mill houses were constructed that workers could rent for $1 per week. The village expanded in the 1920s.

Like so much manufacturing in the United States, the mill closed in the 1970s. the area gradually fell into decline. Most of the mill buildings were demolished in 1988 after arson attempts. The remains of the carpenters’ shop and the mill tower still stand, so if you are looking for brick ruins, head here.

One of my goals this year is to walk more. I knew walking in my own neighborhood would feel boring, so I decided to make it more interesting by exploring different parts of Atlanta, not just the usual spots like Midtown or Grant Park. My plan was to randomly choose neighborhoods within the city’s Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs).

In 1974, Mayor Maynard Jackson created NPUs to give Atlantans greater local control, especially those who lived in historically disenfranchised areas. Today, there are 25 NPUs, labeled A through Z (No U).

For my first walk, the random selection landed on NPU Z, located in Southwest Atlanta. After checking Google Street View, I chose the Lakewood neighborhood, which is the largest in NPU Z.

Lakewood sits south of Lakewood Heights, which is the neighborhood more people know. Some of its streets include McWilliams Rd., Burroughs Ave., Jernigan Dr., Thaxton Dr., and the southern stretch of Browns Mill Rd. The neighborhood was largely developed in the 1950s, though a few homes date back to the late 1800s. Browns Mill Park Baptist Church first appeared in local newspapers in the early 1950s.

To Die for Images

Category Archives: Atlanta NPU

Walking Atlanta’s Neighborhoods-Whittier Mill Village

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Walking Atlanta’s Neighborhoods-Lakewood

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Mostly Southern Back Roads and Cemeteries

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Mostly Southern Back Roads and Cemeteries