Virginia-Highland [Paperback]

Many of the dynamics associated with the United States in the mid-20th century had not yet touched the tranquil northeast Atlanta community of Virginia-Highland in 1950. The next quarter-century would be very different. A wave of changethe civil rights movement, public school integration, the highway department's attempt to build an expressway through the community, declining real estate, the advent of suburban flight, an emerging new counterculture, and the bitter antiwar movementprovided an overlapping series of challenges that could have torn the neighborhood apart. Against all odds, it did not. Citizens organized to support public schools, defeat the highway, protect the remaining housing, create parks, and preserve their community. They created an eclectic, entrepreneurial spirit and an unpretentious culture that came to define modern intown living. Preserving the essential features of their booming community soon became a new challenge.This book expands upon the 2011 book Images of America: Virginia-Highland. It draws upon material gathered from local historical sources and the contributions of many gracious individuals who shared their personal and family stories. Authors Lola Carlisle and Jack White have lived in the neighborhood for years and are founding members of the Virginia-Highland Historical Society.