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Edgewood Avenue is a street inAtlanta,Georgia, United States which runs fromFive Points inDowntown Atlanta, eastward through theOld Fourth Ward. The avenue runs in the direction of theEdgewood neighborhood, and stops just short of it inInman Park.[1] Edgewood Avenue was first important as the route of astreetcar line to Inman Park, Atlanta's first garden suburb and home to many of its most prominent citizens.[2] Today, the avenue is known for its restaurants and nightlife around its intersection withBoulevard.[3]
Edgewood Avenue has its origins with theAtlanta & Edgewood Street Railroad Company, originally authorized to run horsecars along Foster Street to what was then the separate village ofEdgewood. The company, owned byJoel Hurt, introduced Atlanta's first electric streetcar service in 1889. The streetcar was designed to make Hurt's garden suburb,Inman Park, easily and comfortably accessible.[2][4][5]
At the time, on the present route of Edgewood Avenue, there existed two streets: Line Street, which ran fromPeachtree Street east to Pryor Street, and Foster Street, which ran east from Calhoun (nowPiedmont Avenue) due east towards the town of Edgewood. In between were 94 houses and lots. In order to provide a direct rout for the railway, Hurt's East Atlanta Land Company demolished the dwellings, built the missing road, and improved the entire avenue, rechristening it with its present name.[2]
After decades of neglect, the part of the avenue located in theOld Fourth Ward has become a bar and restaurant district, home to a number of Atlanta's most eclectic nightspots. These includeSister Louisa's Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium a.k.a. simply Church, Corner Tavern, Noni's, Circa and the Sound Table,[6] which was recognized as one of the 50 Best Bars in America byFood & Wine magazine.[7] Bar and restaurant-owners are attracted to Edgewood's "non-corporate" feel, mostly due to its urban layout and historic buildings showcasing turn-of-the-century architecture.[8] This all showing another period of growth and maturity for the corridor, since 2013 when Edgewood Avenue around Boulevard had been perceived by some as a site of "drug traffic, petty crime, and homeless hideaways".[3]
As of 2014[update], more eating and drinking establishments are opening, such as Bad Dog Taqueria, the Music Room, and Panbury's Double Crust Pies,[9] as owners seek to capitalize on improved access to the area, particularly to tourists fromdowntown, via theAtlanta Streetcar, which will start service in late 2014.[10]
In 2013,Creative Loafing editor Cliff Bostock called Edgewood Avenue "the most 'diverse' party and dining area in the city ... I'm talking age, sexual orientation, and lifestyle, as much as race."[3] In April 2014,Atlanta magazine noted that the avenue had become "a foodie hangout", and only "recently". The article quoted Keiran Neely, co-owner of Pizzeria Vesuvius and the Music Room, as saying: "Edgewood Avenue has begun to explode based on the streetcar ... It seems like every week there’s a new restaurant or bar."[9]
Since late 2014 theAtlanta Streetcar has operated service along Edgewood Avenue eastbound from Park Place NE to Jackson St. NE, connecting theCentennial Olympic Park area inDowntown Atlanta toSweet Auburn and theMartin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site.[9]
At each end, Edgewood Avenue is served byMARTA trains, atFive Points andInman Park/Reynoldstown stations.[11]
From 2013 to 2014, the Edgewood Avenue Bridge over theBeltLine trail was demolished and replaced, costingUS$4.5 million.[12][13]
Source:""Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA, USA" (Map).Google Maps. RetrievedAugust 21, 2014.
