Why Is Atlanta Proper So Tiny?

[jero23]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Houston, Phoenix, San Diego, Jacksonville...

Houston (4.4 million outside of city limits) and Phoenix (3 million outside of city limits) metro areas are quite large outside of the city limits of those cities these days. A better set of cities in that actually fits that list would be San Antonio (about 1 million outside), Jacksonville (about 600K outside), Louisville (about 500K outside), and Oklahoma City (about 700K outside).

[cqholt]

This book can answer most if not all of your questions about modern Atlanta history and it's effect on the balkanization of power in metro Atlanta.

Kruse, K.M.: White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism. (eBook and Paperback)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Great summary, primaltech.

I'd add, however, that the city gained a lot more than just Buckhead in the 1950s. The 1952 annexation also added major areas in SW Atlanta, NW Atlanta and SE Atlanta. Buckhead was only about 30% of it.

Atlanta GIS Annexation Map: http://coaplangis.maps.arcgis.com/ap...d8f6c55e7f5662

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by dblackga

Also keep in mind that, in comparison to some states, in Georgia, a city is part of a county, not an entirely separate entity. If you live in the Atlanta city limits, you also live in Fulton County.

That's not the case in other states. For example, in Virginia, the City of Richmond is separate from their surrounding counties. Back in the late 60's, the City of Richmond tried to annex 51 square miles of neighboring Chesterfield county with the express purpose of increasing their tax base, adding high-performing schools to their own mix of so-so schools, and, quite frankly, to add "white voters" to the increasingly black population of Richmond. Chesterfield fought it tooth-and-nail, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the annexation of the county was adjusted to an agreed-upon 23 square miles, for which Richmond paid Chesterfield $7.8 million dollars. It started decades of resentment from the adjoining counties -- Chesterfield and Henrico -- and resulted in a moratorium on city annexations throughout Virginia.

I think Virginia is the only state that has this independent city setup where incorporated cities are not part of any county. Other states may have some individual cities like that (e.g., Baltimore, St. Louis, etc.) but that's not the case for all incorporated cities within those states.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by cqholt

This book can answer most if not all of your questions about modern Atlanta history and it's effect on the balkanization of power in metro Atlanta.

Kruse, K.M.: White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism. (eBook and Paperback)

The best.

[Atlanta Scientist]

Originally Posted by primaltech

And it's actually officially, technically not a state. It's a commonwealth, along with Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Kentucky.

We are the United 46 States and 4 Commonwealths.

We are still 50 states. There is no legal difference between a state and a self imposed title of commonwealth. The relationship between a state and a commonwealth with the federal government is the same. The designation of a commonwealth is in each state constitution is only of nominal meaning.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Columbia Scientist

a commonwealth ... in each state constitution is only of nominal meaning.

Correction: "Commonwealth" of Virginia, Pennsylvania, etc. has no meaning -- none whatsoever -- in the 21st century.