What's the Big Deal about Decatur (Atlanta, Savannah: appointed, how much, houses)

[staywarm2]

We visited Decatur for the first time today. Did we miss something? All I saw were a few funky shops and restaurants in the square and another "historic" area and dinky little houses in need of updating in so-so neighborhoods. The college and the churches were beautiful, but the rest was junky. Don't get the flap over Decatur!

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

We visited Decatur for the first time today. Did we miss something? All I saw were a few funky shops and restaurants in the square and another "historic" area and dinky little houses in need of updating in so-so neighborhoods. The college and the churches were beautiful, but the rest was junky. Don't get the flap over Decatur!

Weel---how much do you want to know?

-Decatur was established before the city of Atlanta.
-Agnes Scott College & Columbia School of Theology played a major role in the values/culture of the area ---Atlanta, GA. ie-Social Change of the most excellent and perfect kind, etc

-Druid Hills, Emory University and the Carter Center are also a part of this.
-Asa Candler/Coca Cola, Robert Woodruff --city leaders in every profession and industry lived in and around the area.

The area around the city Atlanta ie-- Inman Park/Ponce de Leon to Decatur was once farm land--and the 'First' families, such as the Candlers lived there--as described by Margaret Mitchell, GWTW.

This would have been in the early/mid 1800's, IIRC. Our family historian said that my great, great, great/or something like that grandparents lived near the Candler's. (I haven't reviewed all the records in a while but he was thorough and when I have a chance I need to brush up on this.)

Anyway--Decatur is the headquarters of DeKalb County government and those that live in Decatur are committed to excellence in every aspect of life. Always have been and always will be.

Family values, social change of the highest order and proactive planning for the future.
Decatur, Georgia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
THE DEKALB HISTORY CENTER

LovinDecatur is the poster to answer this question or ?cmtiger?--there may be others can explain all this.

[cmtiger]

Sorry you were disappointed. You have to live here to get it and not everyone gets it. You must live in a really amazing place yourself if you were so unimpressed. Please tell us about your neighborhood.

[plessthanpointohfive]

I think I can understand the OP's perspective. He/she came as a tourist looking for some wowswer entertainment. Thing is, Decatur, along with other intown neighborhoods, isn't a tourist destination. It's a great place to live. When you live there and have everything it offers at your fingertips THEN you can really appreciate what Decatur is.

Decatur is - close to where most people work, 100% good schools, walk to anything, access to downtown Atlanta from MARTA, fun activities to do for the whole family on a regular basis, good restaurants, full of people who love living there.

Not much of an attraction for tourists, true.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I think I can understand the OP's perspective. He/she came as a tourist looking for some wowswer entertainment. Thing is, Decatur, along with other intown neighborhoods, isn't a tourist destination. It's a great place to live. When you live there and have everything it offers at your fingertips THEN you can really appreciate what Decatur is.

Decatur is - close to where most people work, 100% good schools, walk to anything, access to downtown Atlanta from MARTA, fun activities to do for the whole family on a regular basis, good restaurants, full of people who love living there.

Not much of an attraction for tourists, true.

I suppose you need to know some of the history of the area but I have spent hours just browsing in some of the shops and walking around. Of course I could live in a book store and love the one across from the courthouse. And I think they opened a few more. Then there's the library. If I do say so myself DeKalb County has always had an exceptionally fine library system--come 'H' or High Water.

But, no, it's not like Key West or San Diego.

'Wisdom, Moderation and Justice'=Georgia. I'm glad the priority is maintaining a decent place to live myself.

I really enjoy visiting Roswell but I suppose it might not have 'Wow' appeal either. That's just how it is.

[plessthanpointohfive]

I don't know if you're talking to me or not but you might have the wrong impression. I wasn't dissing Decatur. I was singing it's praises. I don't live in Roswell. I live in Atlanta, close to Decatur.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I don't know if you're talking to me or not but you might have the wrong impression. I wasn't dissing Decatur. I was singing it's praises. I don't live in Roswell. I live in Atlanta, close to Decatur.

I guess I was talking to you. Just sort of ruminating. I've read and enjoyed your posts for months. I know you wouldn't diss Decatur and that you live in Candler Park. Even if you wanted to diss Decatur it wouldn't bother me.
I live in the Executive Park/Briarcliff Heights area. Native Atlantan. My parents started out around the Inman Park area then moved to Briarcliff Road back in the 50's.

We had to drive to Decatur to shop, see doctors/dentists and go to the library. There was nothing else around. I don't hold it against Decatur but I had a cruel dentist and did sometimes 'Hate' Decatur. I managed to get over It--LOL.

Someone said J. Christopher's in Decatur is great for brunch. The OP must have missed that and a lot of other things.

LovinDecatur will have to become a tour guide for Decatur. They do that sort of thing in Savannah and she can really explain the history of the area well. She should do that...

I love what Decatur has done for itself ---hope that things work out as well for Emory Village and Executive Park and they seem to be headed in the right direction at long last. I really could not support the massive Sembler project--we talked about that a few months ago.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Executive Park REALLY needs something but the Sembler project was not it - agreed.

I think Emory Village will work out because Emory U is very powerful and will heavily influence whatever goes on there. Emory AND CDC both have a big smart-growth initiative.

I've talked to lots of people who say that Decatur used to be nothing but a suburb to Atlanta. But, it has done well for itself and it IS a great place to live.

And some things are a tourist attraction, like the concerts on the Square and such.

[LovinDecatur]

Don't make me come hurt you

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Executive Park REALLY needs something but the Sembler project was not it - agreed.

I think Emory Village will work out because Emory U is very powerful and will heavily influence whatever goes on there. Emory AND CDC both have a big smart-growth initiative.

I've talked to lots of people who say that Decatur used to be nothing but a suburb to Atlanta. But, it has done well for itself and it IS a great place to live.

And some things are a tourist attraction, like the concerts on the Square and such.

Well--since Decatur was established before the city of Atlanta--quite possibly all of metro Atlanta is a suburb of Decatur--not that those Scots would give a fig. That is how the Scots are --they make up their minds to do whatever it is they determine to be important and the whole world can go to 'H' if it chooses to do so. 'Excellence'--Scots are obsessed with that.

Read the 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon and you will see what I mean.
Diana Gabaldon Home Page

Great books--the story of a marriage between Jamie Frasier/18C Scot and Claire Randall/WW2/healer and time traveler. About 6/7 big books at this time. Jamie and Claire are in preRevolutionary Western NC waiting for the Revolution to begin. Diana is working on the end of the tale--we all want 9 books--3 trilogies.

Ladies of Lallybrochlargest Gabaldon site on the web. Run by Judie Rouselle of Vancouver, Canada. 'So Kool she has to wear shades'. Judolf--the Head Hoser.

I enjoyed that forum --stimulating. Thousands of Gabaldon fans all over the world. 'Boomer Bible' is what we thought at the the 'Broch.

cough--I identified myself as 'Brianna' --daughter of Jamie and Claire. She had red hair like her Dad. Poor Brianna was being trained to 'Lead' when at the end of of 'A Breath of Snow and Ashes'. I told DG that Brianna would not really care to do this--hope she takes that into consideration. What they went through---it is quite a 'Story'.