Going UNDERGROUND to Understand Atlanta History

For years, amateur historian Jeff Morrison has been taking people under the streets of Atlanta, Georgia to help them understand the origins of the city. It’s a past that’s been largely forgotten and hidden underground, but some of the town’s railroad remnants still remain.
Jeff’s Book
www.amazon.com/gp/product/149...
The Unseen Underground Walking Tour
/ unseen-underground-wal...

[@guriausa]

I grew up being taught that underground Atlanta was the original street level before Sherman burned the city and the reconstruction was simply built on top of the ruins.

[@Prodigious1One]

It sounds like not exactly, lol.

[@kylenolan8976]

Let me guess early 1900s just like Seattle where i am. And more countless cutys

[@Robberbarron27]

If you go into the basement of the CNN building in Atlanta a railroad line goes right through it. Right by the buildings power transformers, switchgear, and backup generators.

[@Demetriusspeedy]

Do more old Atlanta abandoned history

[@v12productions]

Will do!

[@tommythomason6187]

That gulch was a huge, "Iron Triangle," as they called it then, of tracks that connected Terminal and Union Stations. They could turn entire passenger trains there. Terminal Station had 12 to 14 through tracks running under it and Union Station, a couple of blocks northeast, had maybe half that many. I remember going down there many times in the early 1970s. Lots of platforms and butterfly sheds down in the gulch. I remember watching the wrecking ball slap Terminal Station into dust in 1972. It was a sad sight. It had been closed two years and was a home for street vagabonds. It was in disrepair and the grounds had a foul scent.

[@drewsquickfix]

Cool video lol look at pictures of 1989s atlanta. Almost looks like a small town before all the highrise condos and midtown was built up.

[@v12productions]

Thanks! Yeah, we're experiencing major development right now.

[@BermudaBrian]

Excellent. Atlanta has torn down too many ties to the past. Once these structures are gone, they are gone forever.

[@mikefannon6994]

My dad loved railroads and lived in Atlanta area for many years. I don't think he ever saw these areas. Wish he was still alive to see this video. Thanks

[@zachariahhughes3937]

I did a construction job in Atlanta and we dug up a piece of the rail road

[@mattberg916]

I love the industrial and railroad history of all the big cities. I worked a very small shortline in Chicago that had CRI&P trackage rights so got to go pretty much everywhere, it was very cool.

[@v12productions]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

[@Ebd1990]

This is history. The under ground Atlanta makes sense to me now

[@randalbassett7726]

Thank You For your videos. I have lived in NE Metro since the 1950s and know so little of the history of Atlanta Actually I was born in Chamblee (1950) and lived in Doraville until 1991.

[@v12productions]

Thanks for watching!

[@jrallison13]

My family had a metal fabrication business from 1991 until late 2011. There are so many things I can still point out that we built or repaired over the years. My father passed away of a heart attack while quoting a job at the ground floor of the Wall Street parking deck which is part of the gulch. I spent a lot of time with him there working on jobs. Miss him every single day and thankful for the impact he made on Atlanta. There is a building inside the parking area across the street from Walter’s. It is near the rail line. I remember he told me it was owned by GSU. Does anyone have more info on it? Dad was a smart guy and came to be somewhat of an Atlanta historian. Some of our clients called him “The Mayor of Atlanta” because he knew the city so well and had keys to so many places! I wish I remembered more of the history he showed me.

[@marciacarolwillbanks888]

Number 2 Peachtree building is over the old Peachtree Arcade and the basement still has the marble and wrought iron fixtures

[@v12productions]

That's awesome! I need to figure out how to get down there.

[@guyharvley4295]

The beautiful historic station Terminus was replaced with the ugly Richard (yawn) Russel thing. Clark Gable and most of the cast of GWTW arrived at that station for the premier.

[@blazingwisp]

Very awesome and informative video! Also great editing!

[@v12productions]

Thanks!

[@davidturk6170]

I remember going there with my dad, in the mid 60’s, to the basement entrance to his office. It was easier to park there.

[@utterbullspit]

It would be nice if the city considered putting more green space in the gulch.

[@utterbullspit]

I'm loving your videos! Keep up the great work.

[@v12productions]

Thanks for watching!

[@zoidzoid87]

One of the only things i hate about atlanta is the fact development goes over keeping historic landmarks just like the the actual underground atlanta where we could shop but i think it all started when they tore down the georgia dome.

[@academyofshem]

Atlanta has always been careless of its history; Atlanta is the city too busy to care about its history. I remember when I was a kid, you could still see the Confederate trenches along Decatur Street; they bulldozed all that to make MARTA. There was a gas light on Alabama St. downtown; it was the very last remnant of pre-Civil War Atlanta. It had a base with a hole in it, damage from Union artillery from 1864. They removed that as well. In the early 60s, when Ivan Allen wanted to make Atlanta an international city, he courted businesses from the North as well as Europe. He would show them around Atlanta, but when they asked about culture, about art museums and such, well...Atlanta never cared much about its history and culture. By the time Allen and the others realized that Atlanta had no museum, it was too late; a Van Gogh by that time would have cost more than the entire building itself. At least they put together a great symphony..

[@Multifacted_Brotha]

@@academyofshem Wow smh a lot of Atlanta's history seems to be lost...

[@wesleyshelby8163]

Excellent video and history! Thanks!

[@v12productions]

Thanks for watching!

[@georgiabigfoot]

Thanks for making your videos, I really enjoy them. I wish you could do some more in depth In the area around Herndon Stadium , particularly the abandoned Grace Towns Hamilton house , and the large abandoned home between Herndon stadium and the burned structure at Clark

[@v12productions]

That sounds interesting

[@keithharrison162]

@@v12productions prob won’t get to pay

[@GeorgeJansen]

Thank you sir

[@Jabberstax]

People love places where you can see the history of the people that were ryere before. When you tear down historic buildings to replace them with ugly high rises, you lose that.

[@tinacouch3531]

Atlanta is a city that hates itself, obviously

[@Flamerailzzz]

Fascinating documentary ! Love to dig Into The History of this Great City and The Railroad

[@v12productions]

Thanks!

[@CurtisUsher128]

Thanks for shareing me for this video to me and I just subscribe so I can learn more from you About the history of the railroad in Atlanta

[@v12productions]

Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@CurtisUsher128]

You welcome

[@ladewilon3855]

Atlanta United!

[@hydrofilms]

If you've ever seen the 1980 exploitation film Cannibal Apocalypse with John Saxon, there's a big fight scene shot at the back of the old Gulf filling station on the corner of MLK JR SW & Central Ave SW. A chase then ensues through some of the old buildings around Underground Atlanta. Worth a watch - especially on blu ray. A lot of Atlanta history in that film, although it's fair to say the subject matter may not be to everyone's taste ;)

[@v12productions]

I'll check that out! I love seeing Atlanta in movies. Especially movies made before it became the "Hollywood of the South."

[@mikefannon6994]

Back when Underground Atlanta was a popular tourist spot, about 1970. a friend and I were down there one evening, a mov83rd was being filmed starring Anthony Franciosa. We were extras in a chase scene. Don't know the title or if it was ever released.

[@tunercvr]

@@v12productions The Visitor (1979) is pretty fun and has several recognizable locations. it's free to watch on tubi and peacock

[@erichurst2496]

Well done.

[@v12productions]

Thanks!

[@UnionPacific1997]

High speed rail terminus would be nice but that’ll never happen

[@GAURAV25855ify]

Atlanta in the 70’s was known as mecca of the south.

[@austina.duncan1900]

Atlanta needs a new passenger rail terminal

[@alexwarren6277]

Any abandoned exits or entrance of rail roads to build a skate park near Marietta,ga cause the damn city cousil has promised one for years now but no change and it’s time to bring it into are hands

[@stocksj]

Shame no one wants to remember the past which created Atlanta. My father and grandfather worked for the railroad in this area and now nothing remains of the past. This is typical of America compared to many European countries.

[@arthur.jaanus]

Do a atlanta beltline light rail

[@GAURAV25855ify]

Atlanta some wall street jobs and some casinos more IT Atlanta needs to be more commercialized.

[@RuukuLada]

For the record, we don’t need to ‘salvage’ the gulch; it should be developed into more than parking

[@MPB059]

You should do more videos of Atlanta locations that was filmed for movies. For example: Robocop 3 was filmed in Atlanta and I found the church that was used as the resistance underground when OCP killed Anne Lewis (spoiler)

[@v12productions]

I plan to. There are definitely plenty of locations to choose from!

[@MPB059]

@@v12productions also 2:54 what street in atlanta?

[@v12productions]

@@MPB059 This is under Central Avenue near the MARTA tracks.

[@MPB059]

@@v12productions thank you! I have to do this tour!

[@v12productions]

@@MPB059 Yes! Check out the Unseen Underground Walking tour FB page. He'll post when he's doing another one.

[@leek5682]

And we don't have any records of how any of the underground was built 👀 where did the stone come from? they did that with horse and wagons? why can't we do that as easily today?

[@jameswightman6347]

What's the location at 3:01?

[@v12productions]

It's near the underground entrance to State Farm Arena and right under the Georgia International Plaza.

[@beeamerica5024]

So they went and moved the mile post huh didn't know that let's hear something you didn't know Atlanta was built on a huge slab of granite just like New York and was first known by the native Americans the trappers and the pioneers as a rendezvous point once a year when they met to buy sell and trade goods the Cherokee used the South River to follow it up to the rendezvous this I have learned as part Cherokee also of the rivers such as the Chattahoochee and the etowah

[@elfonzo18]

They have butt clapping parties there now

[@nickbitzer2961]

Jesus loves you. don't ever forget that.

[@danielmarsala849]

Why a duck?

[@Yallquietendown]

It just looks godawful now. I wish they would have preserved it better

[@kistro452]

This is the location that our beautiful brothers and sisters were sold on the auction blocks. Our ancestors. Black families were destroyed here. Crying babies were torn from there inconsolable mothers arms. Wives sold away from husbands. This was a place of total destruction , evil and wickedness. The residual affect is in and on every face of color and in our cells memory. May the most high continue to lift us, the true Hebrew 12 tribes of Israel. Shalom