Buckhead (Atlanta)

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Buckhead (sometimes Buckhead Village and denoted on some signs as Buckhead Community) is a community, comprising several neighborhoods, forming roughly the northern one-fifth of Atlanta, Georgia.

1 History and layout
2 Education
3 See also
4 External links

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History and layout

Buckhead acquired its unusual name from a long-gone local tavern that prominently displayed a large stuffed buck's head. It was annexed by Atlanta in 1952, following an earlier attempt by mayor William B. Hartsfield in 1946 that was voted down by residents.

The main east-west street is West Paces Ferry Road, named for a former ferry across the Chattahoochee River. Hardy Pace, one of Atlanta's founders, operated the ferry and owned much of what is now Buckhead, and as far west as Vinings. The main north-south street is Peachtree Road, which extends south into the heart of the city as Peachtree Street. This name change is significant in that it defines a border between Buckhead and midtown. The area north of Buckhead, beyond the Atlanta city limit, is Sandy Springs.

Buckhead is one of Atlanta's most important business districts, and includes Atlanta's wealthiest neighborhoods, with the Georgia Governor's Mansion, a part-time residence of Elton John, and the Atlanta History Center, a museum. Buckhead was also the home of golfing legned Robert Tyre (Bobby) Jones until his death in 1971. Although there are some moderately priced homes in the area, a majority of the homes and condos start around the $500,000 mark and extend well beyond $10,000,000. Buckhead is also an entertainment and shopping mecca, including Lenox Square Mall, Phipps Plaza, two of the most sought after shopping destinations in the Southeast. Lenox is notable for its size and many prestigious retailers, including a J.W. Marriott Hotel, while its cross-stree rival, Phipps Plaza, is nationally known as one of the most upscale shopping centers in the United States. There are several other luxury hotels in the area, as well as somewhat more modest lodgings. Many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs are to be found in the neighborhood also. Local residents, with some justification, often call Buckhead the "Beverly Hills of the South." And, as a matter of fact, residents of the 30327 ZIP code, which is part of Buckhead, enjoy a higher median household income than those who reside in the California city's main ZIP code, 90210. [1][2]

During the late 1990s Buckhead saw a fair share of problems due to an increased crime rate around the area's nightclubs and shopping districts, which are increasingly frequented by both white and black patrons. With a view towards ameliorating the situation, beginning in 2004, residents of the immediate area have taken measures to reduce nightlife in the village, thus reestablishing a more residential character for the neighborhood. The Buckhead Coalition was instrumental in getting the Atlanta City Council to pass an ordinance to close bars at 2:30 a.m. rather than 4 a.m., and liquor licenses were made more difficult to obtain. The combination of these two factors left the village with a third of its storefronts vacant by late 2005. A number of projects, under proposal or under construction, have been initiated to replace these vacant properties, most being oriented towards upscale patrons.

The Buckhead village of Atlanta is of no relation to the town of Buckhead, Georgia, about 50 miles or 80km to the east-southeast.

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