History Brookhaven, Georgia

1914 ad in atlanta constitution, offering oglethorpe park lots sale

brookhaven s first permanent european settler john evins, started plantation around 1810. harris , solomon goodwin, moved georgia south carolina, became owners of land in 1830s. goodwin home , family graveyard have been preserved @ 3900 block of peachtree road, near dresden drive. train station known goodwin s constructed along atlanta , richmond (later atlanta , charlotte) railway in 1873.

the settlement of cross keys, population of 250 in 1876, located 1 mile (2 km) north along rail line goodwin s. in 1879 cross keys described:

nancy s creek furnished power operating mill. place has 2 churches—methodist , baptist—one common school, , steam cotton gins. cotton , wood form chief exports. 140 bales of cotton shipped per annum, of carried atlanta wagon. population within radius of 2 miles [3 km], near 400. mail daily… depot , station [is] 1 , one-quarter miles [2.0 km] distant [from] place.

atlanta residents began constructing summer cottages in community around 1900. in 1910, 150 acres (61 ha) on north side of peachtree road purchased development planned community surrounding golf course. nine-hole golf course, designed herbert barker, golf pro garden city, long island, opened in 1912. residences developed in 3 phases, brookhaven estates designed in 1910, followed country club estates in 1929 , carleton operating company in 1936. independently, edwin p. ansley sold lots in area, calling oglethorpe park. construction of historic neighborhood largely complete end of world war ii. country club became part of downtown capital city club in 1911, , name changed capital city country club. golf course expanded 9 eighteen holes in 1915. clubhouse, designed preston stevens in french provincial style, completed in 1928.

capital city club golf course

the area incorporated city of north atlanta in 1924. in 1963, north atlanta s leaders asked state legislature allow referendum on new city charter. legislature agreed, included additional option in referendum: disincorporation. majority of voters chose disincorporation, , city s charter dissolved in 1965.

from 1950s 1970s, major commercial , residential development took place in brookhaven, resulting in area being largely built-out 1980. brookhaven marta station opened in 1984. in 1986, capital city club , surrounding estate homes placed on national register of historic places, , neighborhood officially known historic brookhaven.

the idea of incorporating brookhaven city first brought in 2007, purpose of securing local community control on planning, zoning, land use, police, fire protection, , parks , recreation—rather having issues decided decatur. however, idea failed gain momentum. proposed city have included 53,000 people. in 2011, incorporation of brookhaven revived when state rep. mike jacobs announced plans introduce legislation allowing creation of city of brookhaven, on objections of many residents of neighborhood of historic brookhaven, not lie in proposed city boundaries. on july 31, 2012, 55% of voters chose incorporate city of brookhaven. in december of same year j. max davis elected city s first mayor.