English Avenue History

The English Avenue Neighborhood was named for James W. English, a former mayor of Atlanta (January 1881 — January 1883), banker, brick company owner and decorated soldier post-Civil War. In 1891, the undeveloped settlement, known today as English Avenue, was purchased by the mayor’s son, James W. English, Jr., and was developed as a white working—class neighborhood. The main street through the center of the neighborhood also bears the English family name. The community became integrated during the 1940’s, after the Atlanta Housing Authority opened Herndon Homes, a 200-unit public housing complex in the eastern section of English Avenue.

There were numerous thriving commercial centers for English Avenue on the hinges of the community until the 1970’s when suburban growth and a decrease in populations began to drain the area’s vitality and many longtime businesses closed and were replaced by low-rent businesses. The corner of Kennedy and James P. Brawley was the home of barber and beauty shops, restaurants and convenience shopping which local residents frequented. Our neighborhood is a "diamond in the rough" that needs to be cut and polished so that it can shine once again.

The English Avenue Neighborhood boundaries as related to Neighborhood Planning Unit-L (we are part of NPU-L) are: On the North we are bound by Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway (formerly Bankhead Avenue), on the east are Grey Street and The Norfolk Southern Railroad Corridor, Simpson Street bounds the south end and Joseph P. Lowery Boulevard (formerly Ashby Street) is on the west. Our neighborhood is in close proximity to Midtown and downtown Atlanta. Georgia Tech West Campus entrance is less than one mile away as is The Coca-Cola Company. AT&T telephone company, the Bank of America, the Fox Theater and Crawford Long Medical Center all are within two to three miles of English Avenue. The Georgia Dome, Georgia World Congress Center, Philips Arena, CNN Center and Centennial Olympic Park are all almost in walking distance.

English Avenue is near the King Plow Arts Center and the Nexus Art Center. There are many vacant parcels of land of various sizes, locations and zones, along with vacant warehouse space. The Northyards Industrial Park at Northside Drive and North Avenue is also part of English Avenue. In addition, our neighborhood is home to 22 churches of various denominations.