CABBAGETOWN
The Cabbagetown District, east of downtown Atlanta, was founded by Jacob Elsas in 1884 and originally consisted of the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill and houses for the workers. The mill itself was closed in 1977 and remained vacant until the mid-1990s when the complex was converted into loft apartments, and then last year converted into condominums for sale/resale.
Elsas built a small community of one and two-story shotgun housesand cottage-style houses surrounding the mill. Like most mill towns, the streets are extremely narrow with short blocks and lots of intersections. At its height the mill employed 2,600 people. A protracted strike in 1914-15 failed to unionize the factory's workforce. For over half a century Cabbagetown remained home to a tight-knit, homogenous, and semi-isolated community of people whose lives were anchored by the mill, until it closed in 1977. Afterwards, the neighborhood went into a steep decline which didn't end until Atlanta's intown renaissance of the mid-1990's.
Bordering communities are Grant Park, Inman Park, Reynoldstown, and Old Fourth Ward.
Pearl Park is a popular spot in Cabbagetown to relax and/or walk the dogs. It was named after a developer, George Adair's daughter, named...well, Pearl. Pearl Park was the original name of Cabbagetown.
Old Photo of the Mill
YEARLY FESTIVAL! DON'T MISS IT.......
Cabbagetown brings together all sorts of people and is a thriving artist community. The commercial district is always growing and evolving. I personally love Agave and Carrol Street Cafe. Great place for a drink: Estoria, and I must mention it has the best french fries in town!
If you would rather have a condo than a shotgun house, a few condo/loft communities include:
Milltown Lofts: On Wylie Street, this all brick, gated community includes spacious lofts with industrial sized windows and 10-18 foot ceilings. Other features include exposed brick walls, skyline views, some private garages, pool, fitness center, and large patios/balconies.
The Stacks: On Boulevard/Carroll Street- The Cotton Mill is for sale and phase one is sold out. If exposed beams and brick walls are what you want, The Stacks has it. The community is very large and includes a large fitness center and pool.
Metal Works: On Memorial Drive - These modern townhomes are three levels and have very low association fees (37.00 on the one below!)They are located right off of Memorial, next to Tribute Lofts.
South Park Lofts: Chester Avenue- These Modern Lofts vary in floorplan with a few having a 2 car garage.
Carroll Street Lofts: Carroll Street- Very Modern Loft Community located across Carroll Street from the Stacks.
212 Berean: Berean St- A Condo Conversion of 2 bedroom/1 baths
NEW CONSTRUCTIONS
TRIBUTE LOFTS: 890 Memorial Drive
How did Cabbagetown get it's name? Who really knows! A few said possibilities:
There are a few explanations as to how the neighborhood received its name. One is that the mostly transplanted poor Appalachian residents who worked in the nearby Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill, would grow cabbages in the front yards of their shotgun houses, and one could distinctly smell the odor of cooking cabbage coming from the neighborhood. This term was used originally with derision by people outside the neighborhood, but it soon became a label of pride for the people who lived there.
Another explanation is that a train carrying a load of cabbages derailed by the mill adjacent to the neighborhood, and the poor residents quickly accumulated the cabbages, and used them in just about every meal. A variation of this legend has a Ford Model T taking a sharp turn at one of the main intersections of Cabbagetown, and flipping over spilling its cargo of cabbages across the street. Someone yelled "Free Cabbages!" and they were soon carted away by the residents.
