Cabbagetown is on the National Register of Historic Places as well as being an Atlanta Historic District. The Cabbagetown District is bounded by Oakland Cemetery, Boulevard and Pearl sts., Memorial Dr., and the Georgia Railroad tracks. The houses in the district are private residences and are not open to the public.
The Mill by David Knox
Cabbagetown is located due east of downtown Atlanta. The neighborhood began as a result of the construction of the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill and the homes were built for the factory workers. Founded by Jacob Elsas, the mill manufactured what we used to refer to as “gunny sacks”. These were cotton bags used for feed, flour and sugar. Needless to say, after WWII, these items turned to paper bags for distribution rather than cotton.
The complex of buildings and homes were constructed primarily between 1881 and 1922. The main factory buildings are five-story brick buildings designed in a Neo-Romanesque style. Two of the three original mill buildings remain today.
The homes originally built by the mill were located on what is now the parking lot. They were rowhouses or “shotgun” cottages with the mill buildings in the background. As the mill grew, more homes were built by developers and home individual home owners but in the same style.
The houses were situated on very small, narrow lots, with some variation in style from shotgun cottages to more sophisticated center-hall bungalows. Many of the houses have Victorian ornamentation that is usually evident in their porches, doors, and windows. The oldest houses remaining were built between 1886 and 1892 along Reinhardt Street. These homes were without plumbing and electricity until well into the 20th century.
The mill maintained the entire neighborhood and its lawns. It also provided garbage, security, medical, dental, library and nursery services for its employees. Only when the mill was sold in 1957 did most of these services end. At the time the mill was sold, the homes were offered to their respective tenants. The homes not bought by the current residence were sold to investors. The mill itself was closed in 1977 and remained vacant until 1996 when the complex was purchased by Aderhold Properties and was converted into loft apartments. The commercial enterprises are primarily along Carroll Street most of which are eating establishments that serve the immediate community and its needs.
Lynne Splinter Realty is proud to announce the addition of Lynda Cox. Lynda will be dedicated to renting properties and to property management. We feel there is no “one size fits all” so contact Lynda Cox at Lynne Splinter Realty to discuss how we can best fill your needs when deciding to rent your property versus selling the property. Lynne Splinter Realty – 404-582-0006.
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