The Virginia-Highland neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia was founded in the early 20th Century as a streetcar community. The locus and origin of the name is the commercial district at the intersection of Virginia and North Highland Avenues.
It is bounded on the north by Morningside, east by the Druid Hills neighborhood, on the south by Poncey-Highland and on the west by Piedmont Park and Midtown.
Local residents often refer to their neighborhood as "the Highlands," a term that may have originated in reference to the combined neighborhoods of Virginia-Highland and Poncey-Highland.
Unlike other neighborhoods like Inman Park and Grant Park, this neighborhood never really faltered during Atlanta's intown downturn in the 1960s. In the late 1960s a highway was proposed to connect what is now Freedom Parkway through the neighborhood to I-85 and Stone Mountain and Va-Hi residents, along with those of Inman Park and Morningside were instrumental in defeating the project. The residents were successful and became a political force to be reckoned with in city politics. In fact, the current Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) system is an outgrowth from the defeat of I-485. The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum sit on the very hill that was to be the major interchange between the new bypass and another new highway that would have led to Stone Mountain.
The remnants of both of these cleared rights-of-way made Freedom Park possible.
Today, the neighborhood is prosperous with many restaurants and shops and hosts its major festival, Summerfest, the first weekend of June.
Sites you will want to be sure and see:
Amsterdam Walk - Great place to shop (for anything) in the Midtown area. There is something for everyone!
Heart of Virginia Highland - Enjoy an early morning walk; take a break for brunch at a number of the sidewalk cafes; feast your eyes on all the wonderful shopping; and enjoy a cocktail in the evening while listening to live music with your friends!
Fire Station #19 - This original Fire Station was built in the early 1920s on North Highland Avenue.
Virginia Highland Bed and Breakfast - This 1920ÿs craftsman-style bungalow was recently restored and is within walking distance to Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History- Noted as Atlantaÿs largest museum it is situated on approximately 140 acres east of downtown.
