Piedmont Park
Be captivated by the peace and serenity of Piedmont Park. Piedmont Park showcases an array of habitats in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. It boasts Lake Clara Meer, an urban forest known as the North Woods, open fields, and large trees. Every year, Piedmont Park hosts major festivals such as the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Atlanta Pride. But the 211-acre park is open year-round to athletes, nature lovers and anyone who enjoys a good stroll through a beautiful green space. Walk or jog around the meadow. Bring your pup for some canine socialization at the off-leash dog park. Cast a line into Lake Clara Meer. Learn about where food comes from in the Education Garden. Many of Piedmont Park's activities are free and open to the public.
About This Site
Hours
Location
400 Park Drive, Atlanta, GA 30306
Amenities
| Amenity | Available |
|---|---|
| Admission Fee | ✕ |
| Lodging | ✕ |
| Visitor or Nature Center | ✕ |
| Restrooms | ✓ |
| Drinking Fountain or Potable Water | ✓ |
| Trails | ✓ |
| Boardwalk | ✓ |
| Camping | ✕ |
| RV Hookups | ✕ |
| Picnic Area | ✓ |
| Kayaking or Canoeing | ✓ |
Piedmont Park was initially a forest. In 1834, Samuel and Sarah Walker, among the area’s pioneer settlers, purchased the land for $450. Walkers built a cabin on what is now the Active Oval, cleared the trees, and transformed it into farmland In 1857, their son Benjamin Walker purchased the farm from his father and settled into a new log cabin where the Piedmont Driving Club is located today.
Many expositions and fairs were held at Piedmont Park during the next seventeen years, most notably the Piedmont Exposition of 1887 and the Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895. The Piedmont Exposition was regional. Its purpose was to promote the industrial and agricultural might of the region. The Cotton States and International Exposition was a World’s Fair.
Featured Birds
Blue-winged Teal
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Prairie Warbler
Red-headed Woodpecker
Sandhill Crane
Wood Duck
In 1909, the City elected to transform the decaying fairgrounds into a park and enlisted Olmsted Brothers, pre-eminent landscape architects of the time, (and sons of Frederick Law Olmsted), to develop a master plan for the park. Due to budget limitations, their plan for Piedmont Park was not fully implemented. Nevertheless, the Olmsted Brothers’ 1912 plan greatly influenced the development of Piedmont Park. In fact, the current master plan, adopted by the City of Atlanta and Piedmont Park Conservancy in 1995, honors the brothers’ original vision for the park.
In 1989, unwilling to accept the decline of their beloved park, a small group of concerned citizens and civic leaders joined together to form Piedmont Park Conservancy, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Piedmont Park. In 1992, The Conservancy established a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, making official the public–private partnership and mutual goals to rehabilitate and maintain Piedmont Park.
Photo Gallery
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