by Edwards & Sons, ca. 1890. via Atlanta History Center.
1882 really had the summer of picnics in Atlanta. The practice was popular before and after, of course, but never again as lovingly reported in the Atlanta Constitution as in ’82. Atlanta was surrounded on all sides by wilderness, except a little ways to the east where Decatur stood – but beyond that was Stone Mountain and other woodsy pleasures. The Ponce de Leon springs’ grand man-made amusements hadn’t been constructed yet, and I don’t even think that area was annexed to the city until a bit later. All the young people daytripped out to the countryside and river banks of the undeveloped northwest of the city, often to what was then called Iceville (named such because of its proximity to the Atlanta Brewing and Ice Company).
Unfortunately, food journalism wasn’t as popular as society gossip back in those days, so maybe we’ll never know what “nicnacks” they feasted on at the O.B. club or Turn Verein picnic parties. Perhaps oppossum in sweet potatoes?
Atlanta Constitution, May 7, 1882.
May 10, 1882
May 13, 1882
You could probably still do this kind of thing at Arabia Mountain, but a “moonlight excursion to Ponce de Leon” and its accompanying “pleasures” means something totally different now.
Don’t get bored with all my tales of 19th century gentility. I have some pioneer cockfight stories from Snake Nation that will BLOW YOUR MINDS soon enough.
Previously: Atlanta’s garden of Eden
Tags: iceville, picnics, ponce de leon
Fun read! The news paper was a good read back then…
More big hops at the Kimble please. Oops, the Kimball House is gone. What about the Kimball House Restaurant & Bar? Nope, gone too. I guess the frolicking folks are at Octane on their Macs.
I liked seeing the word “nicnacs” here. My father uses it in reference to snacks and I thought it was just some wackiness he made up (I shoulda known better — I found out a couple of years ago he isn’t the only one to call a remote control a “flipper”).
The phrase “pleasant anticipations will be realized” in the May 10, 1882 article is cool. It sounds like a Buddhist noble truth.