High Society: Atlanta

[Newnan]

When you think of big cities such as New York, you can automatically associate many people tied to that city, high society people such as Donald Trump, Leona Helmsley, and Paris Hilton. But what about Atlanta? Who are some people in Atlanta who could be considered high society Atlanta people?

[ironchapman]

When you think of big cities such as New York, you can automatically associate many people tied to that city, high society people such as Donald Trump, Leona Helmsley, and Paris Hilton. But what about Atlanta? Who are some people in Atlanta who could be considered high society Atlanta people?

Give me a few minutes to think of some, but I will say that Shirley Franklin, Arthur Blank, and Ted Turner (now a former Atlantan) do spring to mind.

I could think of numerous rappers and so on, but I hardly consider what their videos and songs suggest to be what is usually thought of as "high society".

.................But then again, I don't want Atlanta to become a city full of snobbish members of the upper class....Let them live in north Fulton and Gwinnett

[Andrea]

Give me a few minutes to think of some, but I will say that Shirley Franklin, Arthur Blank, and Ted Turner (now a former Atlantan) do spring to mind.

I'd say these people easily outmatch the likes of Paris Hilton and Leona Helmsley.

Let's not forget our good citizens such as Hank Aaron (all time homerun king), Andy Young, Julian Bond, Coretta King and John Lewis (all of whom move on the national and world stage), and Sir Elton John. Also, Junior Samples was from Forsyth County, although Cumming is probably only an edge city.

[Hotlanta]

When I think of Atlanta, beleive it or not rap stars come to mind. Tons and tons of new ones claim to call "A-T-L" home.

[ironchapman]

When I think of Atlanta, beleive it or not rap stars come to mind. Tons and tons of new ones claim to call "A-T-L" home.

Though these are, without a doubt, members of Atlanta's upper class, I (as staed before) hardly consider what their songs and videos promote to be "high society" in the traditional sense.

Though I guess they could be included because of their wealth, fame and respect around the city and metro (or at least in some parts of the metro thereof).

[teshadoh]

Even so - most of these people all live outside of the city. What is lacking are high profile intown residential areas, besides Buckhead. Midtown is emerging, but most of the entertainment celebrities live in the suburbs.

[Newnan_Eric]

The true high sociatey of Atlanta is comprised of old-money, Tuxedo Road types. These are not the folks that make the Peach Buzz report in the AJC. They got there money the real-old fashioned way...they inherited it.

[ryanmckibben]

Jane Fonda lives off of Freedom Pkwy, Elton John and Janet Jackson have a place in B'Head, and I live in Midtown.

[Lady Celeste]

The true high sociatey of Atlanta is comprised of old-money, Tuxedo Road types. These are not the folks that make the Peach Buzz report in the AJC. They got there money the real-old fashioned way...they inherited it.

That's more my thinking. The term high society is used so loosely these days. Today anyone with a few million dollars can be deemed high society. In actuality there is more to it than that. People like Anne Cox Chambers and the Woodruffs come to mind when I think of high society. These days you have people marrying in a variety of stratas. In the days of yore, the family you were marrying into was just as important...in some case even more important....than the person you were marrying.

Like someone said earlier, many of them you would never know because so few travel in their circles. Look at the donor's list for the High, the ASO, the Atlanta Opera, The Piedmont Park Conservancy, the Atlanta Botanical Garden and you will see the names of those who are true high society. Note: not every name on the list are those deemed high society....but those who are of this group will surely donate to said causes.

p.s.- Newnan claimed Paris Hilton as high society. Apparently her actions of late (i.e., inappropiate movies, TV reality series) had caused grave reservations from her then fiance' Paris. His mother baulked at his choice of fiance' because she doesn't deem Paris Hilton a "proper fit." Merely having alot of money does not immediately place you into high society...but it definitely helps. Her sister Niki on the other hand will probably rise higher in the social ranks because of her understated elegance and low key lifestyle.

[atlmangum]

I heard that Magic Johnson just purchased a condo at Plaza Midtown.

[ironchapman]

That's more my thinking. The term high society is used so loosely these days. Today anyone with a few million dollars can be deemed high society. In actuality there is more to it than that. People like Anne Cox Chambers and the Woodruffs come to mind when I think of high society. These days you have people marrying in a variety of stratas. In the days of yore, the family you were marrying into was just as important...in some case even more important....than the person you were marrying.

I have to agree. I think to be considered high society in the traditional sense, one has to have some sense of dignity, refinement, an enjoyment of the "higher" pleasures of life (you mentioned a few) and "class" (as it were). I'm thinking more of the Charles Emerson Winchester and Frasier/Niles Crane type as opposed to Paris Hilton, who acts like nothing more than a rich (don't want to say it here).

[teshadoh]

I heard that Magic Johnson just purchased a condo at Plaza Midtown.

Actually I believe Magic Johnson is involved in developing Plaza Midtown, I doubt he would need to purchase a building he part-owns

[atlmangum]

Actually I believe Magic Johnson is involved in developing Plaza Midtown, I doubt he would need to purchase a building he part-owns

That does make sense

I think Atlanta does have high society, but unfortunatley it is located in Buckhead and further north at such places like Country Club of the South and any other golf club/resort/gated community. Once again, Atlanta's biggest difference from citites like Chicago (where I now live) and NY is that you actually have an abundance of the so called high class living DW, which makes them more visible. Not to say that Atlanta doesn't have "high society" living DW, but they are just less visible. I do think the additions of the new Symphony Hall, Ga Aquarium, the High expansion and more street level retail and dining DW will give Atlanta a more High Society feel, whatever that means

[Jahi98]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that the Cascade Road area in southwest Atlanta was/is like the black version of Buckhead. Is this true?

[Student]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that the Cascade Road area in southwest Atlanta was/is like the black version of Buckhead. Is this true?

Yes, I saw some 4-story houses over there last week. It does have a higher concentration of wealthy Blacks, and is known for that, but it doesn't have the nightlife and vibe of Buckhead. But residentially, I would pretty much say yes.

[vinemp]

I dunno about "Buckhead's Black Counterpart" (Are we ready for that yet? ), but that is definitely a wall-to-wall blackfolkswithafewdollars area. Right now, it's a bit of an island surrounded by not-so-Buckheadesque environs. The work/live/play investment isn't quite comparable at present nor is the area as close to the city center.

[Mr.Marc]

Yes, I saw some 4-story houses over there last week. It does have a higher concentration of wealthy Blacks, and is known for that, but it doesn't have the nightlife and vibe of Buckhead. But residentially, I would pretty much say yes.

4 story houses? WOW

[Student]

They weren't as architectually unique as the ones in Buckhead but they were still HUGE.

[ironchapman]

Were they big ones, or were they just tall and thin?

In any case, that's quite a house!

[Lady Celeste]

I would not quite call it Buckheadesque but the Western Cascade area does have some quite affluent residents. It's not only that the houeses are sizable but so are some of the incomes. A few years ago...maybe it was one year ago, there was an article in the AJC about the area around Niskey Lake. The average income placed this area right behind an area in Prince Georges County Md and a wealthy suburb in Los Angeles as the country's greatest concentration of upper middle class blacks.

Home builder John Wieland sure likes the area. He has sold out at least 7 neighborhoods in the area. One of his latest creations...Guilford Forest, priced from the $600's is on it's last homes. As far as the larger homes, there are many along some of the roads off of Cascade but unfortunately most of them are tucked inside gated communities. Vinemp did bring up an interesting point....even with the wealth of this area, it is in close proximity to some who are quite less fortunate than their neighbors.....but then again, the Mount Paran district in northwestern Buckhead (probably Georgia's wealthiest area) is only 7 miles from Bankhead Hwy. Such is the dilema of "urban" living.