Mountain View, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Mountain View is an unincorporated area
in northwest Clayton County
, Georgia
, United States
. It is bounded on the east and south by Forest Park
, on the north by the Fulton County
line, and on the west by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
. Formerly a city, the area was disincorporated and most of the population moved because its residential property was purchased by the city of Atlanta as part of the Atlanta Airport's noise abatement program and Clayton County's desire to reclaim the land for commercial development. Many residents did not want to leave and some homes were taken by Eminent Domain
. Past population estimates were between 1,000 and 1,500 persons. The current population is unknown, but the land, and much of its businesses, remain.
Mountain View's African American
community was located West of the railroad tracks in the Northwest corner of the city. This area was called Plunkett Town
or Plunky Town. It was directly across Interstate I-75 from Ford's Atlanta assembly plant.
Mountain View was originally called Rough & Ready. The name came from a stagecoach stop, later a station on the Macon and Western Railroad
, located there, along with a saloon. Its name was changed when it was incorporated as a city in 1949. The name "Mountain View" came from the fact that it is possible to see Stone Mountain from there. It earned a reputation as a speed trap during the 1950s and 1960s. After investigating (and confirming) the speed trap accusations, along with the corruption of some of its local politicians, the state of Georgia
revoked the city's charter. It was once known as the "Gateway to Clayton County" before the growth of the airport made it an undesirable place to live.
Plans are on the drawing board for redeveloping the area, but these plans call for no residential population due to the noise from the takeoffs and landings at one of the world's busiest airports
.
, a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
, mentions (in Chapter XX) fighting during the Battle of Jonesborough
at Rough and Ready.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in northwest Clayton County
Clayton County, Georgia
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat is Jonesboro...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is bounded on the east and south by Forest Park
Forest Park, Georgia
Forest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately nine miles south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, on the north by the Fulton County
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
line, and on the west by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. Formerly a city, the area was disincorporated and most of the population moved because its residential property was purchased by the city of Atlanta as part of the Atlanta Airport's noise abatement program and Clayton County's desire to reclaim the land for commercial development. Many residents did not want to leave and some homes were taken by Eminent Domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
. Past population estimates were between 1,000 and 1,500 persons. The current population is unknown, but the land, and much of its businesses, remain.
Mountain View's African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
community was located West of the railroad tracks in the Northwest corner of the city. This area was called Plunkett Town
Plunkett Town
Plunkett Town was a neighborhood in the southern part of the city of Atlanta, Georgia. It was located "south of Hapeville, Georgia city limits" and "adjacent to the airport and across the railroad tracks from industrial plants." It housed low-income black Atlantans and was described as a slum.The...
or Plunky Town. It was directly across Interstate I-75 from Ford's Atlanta assembly plant.
Mountain View was originally called Rough & Ready. The name came from a stagecoach stop, later a station on the Macon and Western Railroad
Macon and Western Railroad
The Macon & Western Railroad was originally chartered as the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company in December, 1833. It was not until 1838 that it opened for business with a line from Macon, Georgia to Forsyth. It was extended to Griffin in 1842...
, located there, along with a saloon. Its name was changed when it was incorporated as a city in 1949. The name "Mountain View" came from the fact that it is possible to see Stone Mountain from there. It earned a reputation as a speed trap during the 1950s and 1960s. After investigating (and confirming) the speed trap accusations, along with the corruption of some of its local politicians, the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
revoked the city's charter. It was once known as the "Gateway to Clayton County" before the growth of the airport made it an undesirable place to live.
Plans are on the drawing board for redeveloping the area, but these plans call for no residential population due to the noise from the takeoffs and landings at one of the world's busiest airports
World's busiest airport
The definition of the world's busiest airport has been specified by the Airports Council International in Geneva, Switzerland. The ACI defines and measures the following three types of airport traffic:...
.
Mountain View in fiction
Gone with the WindGone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
, a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Mitchell
Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was an American author and journalist. Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937 for her epic American Civil War era novel, Gone with the Wind, which was the only novel by Mitchell published during her lifetime.-Family:Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta,...
, mentions (in Chapter XX) fighting during the Battle of Jonesborough
Battle of Jonesborough
-Further reading:...
at Rough and Ready.
Noted resident
- D.P. Spiker: alternate delegate from Georgia to the 1952 Republican National Convention1952 Republican National ConventionThe 1952 Republican National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois from July 7 to July 11, 1952 and nominated the popular general and war hero Dwight D...
.
External links
- http://web.co.clayton.ga.us/econ_dev/redevelopment_projects/mtview.htm
- http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:6E8BuaIUIDEJ:www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/m.pdf+%27Mountain+View%27%2B%27Clayton+County%27&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5
- http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:XL_LGZsBDPUJ:politicalgraveyard.com/bio/speranza-sprafka.html+%27Mountain+View%27%2B%27Clayton+County%27&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=17