Old Fourth Ward in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Middle-Class Dwelling

497 Auburn Avenue

— Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site —

Middle-Class Dwelling Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

1. Middle-Class Dwelling Marker

Inscription. Note the stained-glass window on the first floor, the decorative shingles and woodwork on the end of the gable, and the irregularly shaped roof. Look for these and other Queen Anne architectural features — ornamental moldings and spindles — on many of the dwellings in the neighborhood. These gingerbread flourishes became popular during the Victorian era of the late 1880s.

Whites built and first occupied this house and many others in the neighborhood. After the 1906 race riot, educated, middle-class blacks began settling here, and by 1910 the area was predominantly black.

Captions
• Turned posts with decorative brackets are a common detail on porches in the neighborhood.
• Decorative scrollwork (far right) replaces the central opening of the bay window at 522 Auburn Avenue.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 33° 45.323′ N, 84° 22.277′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in the Old Fourth Ward. It is on Auburn Avenue NE east of Boulevard NE, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 497 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta GA 30312, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Birthplace (a few steps from this marker); Birth Home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (a few steps from this marker); The Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Shotgun Houses (within shouting distance of this marker); Apartment House (within shouting distance of this marker); Stepping Up (within shouting distance of this marker); Neighborhood Pride (within shouting distance of this marker); Fire Station No. 6 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

2. Middle-Class Dwelling Marker

The center house is the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 585 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on November 22, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.