Hotel District in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

John Calhoun Park

Auburn Avenue

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

1. John Calhoun Park Marker

Inscription. John Calhoun Park commemorates one of Auburn Avenue's leading businessmen. Calhoun was a realtor, a local NAACP leader during the 1940s and 1950s, and a Republican Party activist who served on the Atlanta City Council during the 1970s.

Businesses once located here included Holloway Jewelry Shop, the McKay Hotel, Auburn Avenue Millinery, Henderson Realty Company, and the Royal Apartments. The Top Hat Club, constructed in this block in 1937, became the centerpiece of an entertainment mecca that came alive with energy and excitement at night. Stars and celebrities attracted crowds that overflowed into the streets, which resonated with the sounds of jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. In 1949, Carrie Cunningham renovated and re-opened the club as The Royal Peacock and presented nationally-known entertainers to Black Atlanta for 20 years. (Marker Number 4.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.

Location. 33° 45.337′ N, 84° 22.92′ W. Marker is in

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Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in the Hotel District. It is at the intersection of Auburn Avenue NE and Piedmont Avenue NE, on the right when traveling west on Auburn Avenue NE. Marker is behind the Auburn at Piedmont trolley shelter. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 170 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta GA 30303, 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. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named John Calhoun Park (a few steps from this marker); Sweet Auburn Walk (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Big Bethel A.M.E. Church (about 400 feet away); a different

John H. Calhoun image. Click for full size.

via The Histories of Our Streets, unknown

2. John H. Calhoun

marker also named Big Bethel A.M.E. Church (about 400 feet away); Atlanta's "Main Street" (about 500 feet away); Bronner Brothers Store (about 500 feet away); Alonzo Herndon 1858-1927 (about 500 feet away); Herndon Plaza (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.

Also see . . . John H. Calhoun. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on January 21, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

3. John Calhoun Park Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 425 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on May 8, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on November 22, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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