Atlanta Street Railway
The Atlanta Street Railway was the first streetcar system in Atlanta.
Originally chartered by the state of Georgia on February 23, 1866, by George Hillyer, John Westmoreland and John Thrasher soon after the city put such onerous demands on the company - including paving large chunks of the then totally unpaved town - that it lay dormant for years.
On January 1, 1869, the city reduced the bulk of these demands and in April 1871, Richard Peters and George Adair bought out the charter and, months later, on September 1, 1871, opened the first section connecting Five Points to the West End – a route that passed by both of their homes.
In the years to follow they established more of these cast iron rail lines with cars pulled by mules and horses:
- March 30, 1873 – Taylor Hill line to the near west side which failed the next year
- May 26, 1873 – Washington St down McDonough St
- 1874 – Peachtree to Pine. Later to Ponce and Ponce Springs
In 1891 the company was absorbed into the Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway.