Before it was Atlanta, the name was "Marthasville." Meet Martha...

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Martha Lumpkin Compton
In 1836, the Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad to provide a link between the port of Savannah and the Midwest. Stephen Harriman Long was hired to determine the optimal route of the new line. In 1837, he drove a stake into the ground near Five Points in modern-day Downtown Atlanta to mark the new rail line's "terminus."

In 1839, John Thrasher built homes and a general store in this vicinity and the settlement was nicknamed Thrasherville. In 1842, the original terminus location was moved to what would become State Square, on Wall Street between Central Avenue and Pryor Street. Here, the the Zero Mile Post was erected to mark the location. As the settlement grew, it became known as Terminus, literally meaning "end of the line."

​By 1842, the settlement at Terminus had six buildings and 30 residents. After a two-story brick depot was built, the locals asked that the settlement of Terminus be called Lumpkin, after Governor Wilson Lumpkin. Gov. Lumpkin asked them to name it after his young daughter (Martha) instead, and Terminus became Marthasville. The city was officially incorporated on December 23, 1843.
​In 1845, the chief engineer of the Georgia Railroad (J. Edgar Thomson) suggested that Marthasville be renamed "Atlantica-Pacifica", which was quickly shortened to "Atlanta". 

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Helping you connect with ATL's past, present and future. Stay curious and keep exploring!
The Story of Marthasville (Stories of Atlanta)
Excerpt from Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events: Vol. 1: 1820s-1870s by Franklin Garrett p. 226.
"A Home in Atlanta is Martha Compton's Wish" — The Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1901

How & Where to Connect

The best place to connect with Martha Lumpkin is at Historic Oakland Cemetery. You will find instructions on how to find her below...
ELSEWHERE IN GEORGIA...
  • Lumpkin County (named after Gov. Wilson Lumpkin) and its seat, Dahlonega, are famous as the site of the country's first major gold rush, which began in 1828. Gold ore was plentiful enough in the northeast Georgia mountains for construction of a branch of the U.S. Mint, which operated from 1838 to 1861. The mint burned in 1878, and a new building was constructed on its foundations, which today houses the administrative offices of University of North Georgia.
  • The Lumpkin House on the campus of the University of Georgia was built by Gov. Lumpkin and was named in his memory.
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Martha Lumpkin Compton's grave at Oakland Cemetery

Getting there...

  • Martha Lumpkin is buried in Historic Oakland Cemetery. You will find her grave in Block 410 of the "Original Six Acres."
  • The cemetery is a ten-minute walk from the King Memorial MARTA station.
  • Use the west entrance to Oakland Cemetery. The Original Six Acres will be on your right as soon as you walk through this gate (see Google Street map below)
Historic Oakland Cemetery
248 Oakland Ave SE
​Atlanta, GA 30312
Driving Directions | Visitor Info | Cemetery Map

Don't miss...

Historic Oakland Cemetery is Atlanta’s oldest public park and the final resting place of many of the city’s most noted citizens. The best way to explore its 48 acres is to attend some events or sign up for some of their excellent tours:NEARBY

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