East Point is a suburban city located southwest of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,358. The city name is derived from being at the opposite end of the former Atlanta & West Point Railroad from West Point.
History
The name "East Point" derives from the fact that this is the terminus of the Atlanta & West Point Railroad in the east; West Point, Georgia, is the terminus where the rail line ends in the west.
This settlement was founded as a railroad terminus with 16 families in 1870, but grew quickly after it became an inviting place for industry to develop. Soon it boasted the railway, two gristmills, and a government distillery located on Connally Drive. One of the earliest buildings was the factory of the White Hickory Manufacturing Company, built by B.M. Blount and L.M. Hill (who became the first chairman of the board of aldermen of the city).
By 1880 the town had two churches, a common school, a steam-cotton gin, a sawmill, a post office (founded in 1851), a telegraph office and its own newspaper weekly, The Plow Boy. East Point ranked as a grain and cotton-growing center. With its pleasant upland climate and proximity to the railway, it was a popular summer resort for people from the city of Atlanta.
In 1884 the first telephone rang in East Point, and in 1887 the city received its first charter. In 1890 a major portion of property along East Point Avenue was subdivided and developed, opening the way for more homes, more churches, more people, and more places of employment. By 1892 Main Street was completed, despite protests from a few progress-shy early settlers who maintained that one major thoroughfare, Newnan Road, was more than sufficient.
By the start of the 20th century, the adolescent town was poised to grow into the city it eventually would become.
In late 2015 and early 2016, some scenes for the Netflix series Stranger Things were filmed at the exterior of the First Baptist Church (standing in for a hospital exterior in a fictional Indiana town).
Government and infrastructure
The city has a city council-city manager form of government, with a professional city manager hired by the council. The manager is approved by the eight-member city council, headed by the mayor who has veto power. The city is divided into four wards (A, B, C, & D), each electing two city council members.
In the late 20th century, East Point suffered a loss of jobs due to railroad and industrial restructuring. In the first quarter of the 21st century, its economy has expanded, and new businesses and residences have been developed around the city. The relatively new Camp Creek Marketplace, for example, boasts 718,590 sq. ft. of retail space, with new businesses moving in regularly. Several Fortune 500 companies call it home. In December 2007, the city's newest multiplex opened.
The National Archives regional repository for data collected by the U.S. Census was originally located in the Colonial Hills area of East Point. It was moved to a new facility in nearby Morrow.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons Southeast Region Office is in East Point.
Transit systems
MARTA heavy rail subway and bus lines serve the city.
East Point Historic Civic Block
The East Point Historic Civic Block consists of three historically significant buildings and one memorial park in downtown East Point. It is located within the parameters of East Point Street, Linwood Avenue, Church Street, and West Cleveland Avenue. The City Hall, City Auditorium, New Deal Library, and Victory Park make up the Civic Block, which since 2011 has been the focus of both redevelopment interest and historic preservation efforts.
Sports and recreation
East Point is served by Sumner Park, Sykes Park, Brookdale Park, Grayson Field, Jefferson Park, John Milner Park and Chris Stacks Field.
The city boasts of producing several notable athletes, among them Reggie Rutland, Jonas Jennings (NFL), Nick Rogers (NFL), Bill Thorn, Donald Adams (Basketball), John Milner (baseball) and Jay Hudson.