163 Ponce de Leon Avenue St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church This Gothic-Revival building, designed by Charles H. Hopson, was built in 1916 for Ponce de Leon Methodist Episcopal Church. Modern design critics have praised Hopson’s impressive handling of contrasting building materials at the Ponce de Leon church, particularly the ornamental patterns on the corner tower. Also notable is the high level of craftsmanship in the church’s construction, supervised by church member Jasper N. Hoagland.
“The new church, which is now completed… The brick came from Rome, Georgia… Much favorable comment has been made not only upon the unique and beautiful Gothic lines of this church …but upon the exceptionally fine windows.” – November 11, 1916, The Atlanta Constitution
In the 1950s, the building underwent a massive renovation by the new occupant, Faith Memorial Church, and then again in 1977, when the building was transformed into The Abbey Restaurant. Since The Abbey’s closure in 2004, the decaying building sat vacant until it was purchased in early 2006 by St. Paul’s. Today, the facility is home to a vibrant and growing congregation of intown residents pastored by Rev. Christopher Robins.
Your visit to St Paul’s will feature historical tours of the building and tasting stations provided by Bridge Catering. Stop in for a bit of hospitality and fabulous cuisine! (Please note this site will be open Saturday, April 5th only.)
The Peters House
The Edward C. Peters House — originally called Ivy Hall — has a rich and remarkable history. It was designed by noted architect Gottfried L. Norrman and built in 1883. The 4,399 square-foot, two-and-one-half story residence is a rare and marvelous survivor of Atlanta's past. The house stands in the heart of Atlanta's Midtown cityscape of modern skyscrapers, highways and urban parks.
Architectural historians and preservationists have deemed the Peters House an important example of American architecture and one of the finest examples of Queen Anne-style architecture in the state of Georgia and the South. Revered as a tangible piece of Atlanta's fast-disappearing architectural history, the Peters House is the oldest, most complete and single most important representation of Atlanta's storied New South period.
The Peters family was responsible not only for the shaping of Midtown Atlanta but also for the creation of the Peters Park area, part of a 400-acre tract of land owned by Richard Peters. Richard's son, Edward Peters, donated part of the land to serve as the original 1885 campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Edward Peters was a financier and president of the Atlanta Street Railway Company. He was among the city officials who laid the first paving stone for Atlanta's streets in June 1882. He served on the city council for decades and also served as a county commissioner and alderman. Edward Peters avidly supported the extension of Atlanta's city limits in 1904 from Sixth to 15th streets and was instrumental in the city's annexation and purchase of Piedmont Park.
The Peters House survived the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 when dozens of homes between Ponce de Leon and North avenues were dynamited as a firebreak to save mansions and homes in the surrounding area. More than 70 city blocks were destroyed during the fire. The house was nearly demolished in 1971, but was saved by the Victorian Society of America. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places the following year.
The Peters House was purchased by Bill Swearingen and Bill Dunaway and converted into The Mansion restaurant in 1973. A remodel and addition by designer Alan Salzman garnered an Atlanta Urban Design Commission award that same year. During the Centennial Olympic Games, the restaurant was rented as a hospitality suite to the German Olympic delegation. The house has remained vacant and unused since a debilitating upper-level fire in 2000.
The Peters House was designated an Atlanta Landmark Building by the Atlanta Urban Design Commission in 1989 and was listed among the most endangered buildings in Atlanta in 2001 and 2003 by the Atlanta Preservation Center. It was selected as one of 12 historic homes in Atlanta featured as a historic tourist destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
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