Atlanta Street Railway

The Atlanta Street Railway was the first streetcar system in Atlanta, initially chartered by the state of Georgia on February 23, 1866, by George Hillyer, John Westmoreland, and John Thrasher. The city placed onerous demands on the company, including paving swaths of the then-unpaved town, and the charter remained inactive for years. On January 1, 1869, the city reduced most of these demands. Richard Peters and George Adair bought out the charter in April 1871 and later opened the first section of the railway in September 1871, connecting Five Points to the West End and passing by their homes. By 1889, the line owned 15 miles of track, fifty streetcars, and 200 horses and mules, with Edward Peters taking control after his father, Richard Peters, passed away. In 1891, the company merged with the Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway.