Place name
Early
first recorded 1782
City of Atlanta
General area only

Peachtree: peach tree or 'pitch tree'?

Peachtree Creek, Road and Street all take their name from Standing Peachtree, the Creek town at the creek's mouth. Whether a peach tree or a 'pitch' (pine) tree lies behind the name is still argued.

See it on the map All Early records

The record

The name appears as 'Standing Peach Tree' in Gov. John Martin's letter of May 27, 1782 (GHS marker). The Atlanta History Center gives the Muscogee name as Pakanahuili, 'Standing Peach Tree.' Wikipedia's Standing Peachtree article notes that the 'pitch tree' theory appears only in 20th-century sources, while 'Standing Peachtree' can be traced to the 18th century. The GHS marker leaves both explanations open.

Today: The confluence of the North and South forks of Peachtree Creek.