History UnderfootAtlanta
  • Railroad
  • Early
  • terminus here from 1842 (or 1847); post set c. 1850; moved 2018
  • City of Atlanta

Zero Mile Post and State Square

The stone post marking the southern end of the Western & Atlantic stood here, under today's Central Avenue bridge, from about 1850 until 2018. Atlanta grew up around this terminus.

See it on the map All Early records

The record

The legislature authorized the state-owned W&A on December 21, 1836, and construction began in March 1838 (GHS). The Atlanta History Center says the final terminus was chosen around 1842, when Samuel Mitchell donated land for 'State Square'; the Thrasherville marker instead dates the move to 1847. The GHS, NGE and the Atlanta History Center say the post itself was placed about 1850, when the W&A began setting mileposts along its 138-mile line; Wikipedia gives 1842. The 1847 city charter drew the limits one mile in every direction from the nearby State Depot. In 2018 the original post went to the Atlanta History Center and a replica took its place; the NPS lists its 1977 National Register listing as removed.

Today: Replica under the Central Ave bridge; the original is in the Atlanta History Center's 'Locomotion' exhibition.