Nations were forcibly removed from the southeastern corner of the United States as “[t]he Federal government covenanted that it would extinguish the Indian title” from the lands known as Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. 5 What became Atlanta was included in the land cession of 1821. 6 In the end by 1838, all Native peoples were forcibly removed to Oklahoma where new lands became the designated home for the Muskogee and Cherokee Nations. Lee Fuse Wood, a social worker and historian who worked with Central Atlanta Progress, wrote an excellent document about the neighborhood that became known as Bedford Pine in 1960. Wood interviewed former residents whose voices enrichened the document. Reportedly, by 1870, the destiny for the area was decided and the landscape was annexed into the growing city of Atlanta, land lots were plotted for White settlers, and the area was named “The Fourth Ward”. 7 The area becoming Butler Street became home to some of the earliest settlers. The Williams Family, including W.F. Williams, J.E. Williams, James F. Williams (who became Mayor of Atlanta from 1866 to 1868) and W.M. Williams, lived here. 8 Fort Street began to populate around 1900. 9 White families in the Angier Avenue section of Bedford Pines began to move out when the first Black family, the Millers, moved into a single-family house in 1938. 10 Land Lot #50 became Buttermilk Bottom and in 1871 it was land lotted and subdivided without streets to several individuals: R.D. Bolton, T.R. Ripley, Mrs. White, F. Brown, Mrs. Gabbell, and John Rice. 11 The one “structure” located in the area was “likely owned by” A. J. Bell, wild land agent, describes Lee Fuse Wood. 12 In the earliest decades of development, the sections of Fourth Ward were sold resident-owner to resident-owner. 13 The racial identity of the neighborhood changed over time. There was a long-time Jewish community located in Buttermilk Bottom and throughout the Fourth Ward. This is evidenced by oral histories and the presence of Jewish-owned businesses and synagogues. In the early 1940s, Beth Jacob Synagogue was at 562 Boulevard and later moved to 475 Boulevard; once the synagogue moved out the building became home to Tabernacle Baptist Church. 14 Herman Dziewinski, a Holocaust survivor, immigrated to America with the sponsorship of the Atlanta Jewish Federation. 15 He was employed at Tennanbaum Groceries, located at Maple and Magnolia Streets, and managed to save enough 5 Mitchell, “The Indians of Georgia”, p. 24. 6 Mitchell, “The Indians of Georgia”, The Atlanta Historical Bulletin, p. 25. 7 Lee Fuse Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood, 1871 - 1987.”, Ditto Press, East Point, Georgia, 1988. 8 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.25. 9 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.25. 10 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p. 9. 11 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.27. 12 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.27. 13 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.8 14 Wood, “The Bedford Pine Neighborhood.” p.20. 15 "Obituary Herman Dziewinski, Holocaust Survivor." The Atlanta Journal- Constitution , April 19, 1997.
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