History of Brookhaven

Atlanta wasn’t yet formed or incorporated. After Atlanta was founded, many wealthy people from the city started wanting to build summer cottages in the Brookhaven area.

This seemed like a good idea at first for them, but the commute wasn’t pleasant. In stepped investors, first from the Mechanical Manufacturers Club, and the investors started building a country club. All of this started happening around the year 1900.

East Lake was built in 1906, and then Brookhaven Country Club was built in January of 1912. Originally, it was 9 holes, but it eventually became an 18 hole golf course and country club in 1915. There was also Druid Hills Country Club. Lots were being sold nearby Brookhaven Estates, and by 1915, there were four homes. By 1928, there were a total of 19 homes.

In steps Samuel Stovall. Further expansion took place after this investor arrived on the scene in 1928. The Carleton Operating Company also platted land around Bellaire Drive, and Atlanta architects were building prominent houses. Now you know the rest of the story about the founding of Brookhaven GA, but what else lies in the city’s history books that would be interesting to discover?

As you can imagine, there is much more to learn. You have read about a couple prominent land owners and some investment companies that helped found Brookhaven, but what other notable people are part of the city’s history? There was Edwin Ansley, an investor who sold lots as well just prior to Brookhaven being an actual neighborhood or community. Then there was Representative Mike Jacobs, who is responsible for helping Brookhaven become an actual city.

You might think that Mike Jacobs is somewhere deep in the history books. If you live in Brookhaven, however, that name is familiar to you as a more recent public figure. That is because Brookhaven wasn’t incorporated as a city until the year 2012. Talk about a long time coming! Brookhaven, however, did just fine, in fact flourished, without being an actual city until that time. And it all started with a farming plantation and a little 9 hole golf course and country club right outside of present day Atlanta GA, the capital city of the Peach State.