Virginia–Highland
| Virginia Highland | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhoods of Atlanta | |
Sign at Virginia Ave. and N. Highland Ave.
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| Nickname(s): VaHi | |
 Virginia Highland location relative to downtown Atlanta |
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| Coordinates: 33°46′56.64″N 84°21′15.48″W / 33.7824000°N 84.3543000°WCoordinates: 33°46′56.64″N 84°21′15.48″W / 33.7824000°N 84.3543000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Fulton County |
| City | City of Atlanta |
| Council District | 6 |
| NPU | F |
| Government | |
| • City Council | Alex Wan |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.95625 sq mi (2.4767 km2) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 7,800 |
| • Density | 8,200/sq mi (3,100/km2) |
| Source: 2010 U.S. census figures as tabulated by WalkScore | |
| ZIP Code | 30306 |
| Website | Virginia Highland Civic Association |
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Virginia Highland Historic District
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| Location | bounded roughly by Amsterdam Ave., Rosedale Rd., Ponce de Leon Avenue and the BeltLine, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 33°46′56.64″N 84°21′15.48″W / 33.7824000°N 84.3543000°W |
| Area | 612 acres (248 ha) |
| Built | 1899-1955 |
| Architect | A. Ten Eyck Brown, G. Lloyd Preacher, Owens James Southwell, Leila Ross Wilburn |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman |
| NRHP Reference # | 05000402 |
| Added to NRHP | May 10, 2005 |
Virginia–Highland (often nicknamed "VaHi") is an affluent neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, founded in the early 20th century as a streetcar suburb. It is named after the intersection of Virginia Avenue and North Highland Avenue, the heart of a busy commercial district at the center of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is famous for its bungalows and other historic houses from the 1910s to the 1930s. It has become a destination for people across Atlanta with its eclectic mix of restaurants, bars, and shops and for the Summerfest festival, annual Tour of Homes and other events.
In 2011 readers of Creative Loafing voted Virginia–Highland "Best Overall Neighborhood." In June 2011, Atlanta Magazine designated Virginia Highland "favorite neighborhood overall". In 2012 readers of Creative Loafing voted VaHi "Best Walkable Neighborhood".
Newspaper articles from the early 1920s refer to the "Virginia Highland" section of Atlanta with regard to the area around the intersection of Virginia and Highland avenues. Later in the 1920s, southeast of this intersection, the "Virginia Highlands" (with an "s") subdivision was built. However, neither term appeared again in the press until the 1970s.
During the revolt against the construction of the I-485 freeway through Morningside and what is now Virginia–Highland, a pro-highway group called themselves the "Highland–Virginia Civic Association", claiming to speak for the neighborhood. When Joe Drolet and other residents formed a group to oppose the highway in Fall 1971, they chose the name "Virginia–Highland Civic Association". With the victory of the anti-highway forces, the Virginia–Highland name stuck and the press started to use it to refer to the entire neighborhood between Amsterdam, Ponce, Piedmont Park and Druid Hills.
Around Atlanta, "Virginia–Highland", "Virginia Highlands" and "the Highlands" are all commonly heard. However, only "Virginia–Highland" is the official name of the neighborhood. The other terms are included in some business names, but are incorrect.
The term VaHi, imitating the New York style of naming neighborhoods (SoHo, TriBeCa), first was used in the Atlanta newspapers in 1998. It is now in common use as a shortened, playful form or in URLs of neighborhood media and organizations (examples are www.vahi.org, www.vahinews.com and vahi.patch.com).
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