National Register of Historic Places

Southern Bell Telephone Company Building

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
Listed
December 1, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78000985

About this property

The Southern Bell Telephone Company Building, now known as the AT&T Communications Building, is the main telephone exchange for downtown Atlanta, Georgia. It is located at 51 Peachtree Center Avenue, on the northeast corner of Auburn Avenue. It was designed for Southern Bell by Marye, Alger and Vinour, in an austere art deco style. Originally planned to be 25 stories in height, which would have made it the tallest building in Atlanta, it was completed in 1929 at six stories. Additions in 1947, 1948 and 1963 brought it to its present 14 stories. The building is crowned by a microwave communications tower.

Location

51 Ivy St., NE
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
33.75575, -84.38543

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNICATIONS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Southern Bell Telephone Company Building

This page lists Southern Bell Telephone Company Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Southern Bell Telephone Company Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hurt Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Congregational Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Degive's Grand Opera House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Candler Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
English-American Building
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Atlanta Siege Operations
1864Civil War
0.5 mi
Burning of Atlanta
1864Civil War
0.5 mi
Siege of Atlanta
1864Civil War
0.5 mi
Siege of Atlanta - Shelling of the City
1864Civil War
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Southern Bell Telephone Company Building listed on the National Register?

Southern Bell Telephone Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 1, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Southern Bell Telephone Company Building?

Southern Bell Telephone Company Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Southern Bell Telephone Company Building?

The period of significance for Southern Bell Telephone Company Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Southern Bell Telephone Company Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Southern Bell Telephone Company Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Fulton County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Fulton County.

Explore FultonCounty ›

More historic places in Georgia

Browse all historic places in Georgia.

View Georgiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Georgia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Georgiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Southern Bell Telephone Company Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report