William B. Hartsfield papers

Collection

Identifier: ahc.MSS811

Scope and Content

This collection contains newspaper clippings and magazine articles pertaining to Hartsfield. Also, there are technical publications and articles concerning the growth of the Atlanta airport as well as the city's highways. Articles on flouridation and the Chattahoochee River Basin are also included. The collection has various awards and personal effects such as greeting cards, a checkbook, the Hartsfield coat of arms, and letters.

Dates

1943-1970, undated

Creator

Hartsfield, William Berry (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.

Administrative/Biographical History

William Berry Harsfield (1890-1971) was a native Atlantan and first served on the Atlanta City Council in 1923. During this time, he developed a keen interest in aviation which would prove to become a prominent influence on his as well as on Atlanta, Georgia. Hartsfield served on the State Legislature (1933-1936). He took the office of Mayor of Atlanta in 1937, where for the next twenty-three years, he was its chief executive, except for one brief wartime period. He retired from the office in 1961. Among his most noted achievements include the development of the Atlanta airport, where he personally designed the passenger terminal, which was made completely out of surplus war material. Also, he pushed of the annexation of land as the city grew. Additionally, Hartsfield played a key role in the Civil Rights movement. Additional biographical information about William Berry Hartsfield has not been determined.