Many years ago a rail line was created around the circumference of Atlanta to ease rail congestion in the downtown area. That rail line has since been abandoned and a rails-to-trails project is turning these areas into a walking trail. Though this this portion of the beltline is not yet paved, it is anticipated that eventually all of the beltline will be a paved walking trail.
BeltLine Atlanta commissioned Atlanta artist Allen Peterson to create Phoenix: Atlanta’s Railroad Rebirth. This new work was designed for the BeltLine and now stands as an eight-foot phoenix-like sculpture made of railroad spikes and other railroad artifacts. These rail artifacts range from the highly recognizable shoulder plates on the front of the bird to the feather-like railroad spikes that make up its wings. They were all dug up while transforming the disused former rail lines into the BeltLine paths. These artifacts evoke Atlanta’s history as a railroad town and its contemporary rebirth as a pedestrian-friendly city.
Look inside the sculpture down low.
6/16/22: I updated the coordinates (The structure was moved 100 ft from its original location) and replaced the magnetic cache.