FRIENDS OF PEACHTREE PARK

HISTORY

Friends of Peachree Park got its start in 1988, when former Peachtree Park Civic Association board members John Pattillo, Pat Koester and Rebecca Owens recognized an opportunity to make an ongoing contribution to Peachtree Park.  Friends of Peachtree Park (Friends) was incorporated in September of that  year as a nonprofit charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  

Since that time, Friends and the PPCA have operated as separate organizations with complementary financial and organizational structures, enabling them to work together for the benefit of the neighborhood. Under Friends' bylaws, our focus is primarily on “beautification, preservation and education.” PPCA by contrast is free to engage in political activities of all kinds in defense of the neighborhood.

As PPCA provides ongoing landscaping maintenance, Friends raises and expends funds for capital improvements. For example, during the years when cut-through traffic from Piedmont to Lenox Square and Peachtree was a major issue, islands were built and funded by Friends as ‘traffic calming’ measures.

Later, recognition of our borders was identified as a priority, so Friends funded granite markers at each of the major entrances. Following extensive research, the Peachtree Highlands National Historic District was recognized as worthy of preservation. Later the rest of Peachtree Park was researched and added to create the Peachtree Park National Historic District.

Some of the earliest fund-raisers were yard sales of donated items, charitable contributions, and sales of tickets to charitable social events.  As neighborhood historian and one of the founders of Friends, Park Circle native and lifelong resident John Pattillo gave not only of his time but at his death made a sizable bequest that has funded many of Friends' capital improvements in recent years.

The largest of these have been in the 1.1-acre Peachtree Park Nature Trail, which is owned by FOPP (except for a small area owned by the City of Atlanta). Since 2010, when long-time resident Peter Davis became president, improvements to the Nature Trail have included 20 fit stations, a community garden at the Burke end and a rain garden now under way at the Darlington Commons end.

We are currently seeking additional community-minded board members and funding partners to help implement a detailed five-year master plan of additional improvements, including benches, a children's play platform and extensive native plantings. If interested, or for more information, please contact Peter Davis at 404/264-9848.