Old Fourth Ward was originally populated in the early 1800s.

Morris Brown College was founded by members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and named to honor the denomination’s second bishop, Morris Brown.

Boulevard was deemed one of the most desirable residential streets in the city.

The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 began just after noon in the Old Fourth Ward.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born at this home of his maternal grandparents, A.D. and Jennie Williams, on January 15, 1929.

The BeltLine plan was developed as a masters thesis by Georgia Tech student Ryan Gravel.

Old Fourth Ward Business Association established by founding members.

Old Fourth Ward Business Association began offering educational workshops and seminars.

Old Fourth Ward Business Association produces its first festival, “Fire in the 4th”, which goes on to win best new festival from Atlanta Magazine, and raises over $10,000 for its initiatives.

Old Fourth Ward Business Association launched its first Strategic Plan, with a priority to connect businesses, promote the perception of safety, and advocate for walkability and bikability throughout the neighborhood. Click here to read our Strategic Plan!

The O4WBA hired its first full-time Executive Director and won awards from the City of Atlanta Placemaking Program and the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Assistance Program.

The O4WBA helped businesses navigate the COVID-19 pandemic with the O4W Pledge to Public Health.

The O4WBA launched its effort to establish a Community Improvement District throughout the Old Fourth Ward to promote pedestrian infrastructure and community investment in the neighborhood. The O4WBA continues to expand its small business advocacy, pushing the City of Atlanta to make small businesses a priority in the Fall 2021 elections.