College Park is no longer ashamed to be next to Hartsfield International Airport. In fact, the city embraces its proximity to the world's busiest airport. Look at the new slick meeting complex -- the Georgia International Convention Center -- that opened this summer. With its state-of-the-art glass facade and large metal wind-sail sculptures, the project represents the city's commitment to urban renewal.

At the same time, residents cherish the many fine homes, city services and ordinances that preserve the tranquillity and history of the area's neighborhoods. With 853 buildings inside the city limits listed on the National Register of Historic Places, "Atlanta's best-kept secret" is Georgia's fourth-largest historic district.

Cultural interests run strong in College Park, and there has always been a dynamic group of artists, musicians, writers and other cultural professionals in residence.

Inside the city is Woodward Academy, one of the nation's largest private schools for pre-k through 12th grade. It attracts many well-to-do families. Founded in 1900 as Georgia Military Academy, a military boarding school for boys, it changed its name in 1967, eliminated the military program and became coeducational.

East Point

With distinct neighborhoods full of old houses, homes have been getting snatched up in East Point, the largest of south Fulton's municipalities.

Devoid of any major industrial or commercial development to spoil its suburban landscape, the city prides itself on being a safe, clean residential community.

Now, it's home to a major new retail development. Camp Creek Marketplace is the sort of retail life residents have been hoping for. It will include Barnes & Noble, Lowe's, Marshalls, Petsmart, Target and plenty of restaurants.

Taxes are high in East Point due to the city's financial problems, but homes -- on average between $120,000 to $180,000 -- are considered bargains. Neighborhood associations are extremely active, a sign that homeowners care a lot about their houses and the city government. One noteworthy neighborhood is Jefferson Park, an up-and-coming section with a blend of old and new housing that has attracted urban professionals and young families to its quiet, tree-lined streets.

Fairburn

Not far from its downtown, new subdivisions are going up in Fairburn, where the slogan is "History Lives Here." Progress also lives here. One of the first things visitors notice about this area is its historic downtown. The central business district includes many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. City officials plan to remodel the downtown area to keep its "Little House on the Prairie" ambience.

Fairburn is also home to the only community theater in south Fulton. The Southside Theatre Guild has been around three decades, part of the Fairburn arts community that promotes an array of festivals and events that offer cultural experiences.

Tops among the city's cultural activities is the annual Georgia Renaissance Festival, which attracts more than 250,000 visitors each year. The rustic environment and wandering minstrels transport visitors back to a time of lords, ladies, knights and chivalry. Among the crafts and exhibits, visitors find jousting knights, juggling jesters and demonstrations of the hunting prowess of birds of prey.

Hapeville

Revitalization is the buzzword in Hapeville. With a full-time development director, the city is planning its renewal strategies, boasting affordable homes and proximity to Buckhead and Midtown via easy accesses to I-85 and I-75.

The city of Hapeville is south Fulton's smallest municipality in area. Nearly bisected by railroad tracks, it's a veritable tale of two cities. The north side is a stable community of primarily working-class residents who work for the city's principal employers -- Delta Air Lines and one of Ford Motor Co.'s most productive plants in North America.

In the south side of Hapeville, young urban professionals who want to mix a small-town feel with proximity to a major city have been buying homes in recent years.

Modern aviation history occurred in the 1920s when Asa G. Candler Jr. began allowing the center of his oval racetrack near Virginia Avenue to be used as a landing field for the fragile aircraft of the day. Purchased by the city of Atlanta in 1929, it became the city's municipal airport, and the rest is history.

Palmetto

By population, Palmetto is the smallest of south Fulton's municipalities. It's also the farthest from downtown Atlanta, 25 miles south on U.S. 29. More than anything, residents of this stable community enjoy the tranquility of its Southern country charm.

Palmetto is part of Chattahoochee Hill Country, a rural swath of trees, grassy hills and springs. Just take a look at two of Palmetto's primary attractions: Chabboquasset Farm and the Serenbe Bed & Breakfast and Conference Center. Covering more than 1,800 acres, Chabboquasset Farm is a horse owner's dream, offering an experienced staff and 24-hour attention. Featuring three miles of frontage along the Chattahoochee River, Chabboquasset was the training site for the 1996 Canadian equestrian teams and the U.S. Silver Medal Three-Day Team. Serenbe Bed & Breakfast is a turn-of-the-century farm with more than 100 farm animals, three streams, two waterfalls and a lake on its 350 acres.

Union City

Union City received a grant this year from the Atlanta Regional Commission to study growth. Several hundred homes have already been built in subdivisions with pastoral-sounding names such as Ravenwood, Shannon Cove and Valley Lakes. This 95-year-old city wants growth.

With $60,000, Union City seeks to alleviate traffic congestion, build sidewalks and bike paths and develop remaining vacant land. With access to I-85, a MARTA park-and-ride lot and Shannon Mall, the city seeks new mixed-use developments as well in the town's center.