Flashback fotos: Atlanta from above, December 1965

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Flashback Photos: Atlanta from above, December 1965

Take a flight over Atlanta, as it was 50 years ago this month. On December 21, 1965, AJC photographer Floyd Jillson was sent to take photos of our city from the air. There are shots of downtown, Lenox Square, Greenbriar Mall (then Greenbriar Center), North DeKalb Mall and the Cobb County Shopping Center (later Cobb Center and now home to the International Academy of Smyrna).

Aerial view of a an unidentified shopping mall and its surrounding parking lot, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Negative envelope: "Atlanta Parking Lots and Shopping Centers. 12-21-65. F. Jillson." All photos by Floyd Jillson/AJC.

Aerial view of downtown, looking north, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. From the negative envelope: Negative envelope: "Atlanta Parking Lots and Shopping Centers. 12-21-65. F. Jillson." The central street running north is Peachtree Street.

Aerial view of downtown, looking northeast, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. "Atlanta Parking Lots and Shopping Centers. 12-21-65. F. Jillson. From the negative envelope: " Marietta Street is the large street running diagonally from the bottom right corner. The first intersection we see is at Spring Street. Note the Baptist Tabernacle, today known as The Tabernacle, a music venue. The future site of Centennial Towner is in the top right corner. Floyd Jillson/AJC

Aerial view of downtown, looking northwest, showing large areas covered in parking lots around the Peachtree Center district, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of downtown, looking northwest, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Courtland Street is the prominent road running north on the right-hand side.

Aerial view of downtown, looking west, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Starting from the bottom, the first horizontal street is Courtland Avenue, then Peachtree Center Avenue, and then Peachtree Street. Starting from the left, the first intersecting street is John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, then Ellis Street, and then Andrew Young International Boulevard.

Aerial view of downtown, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Terminal Station is in the upper right corner.

Aerial view of downtown, showing large areas covered in parking lots, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of Greenbriar Center (later, Greenbriar Mall) and its surrounding parking lot, looking southwest, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of Greenbriar Center (later, Greenbriar Mall) and its surrounding parking lot, looking west, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Greenbriar Center opened earlier in 1965.

Aerial view of Lenox Square and its surrounding parking lot; Lenox Square Theatre in the foreground, looking northeast, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of Lenox Square and its surrounding parking lot, looking northeast, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of Lenox Square and its surrounding parking lot, looking south, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of Lenox Square and its surrounding parking lot, looking southeast, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

Aerial view of North DeKalb Mall and its surrounding parking lot, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. At the Intersection of Lawrenceville Highway and North Druid Hills Road

Aerial view of North DeKalb Mall and its surrounding parking lot, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Intersection of Lawrenceville Highway and North Druid Hills Road

Aerial view of the city, looking east, showing the many parking lots and decks; the State of Georgia building is under construction, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Spring Street runs horizontally along the bottom.

Aerial view of the city, looking north, showing the many parking lots and decks; the State of Georgia Building is under construction, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Spring Street is seen running north along the left-hand side.

Aerial view of the city, looking northwest, showing the many parking lots and decks; the State of Georgia building is under construction, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. The prominent intersection on the right-hand side is of Peachtree Center Avenue and Decatur Street.

Aerial view of the Cobb County Shopping Center and its surrounding parking lot, with a view towards Rich's and Grant's, Smyrna, Georgia, December 21, 1965.

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Aerial view of a an unidentified shopping mall and its surrounding parking lot, Atlanta, Georgia, December 21, 1965. Negative envelope: "Atlanta Parking Lots and Shopping Centers. 12-21-65. F. Jillson." All photos by Floyd Jillson/AJC.

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