Photos: Historic Norcross through the years

Metro Atlanta

Photos: Historic Norcross through the years

Welcome to Norcross, the second-oldest city in Gwinnett County and one of the cities on the National Register of Historic Places. This photo of the downtown historic district is from 2012. (Jason Getz / AJC file)

The early years of Norcross are woven tightly with Atlanta's. Norcross was founded in 1870 by John Thrasher, the same pioneer entrepreneur who created Atlanta's first settlement of Thrasherville. Thrasher named the new Gwinnett town after his friend Jonathan Norcross, who was one of Atlanta's first mayors. This aerial photo of Norcross is from 1960. (Lane Brothers Commercial Photographers Collection, GSU Library, LBGPOA4-014c)

The Atlanta and Richmond Air Line Railway (now the Norfolk Southern Railway) that goes through Norcross was first proposed by Jonathan Norcross in 1859 but work didn't start on it until after the Civil War was over. This photo of the tracks is from 1980. (AJC file)

The rail line roughly followed the route of Old Peachtree Road, which was a stagecoach route at the time (and an Indian trail before that). Small settlements had already begun to appear along the trail, but the Norcross depot would become a catalyst for larger growth in the area. This photo of the depot building is from 1988 at a time when the building sat empty. (Jonathan Newton / AJC file)

The trains made their last stop at the Norcross Depot in 1959. In the 1980s, Norfolk Southern donated the building to the city. It's seen here in 2012. (Jason Getz / AJC file)

The Depot has been leased to several restaurants since the city took the building over, including Jim's Bar B Q Station (seen here in 1991), and the local-history themed Norcross Station Cafe, which occupied the building for 20 years. (Steve Deal, AJC file)

In 2013, the cafe lost its lease when it got outbid in an open-bidding process. Today, the building is occupied by a steakhouse called The Crossing. (Jason Getz / AJC file)

In the 1870s Norcross became known as a resort area for Atlantans. A train called the "Airline Belle Railroad" made three trips a day between the two cities. This photo is from 1991. (Charlotte B. Teagle / AJC file)

Resort visitors could stay at the Brunswick Hotel, built in 1870 across the street from where the depot stands. The hotel was demolished in 1950 and the land is now known as Thrasher Park, seen here in 1990. (AJC file)

The Greer Ivy Hardware store at 81 South Peachtree Street was a downtown landmark. The building, seen here in 1990, housed a hardware store for more than 100 years until Greer Ivy closed its doors in 2002. In 2012, the building got refurbished. Today it's the home of VSOP Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom. (Steve Deal / AJC file)

Some other facts about Norcross business: According to the Norcross city government website, the first car manufactured south of the Mason-Dixon Line, called the "NorX," was built in Norcross in 1908. (This photo is from 1988.) (Jnathan Newtown / AJC file)

Norcross is home to the Fortune 500 company Rock-Tenn, and the Waffle House world headquarters is located just outside the town limits. This photo of the downtown district is from 1983. (Bill Mahan / AJC file)

The historic downtown of Norcross saw some lean years in the decades after the train no longer stopped there. This photo is from 1983. (Bill Mahan / AJC file)

By 1989, Norcross residents were getting tired of seeing empty storefronts in its business district and a revitalization effort began to take hold. (Ben Baxter / Special to the AJC)

This photo from 1991 shows that the Norcross downtown filled with businesses, even if it those businesses were not always boutiques and cafes. (Marlene Karas / AJC file)

Lillian Webb Park opened in 2009. The park, named after a recent Norcross mayor, was once a baseball park (the city is very proud of its baseball heritage) and now features a grand staircase, cascading fountains, walking trails and gazebo. (Shane Blatt / AJC file)

The city's revitalization efforts happened in fits and starts but eventually took root. Today's downtown Norcross (shown here in 2011) is a colorful collection of small shops and restaurants. (Christopher Oquendo / Special)

1/17

Welcome to Norcross, the second-oldest city in Gwinnett County and one of the cities on the National Register of Historic Places. This photo of the downtown historic district is from 2012. (Jason Getz / AJC file)

Today's Gallery Headlines

cedar grove, cairo

Photos: Cedar Grove defeats Cairo in first round of state tournament

Salem Campground Covington

PHOTOS: See the 'Places in Peril' across Georgia for 2026

Autotrader 400

PHOTOS: Tyler Reddick wins again at Autotrader 400

Allyson Phillips (center), Laken Riley’s mother, prays at UGA’s Tate Plaza on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, during a memorial service for her daughter. Riley was attacked on Feb. 22, 2024 while running in Oconee Forest Park on the UGA campus and killed. (C.J. Bartunek for the AJC)

PHOTOS: Hundreds honor Laken Riley with 5K, memorial on UGA campus

More Galleries

Coca-Cola first ad

PHOTOS: Coca-Cola ads over time

World Cup draw party TKTKT

PHOTOS: Fans attend 2026 World Cup draw party in Atlanta

Randy Beck

'No body' homicide cases in Georgia

Stitch rendering 2025

PHOTOS: Renderings of Stitch project over Atlanta's Downtown Connector