By Ann Boutwell
April 1, 1912: George and Cara Hinman reported that the newly formed Atlanta Story Tellers’ League had met with continuous success since forming in January at the Atlanta Carnegie Library. More than 60 women volunteered in an outreach to promote storytelling to children. The Hinman’s old family home – Stonehurst Place – is now a popular Midtown bed & breakfast at 923 Piedmont Ave. stonehurstplace.com
April 9-13, 1939: For five days, Atlanta audiences had the rare opportunity to see Hollywood’s highest paid female star, Mae West, in person. The Mae West Revue played at the Paramount Theater on Peachtree Street. On a Wednesday evening between shows, City Councilmember Howard Haire and Lillian Everett of the Atlanta Parks Department invited West to the “Battle of Atlanta” show in the Cyclorama at Grant Park. “It is the best history lesson I ever had,” said West, “and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. If there had only been something like this in Brooklyn, I might have been more interested in history when I went to school.”
April 17, 1931: Family and friends gather at the Inman family home on Andrews Drive to pay a last tribute to Edward Hamilton Inman, an auto race enthusiast and one of the first people in the city to own an automobile. With partners he formed the first local automobile agency, representing the Cadillac Company. The Inman home in Buckhead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places is now called the Swan House.
April 19, 1922: Radio history was made between 6 and 10 p.m. as hundreds of Northside residents gathered to hear a free public radio concert at Stephens & Hawks drugstore. It was the first of many to be transmitted from the newly installed radio receiving station at West Peachtree and Fourteenth streets. Recognized faces in the crowd were former Gov. Hugh Dorsey and Ivan Allen, Sr. and 11-year old son, Ivan, Jr., a destined future mayor of the city (1962-1970).
April 20 & 21, 1990: The Druid Hills Civic Association featured eight stops on its 22nd annual home and garden tour. The stop at 822 Lullwater – a 12-room, two-story, red brick – was the centerpiece for the filming of Driving Miss Daisy. Co-producers Richard and Lili Fini Zanuck leased the home for $30,000 from 83-year-old Georgann Tatman and began filming Driving Miss Daisy during the summer of 1989. Jessica Tandy went on to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Daisy. For more about the 2011 Druid Hills Home and Garden Tour, see page ??.
April 22, 1906: Atlantans donated $14,000 for victims of the San Francisco earthquake and fire.
