Ponce de Leon Springs (Atlanta)
Ponce de Leon Springs were natural springs located on the site of Ponce City Market in Atlanta, where Ponce de Leon Avenue crosses the BeltLine, and where the Old Fourth Ward, Virginia Highland, Midtown and Poncey-Highland neighborhoods of Atlanta meet.
In the 1860s, trips to the springs on John Armistead's beech grove became a popular day trip among Atlantans. An Atlanta physician, Dr. Henry L. Wilson, named them in honor of Juan Ponce de León, asserting that they kept one young; today's Ponce de Leon Avenue is named after the springs. On June 20, 1874 the Ponce de Leon line of the horse-drawn Atlanta Street Railway was extended to the springs, with service every 15 minutes from 5:30 A.M. to 10 P.M., for a fare of 10 cents. In the 1890s the Nine-Mile Circle streetcar line arrived, bringing many more visitors. Ponce de Leon amusement park was built around the springs. In 1924, the amusement park had seen its day and Sears Roebuck built its Southeastern headquarters on the site. Until 2009, the building functioned as City Hall East, then plans were put in place to redevelop the building as Ponce City Market, a multi-use residential, office and retail complex. On August 25, 2014 Ponce City Market opened.
