Woodruff Park


Woodruff Park, named for Robert W. Woodruff, is located in the heart of Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The park's are north of Edgewood Ave, between Peachtree Street NE and Park Place NE. The park includes two fountains, a performance pavilion, and several monuments.

History

The original between Peachtree Street, Edgewood Avenue, Pryor St. and the Candler Building were purchased anonymously by Mr. Woodruff then donated to the city in 1971 and the first incarnation of the park opened in 1973.
During the lead up to the execution of Troy Davis, Woodruff Park served as a rallying point for marches and rallies for his life and freedom.

Phoenix statue

A bronze sculpture, Atlanta from the Ashes, depicts a woman releasing a phoenix, a symbol of Atlanta's rise from the ashes after being burnt to the ground by William T. Sherman's Union armies during the Civil War. Atlanta from the Ashes was a gift of the Rich Foundation in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Rich's Department store. The sculpture was designed by James Seigler, sculpted by Gamba Quirino, and fabricated by Feruccia Vezzoni in 1969. Atlanta from the Ashes was originally located on a viaduct adjacent to the first Rich's Department store on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, S.W. & Spring Street, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia from 1969 to 1995. In 1995, the sculpture was restored and moved to its current location in Woodruff Park.