My name is Valerie Biggerstaff and I’ve lived in and around Atlanta, Georgia all my life. I’ve lived in various parts of the metropolitan area, including Doraville, Chamblee, Emory University, Brookhaven, Lilburn, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Atlanta.

I’ve written about local history in the Past Tense column of the Dunwoody Crier newspaper since 2006, taking over for local historian Jim Perkins. This blog will share additional history as well as extra details and photos to supplement my Dunwoody Crier column.

In 2010, I completed my first book, Images of America: Dunwoody, published by Arcadia Publishing. The book contains many historic photographs of Dunwoody, Georgia along with the stories and history behind the photographs. Seven years later, I teamed up with Rebecca Chase Williams to write Images of America: Brookhaven, another book filled with history and historic photographs, this time featuring Brookhaven, Georgia.

Since these books were published, I have discovered additional photos, history and families whose stories need to be told. I will continue to add the well-known and shared stories to this blog, as well as new history as it is uncovered.

I served on the Board of Directors of Dunwoody Preservation Trust for ten years and now am in my second year on the Board of DeKalb History Center.