Chamblee man aboard Otranto, October 1918
James O. (Ollie) Wilson was born in Chamblee in 1896. He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 at the A-10 precinct in Atlanta. Three months later he married Elizabeth Delong of Dunwoody and in July of 1918 he was inducted into the military. Wilson began his training at Chamblee’s Camp Gordon but was soon sent to Fort Screven at Tybee Island, Georgia.
First Chamblee Store
The first store in Chamblee was opened in the late 1800s by W. D. Wallace and C. P. Warnock across from the railroad tracks and Chamblee depot. W. D. was known as Dave and C. P. went by Charlie. The building still stands today at the intersection of American Way and Peachtree Road.
Blanton House in Chamblee
According to a 1987 article in the Atlanta Journal, the house was built in 1917.
Chamblee dairies video
Shannon Wiggins, Public Relations and Communications Director for the city of Chamblee, contacted me to give a brief talk on the history of Chamblee dairies.
Early, mid and late 20th century Christmas trees
Sarah Archer, in her book “Midcentury Christmas: Holiday Fads, Fancies, and Fun from 1945 to 1970,” tells how the changes in the U.S. following World War II affected the Christmas traditions.
Atlanta welcomes soldiers of WWI Camp Gordon at Christmas
At 4 p.m. December 24, 1917, the bugle sounded and marches, drills, and rifle training paused until December 26 at 7 a.m. Eight thousand men headed to downtown Atlanta on the trolley or in cars. Other soldiers stayed on base where entertainment and a Christmas feast was planned.
Drive-in theaters of Chamblee, Doraville
The Peachtree Drive-In Theatre was on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Chamblee, across from where Chamblee Plaza would later open. On July 14, 1950, a grand opening was held at the drive-in.
Early fire fighting began with volunteers
The DeKalb County Fire Department began in 1934 as the Druid Hills Fire Department. This was a subscription service for the Druid Hills neighborhoods. A 1934 fire engine that was known by the name Old Maude was purchased by J. V. Draughn, the owner of this private fire service.
Wylie H. Chamblee
While looking through newspaper articles about Camp Gordon, Michael Hitt read a 1917 Atlanta Constitution article which included the history of the name Chamblee. The article is confirmation that the town was named for Wylie H. Chamblee, a Black man who was one of the petitioners for the post office.