Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Real City on a Hill

Today, I feel like taking a break from discussing those aspects of Atlanta changeable by its inhabitants. After happening upon an interesting question submitted to the Journal-Constitution, it seems to me like a good evening for a brief topography lesson.

Atlanta is the second-highest major American city east of the Mississippi River, after Pittsburgh, unless the significantly lower Downtown of Pittsburgh is counted. The High Museum is, contrary to both the article and its own name, not one of the city's highest points, being approximately 90 feet below the entrance to the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Indeed, in opposition to the broader topographical profile of Georgia, the north and southeast sides of the city of Atlanta are anywhere from 100 to 200 feet lower than the southwest side. Following the orientation of the Appalachian range, however, the ridges in the city are generally oriented from northeast to southwest.

The city's Geographical Information Systems department has plenty of maps available for perusal, by the way, although I suspect that they've guarded the shaded digital elevation model from the peering eyes of the general public.

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