The following oral history interviews were conducted as part of the Buckhead Heritage Oral History Project at the annual North Buckhead Civic Association Fall Fling on October 30, 2011.
Bill Pulgram
Mr. Bill Pulgram speaks of his escape from Austria during WWII, and his sponsorship by a man from Atlanta to come to this country in 1939 at the age of 18. He mentions the small town attitude that Atlanta had when he arrived, and his favorite restaurants, Hart’s and Pig and Whistle. Mr. Pulgram describes his unique time in the army during WWII. He continues by speaking of the major architecture projects that he worked on with his firm, Filch and Alexander. Mr. Pulgram concludes by describing the house that he built on East Conway in 1962.
In the following video excerpt, Bill Pulgram describes the small-town feel of Buckhead when he moved here in 1939 and recalls Jacobs' Drugstore and the Wender & Roberts.
Lucia Pulgram
Mrs. Lucia Pulgram describes growing up in Buckhead in the 1930s and 1940s. She then mentions the changes that occurred by the time she got married in the 1960s, focusing on the sudden lack of trees on Roswell Road. Mrs. Pulgram speaks of the Alexander property, which was located at the corner of Peachtree Road and Wieuca Road. She concludes by recalling how industrial Atlanta used to be, and the fact that Atlanta was built by the railroad industry.
In the following video excerpt, Lucia Pulgram recalls the effects of Atlantic Steel on the skies of Atlanta, Georgia, and the prevalence of trains in the city when she was growing up.
William Word
Mr. William Word describes the change that came to Buckhead with the building of Lenox Square, and how he used to play football where the mall is today. He mentions that the Blue Heron Nature Preserve used to be an estate belonging to Wiley Moore, the owner of an oil company. He speaks of his father’s membership with the Cherokee Country Club, and the history of the club’s location. Mr. Word also describes his ownership of an antique shop on Miami Circle. He mentions Chief Mathieson, who was once the Chief of Police in Fulton County. He concludes by recalling going fishing where Blue Heron Nature Preserve is now located.
In the following video excerpt, William Word describes how Buckhead has changed over time and how he used to play football on the property where Lenox Square Mall is today.
Visit YouTube to view additional video excerpts from our Oral History Project.
Recent Work
Thanks to contributions from its members and corporate supporters in the past year, Buckhead Heritage was able to complete important projects that further its mission to sustain the quality of life in Buckhead by identifying, preserving, and promoting the community's historic resources. Here are just a few highlights of the organization's recent work:
Buckhead Heritage served on the steering committee for the Buckhead Greenspace Action Plan, which created an innovative vision for an interconnected network of parks, trails, and greenspaces in Buckhead that will interweave opportunities for history, art, and environmental protection into a meaningful system that enhances the quality of life in the community.
Buckhead Heritage contracted with Dustin Hornsby, Restoration Manager at Historic Oakland Foundation, to complete the repair of seven headstones at Harmony Grove Cemetery to ensure their long-term preservation. Buckhead Heritage also held a successful volunteer workday at the site in November.
Buckhead Heritage created a new component of the website where visitors can learn about Buckhead's history, historic buildings, and historical markers. Start exploring this new resource now!
Buckhead Heritage successfully prevented a developer from removing Mt. Olive Cemetery and held a clean-up day at the cemetery in May with students from the Atlanta International School.
Buckhead Heritage conducted nine oral history interviews, including four interviews at History Day at the North Buckhead Civic Assocation Fall Fling in October.
Buckhead Heritage held several fascinating educational programs including Digging Up Civil War History: Battlefield Archaeology of the Atlanta Campaign and Cocktails and Cartouches: An Architectural Bus Tour of Buckhead.
As a BHS Member, you’ll receive our annual newsletter, be invited to special educational events, receive recognition in our publications, and most importantly, be a supporter of identifying, preserving, and promoting the historic resources of Buckhead!
Visit YouTube to view additional video excerpts from our Oral History Project.
