Atlanta is the highest-elevation U.S. state capital east of the Mississippi River.
Atlanta sits at roughly 1,050 feet, or about 320 meters, above sea level on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Its elevation is greater than that of other eastern state capitals, including Nashville, Raleigh, and Frankfort. The city’s high position helped give it a mild regional climate compared with many lower coastal locations.
Atlanta began in 1837 as Terminus, the end point of a planned railroad line. It was renamed Marthasville in 1843 and Atlanta in 1847. The city became Georgia’s capital in 1868, replacing Milledgeville. Atlanta was rebuilt after major Civil War destruction and later became a transportation and business hub. Its elevation should not be confused with the elevation record for all U.S. capitals: Santa Fe, New Mexico, is much higher, but it lies west of the Mississippi River.