The Dunwoody Report

The City of Dunwoody was pioneered in the early 1830’s and is named for Major Charles Dunwoody (1828-1905).  A significant part of the DeKalb County portion of Dunwoody was owned by the Spruill family. Their legacy in the area is evidenced by the Spruill Center for the Arts and their old home-place on Ashford Dunwoody Road.  The Spruill Historic Home and Gallery was donated to Dunwoody by Mrs. Ethel Spruill and Miss Onnie Mae Spruill.

The first church, which also served as a private school, was Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church. Established in 1829, it is still an active church located at the intersection of Roberts Drive. and Spalding Drive.  There are many denominations of churches in Dunwoody and the community boasts a diverse and family oriented.

The first public school was started in 1889 near the intersection of Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd. and Mt. Vernon Rd., sometimes referred to as the ‘center’ of Dunwoody.  From 1911 to 1989 Dunwoody Elementary School operated on this site.

The old Farm House located at the corner of Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Mount Vernon Road is an iconic symbol for the city.  The city center is mostly Williamsburg architectural style and is the main theme for the cities architectural overlay district.

In 1905 President Theodore Roosevelt made a campaign stop in the city on Whistle Stop tour of the U.S. putting Dunwoody on the map as an active and vibrant community that could not be ignored.  Dunwoody is a great family place to live.  Clean and bright with great schools, low crime and ample shopping and restaurants.  Living in Dunwoody is a great experience for young and old alike.

Some interesting facts about the City of Dunwoody:

• Dunwoody is the 14th largest city in the State of Georgia and has over 40,000 residents.
• The city boasts 12 square miles and has an equal mix of residential and commercial property.
• There are three beautiful parks:  Brook Run a large facilitly located in the wester half of the city an currently under construction will boast nature trails and an amphitheater as well as open fields for lounging and picnicing.  The Dunwoody Nature Center has ample walking trails and education for the whole family.  Winwood Hollow park is another of the cities tree lined park where residents can get away from the hussle and bussle of todays active lifestyles and find time to relax.
• The city government includes a full-time city manager, a mayor and six city council members.
• There are many shopping centers around the city but most notable are Perimeter Mall, a mondernregional mall with ample restaurants and shops, and Dunwoody Village, a premier representation of the city Williamsburg Style.
• Public schools in the area boast some of the states highest test scores.  Public schools within the city include; Kingsley, Chestnut, Vanderlyn and Austin elementary schools, Peachtree Charter Middle School and Dunwoody High School.

***Much of the information in this page was developed from articles written in the Dunwoody Crier, a must-read periodical for the citizens of dunwoody, and from various internet sources such as wikipedia.  Thank you to all those sources for providing great information about our city.