John McKay spent 15 years as a firefighter and paramedic before turning his interests into teaching and writing history. His main inspirations were his great-grandfathers on both sides of his family, Confederate veterans almost killed or badly wounded during the war. For the past fifteen years, he has been a freelance writer and photographer for commercial magazines, newspapers, and academic and literary publications. He lives in Alpharetta, Georgia.

• 1. The “Pitch-Tree” 2. Terminus Becomes Marthasville, 1843 3. Battle of East Atlanta, July 22, 1864 4. Sherman Burns Atlanta, November 11, 1864 5. Founding of Atlanta University, 1865 6. Morris Rich Opens His Store, 18677. Invention of Coca-Cola, 1886 8. Cotton States Exposition, 1895 9. Race riots & Auburn Ave., September 22, 1906 10. First Flight in Atlanta, 1910 11. The Met Arrives in Atlanta, 1910 12. Lynching of Leo Frank, 1913 13. The Klan Reborn, 1915 14. Cumberland vs. Ga. Tech, 1916 15. WSB’s first broadcast 16. Frank Gordy open The Varsity, 1928 17. Premiere of GWTW, Dec 15, 1939 18. The Band of Brothers march through Atlanta, 1943 19. The Deadliest Hotel Fire, 1946 20. The Temple Bombing, 1958 21. Lenox Square opens, 1959 22. MLK Funeral, 1968 23. The 1973 Ice Storm 24. Atlanta Child Murders, late 1970s 25. The Limelight Disco Opens, 1980 26. Hosea Williams Marches in Forsyth County, 1987 27. Mohammed Ali lights the Olympic torch, 1996 28. Aerial rescue at Atlanta Mill Fire, 1999 29. Demon in the Freezer, September 11, 2001 30. The First Atlanta Tornado, 2008