Meet Lisa Flaherty | Co-Founder History Afoot Atlanta Walking Tours

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Flaherty and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Simply put, we saw a gap. There are great tours in Atlanta, but there were none being delivered by historians telling the stories outside of the conventional history of our city. Amy and I realized that much of the history of Atlanta told is about moments. What we try to do is weave together these larger moments with the smaller events that led up to it. By doing this we offer a deeper understanding of history and a richer understanding of the impact on our lives today. History Afoot was born from the idea to showcase what exists now, what came before and how the two come together.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’ve been immersed in Atlanta business life having worked at Delta for over 35 years. My work took me around the world and in doing so allowed me to combine my profession with the ability to explore a crazy number of museums. From Berlin to Buenos Aires and from Johannesburg to Tokyo I’ve explored how people tell the stories of their culture and country’s history.

The real challenge to overcome was figuring out how to tell the story of this (relatively) new city on the world stage in a way that connects who we are and where we see ourselves going.

If I could share one thing about my “brand” is that it is possible to take your passion and love of where you live and turn it into a business that stands apart and creates value for the intellectually curious.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ooof, really, just one week? Atlanta has so much to offer! Ok…let’s try this. Warning! We do history tours so prepare yourself for some museum visits.

Let’s start at the city core and spread out. The aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park, and the Coca-Cola Museum are all no brainers. Big fun and all within a few blocks of one another make this start obvious. After all that cutness and sugar, I would take my guests to a museum that tells both an Atlanta story and a national story. The Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta means so much to the fundamentals of human rights, and the museum is so profound and beautifully curated that it hits your heart and reminds you of your humanity. It’s a treasure. That’s a lot in just one day, but this city has a lot!

For an early dinner, I would drive my guests over to Daddy D’s on Moreland Ave. and enjoy my favorite chicken in the whole town.

Heading home (and before dusk), I’d take a slow walk through Oakland Cemetary. A part of the garden cemetary movement in the 1800s, the cemetary is a surprisingly serene and relaxing place to spend time.

Day two will bring us back to where we finished by having breakfast at The Little Tart Bakery on Memorial Drive. From there, we’d get over to the Beltline, but would slow roll through Cabbage Town to get a sense of what a mill worker’s neighborhood looked like. We would then stop at the King Memorial to see and understand the legacy of Atlanta’s favorite son and global hero. Parking somewhere near Krog Street Market we’d jump on the Beltline and stroll through Inman Park, getting a bite at Ponce City Market and end our Eastside tour with a loop around Piedmont Park. Walking back we’d grab a bite a Fritti’s and then walk into Little Five Points for some funkiness and maybe a beer at the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club. If we wanted to stay out, maybe we’d see who’s playing at the Variety Playhouse ending our day slightly exhausted but ready for day three.

Day three would take us over to the westside Beltline for coffee at the Lee & White facility and another walk toward Capital View backtracking and seeing the Adair Park neighborhood as well. We’d do this to show how the big idea of a single connected walking trail can – almost by itself – tell the story of our city. We’d roll back through Atlanta showing the HBCU’s of Morehouse and Spellman and then take in a lunch over in any of the westside eateries that sprang up over the past five years. The history of Atlanta can be seen through the reuse story of places like the King Plow, Puritan Mills or any of the newly emerging warehouses in the area. It’s around 2pm and it’s time to head towards midtown and visit the Center for Puppetry Arts. I can’t think of an Atlanta museum that surprises, educates and gives profound joy to every visitor. It evokes childhood memories while showcasing the power of storytelling in a way few other places can. It’s a quick walk to the revitialzed Colony Square and dinner at Rumi’s Kitchen. Food, atmosphere and outstanding people watching are all to be had there along with the story of yet another rebirth (the phoenix really is the best metaphor for this city). Colony Square was a 1970’s office center that’s now a tremendous mix use development.

Whew…

Day four takes us out a little farther and starts making an arch from Buckhead to Lenox for still more great people watching and then over to Virginia Highlands where drinks or food can be had at institutions like Murphys or Moe’s and Joes. Then it’s off for a quick walk through the Emory University campus and time at the often overlooked, but absolutely great Carlos Museum. Who doesn’t love a mummy? Being that we’re almost in Decatur, it’s time to head over to what America doesn’t realize is the scene for more TV and movies: Decatur square. Basically, Decatur is a hybrid of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry, the best brewhouses and awesome eateries. The Deer and Dove is an amazing eatery with a James Beard award winning chef or we could slide into a booth at Twain’s and enjoy some delicious pub food. I love the atmosphere at both places.

For Day five I’d make sure my guests are still breathing and able to walk, then its off to an Atlanta sports venue. Sure, Athens has the national champs in the Dawgs, but we’re talking Atlanta. There’s nothing as bonkers as watching the Atlanta United fanatics gather outside of Mercedes Benz Stadium and bring the spike in. Any visitor would have a blast tailgating at a Falcon’s game, and the fandom around the Birds has to be seen to be believed. When you add the Hawks, Yellow Jackets and GSU football to the list you sure to find something for every sports fan.

Finally, I’d give my visitors a list of dining options that would exhaust them simply with choices. Consider the original Highland Bakery in the Old Fourth Ward, Ria’s Bluebird in Cabbagetown or anywhere along Buford Highway, to satisfy those hunger pangs. As we make your way to the airport I have one last stop. Located next to the airport is The Delta Flight Museum. It is the coolest museum that unexpectedly helps tell the story of Atlanta through the eyes of one of the biggest airlines. It does so with exhibits on its roots as a crop dusting service in Macon,GA and Monroe, LA to the glamerous Queen of the Sky 747.

Being so close the airport, I’d put my happily exhausted visitors on a flight home (preferably a Delta plane) and then take a nap.

Of course it goes without saying, if you want to take a walking tour through any of the neighborhoods above, please contact us!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without a doubt, we want to recognize the great faculty and staff at Georgia State University. Especially the history department. We both got our masters at GSU and were impressed with the depth of knowledge and generosity of their faculty. The late, great professor of history Cliff Kuhn gave so much of himself to my learning and was an expert on the history of Atlanta. Professor Kuhn wasn’t afraid to speak about anything. We explored the highs and lows of our city’s history and he helped me and all of his students connect the dots of how we got to where we are today and the unsung heroes that created where we live. Professor Kuhn drove me to fall more in love with my hometown, but especially showed me how the truth about how Atlanta impacted the region and the nation.

Website: historyafootatlanta.com

Instagram: @historyafootatlanta