FACTBOOK 2021 199
“New Section on Cherokee
Street to be Improved,” the
headline read. It detailed the
purchase of 30 acres of land
from T.W. Read on the east side
of Cherokee Street, across from
Ivy Grove.
Ivy Grove is one of Marietta’s
most notable historic residences.
Surrounded by lush gardens,
the estate was built in 1845 and
is currently owned by Philip
and Elise Goldstein.
The buyers of the 30 acres
were M.L. McNeel and Harry
DuPre, two of the area’s most
prominent businessmen.
“The new owners have stated
their intentions to make this
portion of Marietta one of the
most desirable residential sections
of the city,” the first story
read. “This new section, which
will be known as Cherokee
Heights, will offer all modern
conveniences. Water mains
and lights will be run; several
houses will be built immediately
and the tract of land divided
into reasonable size plats. Due
to the high elevation of the
land and the numerous pecan
trees which offer abundant
shade, it has been pointed out
that Cherokee Heights will be
greatly welcomed by the many
homeseekers in Marietta.”
By June, graders were at work
on Seminole and Freyer drives,
and many of the homes had already
been sold. Taking over the
real estate work were McNeel’s
son, Frank, and his business
partner, Welborn Venable.
The two launched a media
blitz, filling the pages of the
MDJ with ads for the city’s most
modern subdivision.
One ad, placed Dec. 4, 1924,
declared a lot in Cherokee
Heights to be the ultimate
Christmas gift:
“Truly, the gift of all gifts. It
will bring a smile of happiness
to any face; it will set a-ringing
the joy bells of one’s heart; it is a
practical gift.”
Residents could buy a home
in Cherokee Heights for $500
down. The homes had restrictions
on pricing — if you wanted
to build a home fronting
Cherokee Street, it couldn’t cost
less than $3,500. Further back,
homes came with a minimum
price of $3,000.
Real estate agent Johnny
Walker, who also serves on the
Marietta City Council, said
homes go for a lot more in 2019
dollars.
“I’d say the average is probably
$350,000, but it goes up to
$750,000,” he said. “We just recently
sold a house for $750,000
on Freyer.”
Walker said a big part of that
is location, location, location.
“Its proximity to the Square,
basically, you can walk to the
Square from there,” he said.
“It’s a nice walk, but it’s still
close and very desirable and
sought-after homes in that area.
… It’s a good neighborhood,
and it’s good proximity to the
expressways, so there’s easy
access out to 75 or 41. And it’s
close to the hospital.”
Retiree Mary Lou Cagle lived
in the area while studying at
Marietta High School, and she
said the walkability was a big
part of what she loved about
the area. She’d walk to school
every morning and walk home
from basketball practice in the
evenings.
“It’s just a mile from the
Square, so you can walk,” she
said. “I walked to high school
and walked home from high
school. I’d walk down Maple
Avenue until I got to Kennesaw
Avenue, cross the railroad
track, cross Church Street, get
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