Dunwoody is a northern suburb of Atlanta, and one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods – sought after as an urban center for dining and shopping. The 13.2 square mile parcel is close to downtown, but maintains a small town neighborhood feel.

The city of Dunwoody didn’t exist until 2008, when the area was officially incorporated after a community-led movement. But even before the community was officially recognized as a city, residents of the area have long identified themselves as living in Dunwoody – not Atlanta. The area has always had a distinctive history separate from the rest of DeKalb County.

Dunwoody’s story goes back hundreds of years, and the area has always been known for thriving commerce. The area was first inhabited by the Cherokee Indian tribe of the Creek Confederation. Because of its proximity to the Chattahoochee River, the Dunwoody area was the largest and busiest trading center in the vicinity. By 1820, Cherokee farms had popped up along the river, and white settlers began to arrive and create homesteads.

Dunwoody is named after Charles Archibald Dunwoody (1828-1905), who was the son of John Dunwoody, one of the founders of the Roswell Manufacturing Company mills in nearby Roswell, Georgia. By 1853, the area had two cotton mills and employed about 300 people – making it the largest cotton factory complex in North Georgia. In order to transport mill products to Atlanta during the Civil War, a railroad was built between Atlanta and Roswell. This was the first line of transportation that linked the Dunwoody area to the city of Atlanta. Though much of the railroad was destroyed in the war, Charles Dunwoody chose to build a new home in the area after the fighting ended.

A new railroad – the Roswell Railroad – was constructed after the war, designed to run between Roswell and Chamblee with a stop in Dunwoody. This line would carry produce from Dunwoody and fabric from the mills in Roswell into Atlanta, and Dunwoody soon developed as a crossroads community. The area continued to grow long after the railroad was shut down in 1921.

Dunwoody is the home to several historic sites, including the city’s oldest building, the Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church, which was built in 1829. The church is home to a cemetery where several of the founding fathers of Dunwoody are buried. Other landmarks include the Cheek-Spruill Farmhouse (1906), Swancy Farmhouse (1889) and Railroad Section Gang House (1880).

Today, the area is known for good restaurants and upscale shopping opportunities. Perimeter Mall, located in the heart of Dunwoody, boasts some of the best shopping in the Atlanta area. Dunwoody is also home to some of the area’s best school districts and draws lots of growing families. Conveniently located at the intersection of GA 400 and I-285, it allows residents to be close to the action, but still enjoy a quieter way of life. It’s an ideal central location when one spouse works up GA400 and the other commutes to midtown or downtown Atlanta.

With a high livability score, Dunwoody offers lots of local amenities and a true neighborhood feel, good schools and high graduation rates, and a stable housing market. The city has a population of about 48,000 residents and is known for its cultural diversity, a strong and connected community, and mix of singles and families.

The area continues to be a hub for commerce, with several corporations making their home there, including State Farm’s new regional headquarters, UPS, Cox Communications, InterContinental Hotels Group, Porsche Cars North America and Peachford Hospital.

Dunwoody continues to be popular with young families looking to upgrade to a larger home, empty nesters who may want to downsize, young professionals who love the easy access to Buckhead and the live/work/play lifestyle, and anyone looking to escape the chaos of the city in exchange for a better quality of life – without giving up proximity to all Atlanta has to offer.

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and North Atlanta. We live, work and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else. And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the surrounding areas, call us at 770-352-9658.