There's one place in the southeastern United States that stands out. Georgia is a major state in this area, and Atlanta is its center. Atlanta, Georgia is a huge city that is home to 420,003 people as of the 2010 census. This vital hub in the southeastern United States provides the region's major transportation center, thus making the city a crucial part in business. Highways, railroads, and air transportation connect Atlanta and its surrounding cities and towns to the rest of the country and the world. Suffice it to say, Atlanta is a strategic business and commerce location for Georgia. The Story Behind the Name Before Europeans settled this area, Creek and Cherokee Native Americans inhabited the region. In 1821, the Creeks left their settlement as part of the effort to remove Native Americans from the area during that time. In just a year, new settlers moved in and replaced the Native Americans. In 1836, the Georgia General Assembly agreed to create a system of railroads to connect different parts of the country. This undertaking required a survey of the land and the choice of the initial route of the train. The first point called terminus. At this point, the engineer drove a highway to mark mile zero of the rail system. This was also called the Five Points. In the space of just a year, a community, initially called Terminus, emerged around mile zero. But it was renamed Thrashville in honor of the local merchant who helped start the community. After some time it was renamed Marthasville but Georgia's chief engineer suggested that the place be called Atlanta-Pacifica. The name highlighted the bold goal of connecting the country from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast. The name was eventually shortened to Atlanta and the name has been in use since its incorporation on December 29, 1847. By 1860, the city grew to 9,554 residents from just 30 in 1842. A social renaissance In the 1960s Atlanta became the center of the Civil Rights Movements. Having Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph David Abernathy as two of the most prominent civil rights advocates, Georgia has hosted numerous resurgences and social changes. In fact, Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.