The Atlanta expressway system opened in segments.The first, the Northwest Expressway (stretching between Piedmont Avenue and Northside Drive), was dedicated in 1951.The final portion of the region's toll-free super-highway system, Interstate 75, was completed through Marietta in 1974.

This map, circa-1974, shows the locations of shopping malls that existed at the time, with "Lost Malls" indicated by black squares...other malls by gray squares.

A listing of the city's LOST MALLS reads as follows;

1. Stewart-Lakewood Center [1960 to present] 2. Cobb County Center [1963-1998] 3. Ansley Mall [1964 to present] 4. Columbia Mall [1964 to 2007] 5. Buford-Clairmont Mall [1970 to present] and 6. Parkaire Mall [1974 to 1986]

Poster Ken reminded me that a seventh "Lost Mall" Atlanta shopping center deserves at least a perfunctory mention here...ROSWELL MALL.

Info on the early incarnation of this North Fulton County complex is hard to come by. What I have been able to dig-up indicates that the shopping venue opened in 1974. It was a 500,000 square foot, strip center-format complex with a bi-level, enclosed arcade area. The original anchors were Kmart and Richway (a bargain branch of Atlanta-based Rich's). There was also the 4-plex, Roswell Mall Cinema.

A Startime 10 multiplex opened in the 1980s. The complex was redeveloped into a completely open-air format in 1994. Burlington Coat Factory, Publix and Target stores have come and gone over the years...with the most recent shuttering being the Value City (which occupied the old Richway spot).