Peachtree Heights East was the project of Eretus "Petie" Rivers, a railroad man turned real estate developer for whom E. Rivers School on Peachtree Battle Parkway is named. Along with Frank C. Owens, president of the Southern Land Co., Rivers bought a tract of "wooded, wild land" from Leontine Chisolm Andrews in 1906. It was bounded on the south by a dirt road that is now Lindbergh Drive. Another dirt road became Brookwood Drive and divided the property into two sections, Peachtree Heights and E. Rivers Subdivision. Peachtree Heights extended from Peachtree Road to Brookwood Drive and was laid out in 1908. The E. Rivers section was laid out in 1920 between Brookwood on the west and the creek east of Acorn Avenue, according to neighborhood historian, Bill Bell.
This plat of Peachtree Heights appeared in the newspapers before the initial auctions of the lots on June 19, 1909. At that time, the northern boundary of Peachtree Heights was the land lot line. Around 1915, East Wesley Road was built, with its centerline along this land lot boundary. Over the years, the lot owners on the north side of Peachtree Way divided their lots and sold lots that fronted East Wesley. Home built on the south side of East Wesley became part of Peachtree Heights East.
Advertisements for the new subdivision said, "the trees are beautiful, the land is rolling and well drained, several flowing springs are found." By 1913, there were 20 homes in the subdivision. World War I interrupted construction, but by 1928, the number of homes had grown to 175. While the Duck Pond did not exist when Mr. Rivers initially sold lots, the minutes of the Peachtree Heights Community Club in 1922 gives credit to two residents for building the “lake” and beautifying the area.
Before 1929, the street now called Winslow Drive, went by the name of East Boulevard. The 1909 also shows Maysons Avenue as the southern boundary of Peachtree Heights. In 1927, this street was changed to Lindbergh Drive in honor of the famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh, who visited Atlanta in October 1927.
After Rivers’ death in 1932, his widow deeded the 7.35 acres encompassing the Duck Pond and surrounding park area to a trust to be held in perpetuity for the benefit of the residents of Peachtree Heights. The neighborhood maintains the park through neighborhood association dues, fund-raising projects and community work days. The park underwent major restoration in 2001, when the Duck Pond was drained and dredged, new silt ponds, retaining walls and bridges were built and new landscaping was installed.
Buckhead neighborhood historian and recently deceased Peachtree Heights East resident, Bill Bell, has written a history of the neighborhood to 1950. "A History of Peachtree Heights East" was published in 2000. Copies of the book are included in new resident welcome baskets.
